Up in Heaven

My daughter changed the boy to a girl and the dog to a boy and read and read and read the story to her niece----and now my granddaughter tells us that Max is in Heaven and is dealing with things much better. She is also now ready to get another dog.

I stumbled upon this book at the vet's office after my little dog had died. It was a great way to explain to my small children that Maxwell was okay up in heaven and that we could have and love a new dog when the time was right. My kids like the book so much that they made me read it three times! On the third read, I realized that it had helped me too! I bought a copy so we could read it together whenever we were sad. We were reminded that our dog was up in heaven; happy and healthy.

This book is very well done. The little boy loses his dog to old age and it is explained that dogs go to 'dog heaven' and are very happy there. It beautifully explained death to little kids in a way they can understand. In the end, in a dream, his dog told him it was ok to get another dog to love. Beautiful pictures, heartwarming story, great book.

The illustrations in this book are so beautiful. I got choked up the first time I read it aloud to my three year old twin boys, too. My boys absolutely adore this book, even without understanding it completely. I love it and would recommend it highly but I do have to warn other parents. The little boy in the story gets a new puppy to help him get over his beloved Daisy. For families that want some more time to grieve and be dog-less (or don't want another dog again) this may start a new dog campaign. Be forewarned!

I got this book for my kids to help them deal with the reality of my terminally ill dog. It is a touching story that I can barely get through most of the time. (Thank goodness for Dad!) Beautifully illustrated. My 5 year old got the most out of the story. Now we are all waiting for a puppy dream! I'm getting one for the preschool in my furbaby's memory. Everyone with a beloved family pet needs to at least have access to this wonderful story. I'm so glad I have this book: for my kids AND for me.