Dog Heaven by Cynthia Rylant

Dog Heaven by Cynthia Rylant

Rating: 5 very sweet, very sad stars

This morning a friend of mine and her son came over for a playdate.  Our sons--her first and my third--are about six months apart and play together well.  More importantly, I really like her.  She's wonderfully grounded in the Real Things That Matter, more sure of herself than I ever will be, and a big reader of both children's and adult books.

Plus, she's a dog lover.  In fact, two weeks ago Kiefer and I went to her house to play, and we had the privilege of meeting their family Golden Retriever.  Goldens, in case you didn't know, are the most lovable of all dogs; we had one growing up. My friend's Golden and my childhood Golden both had big goofy grins and big tail wags.  They were sweet, friendly, and looking to give love to and receive love in every set of hands their noses touched.

So I was saddened, to put it lightly, to hear that a few days after we met him, their ten year old Golden simply collapsed during a simple walk in their woodsy backyard.  The next day, she got a call from the vet that every dog lover/owner dreads.  He was gone.  There was no advanced warning, no time to prepare her son, no thought given to hiding away little remembrances of a great dog.  Their family dog--furry playmate, welcome-homer, late night companion--is gone.  I am sad for their family.

I've seen Dog Heaven at the library before, but had no reason to check it out.  Today when I saw it up on display, I grabbed it.  It was a sign, and I believe in signs.

Rather than focus on the inevitable sadness, Cynthia Rylant (an author to remember) focuses on the happy: where dogs go once they leave their Earthly homes.

They will be there when old friends show up.
They will be there at the door.

It is definitely a little religious--in my opinion, in a good, open-armed sort of way--but I love it.  I LOVE it.  It is one of those smile-through-the-tears sort of books.  I really want to type out the whole book here, but here are a few of my favorite passages:

When a dog first arrives in Heaven, he just runs. Dog Heaven has clear, wide lakes filled with geese who honk and flap and tease.  The dogs love this. 

And, oh, the dog biscuits.  Biscuits and biscuits as far as the eye can see.  God has a sense of humor, so He makes His biscuits in funny shapes for His dogs.  There are kitty-cat biscuits and squirrel biscuits.  Ice-cream biscuits and ham-sandwich biscuits.  Every angel who passes by has a biscuit for a dog. 

Every dog becomes a good dog in Dog Heaven.

This is a good book to know about, and to remember.  Because if you're reading this and you're a dog lover and you've got kids, you might need this book.  Actually, this book is proof that children's books are for all ages.  It is a fantastic book to remember even for those tough-seeming but actually tender grown ups whose hearts are going to break when their beloved pup passes away.  Imagining your great dog chasing geese in heaven, getting biscuits in heaven, and hearing that he is, finally (for my dogs) a good dog....it might help put a small smile on your face.

Good dog, Paddington.  Your people miss you greatly.

All In A Day by Cynthia Rylant

All In A Day by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Nikki McClure

Rating: 4.5 stars

I just finished reading an actual chapter book--The Idle Parent: Why Laid-Back Parents Raise Happier and Healthier Kids by Tom Hodgkinson.  It was funny and refreshing.  I loved that he tries to stay on the sofa as long as possible, and that he and his wife try to stay in bed as long as possible on the weekends.  I don't love the fact that he doesn't think swaddling is good...I thank our well-worn Miracle Blankets (thanks, Stacey!) for many good nights sleep.

Anyway, among the tidbits I picked up from this book is this: Learn how to live in the moment just like your kids do.  They don't want to stop what they are doing to ____ (fill in the blank with: eat dinner, clean up, go run errands, go to a friend's house, do whatever!) because this moment is great and they don't want it to end.  We're constantly asking them about what they just did ("What did you guys do with Miss Chloe?" I asked Lorelei when I came home this morning) and what they're going to do ("Do you want to go to the pool after Ben wakes up?").  How many times have I called my friends to ask them if it's bedtime yet at their house...??  An embarrassing number of times.  So I'm trying to be better about letting them just Be, and Be-ing with them.  Trying to live in the moment, and not worry too much about the before and after.

I'm doing ok; I give myself a B-.  For over-achieving me, I think I can do better.

And here comes Cynthia Rylant to help me!  And the ever-wonderful, ever-talented Nikki McClure, who illustrated this amazing book.  This book is like a slow afternoon that you don't want to end, when you're at your best as a parent, full of appreciation for your kids at that moment.  Here's a snippet of text, and a gorgeous image to go along:

Underneath that great big sky

the earth is all a-spin.

This day will soon be over

and it won’t come back again.

So live it well, make it count,

fill it up with you.

The day’s all yours, it’s waiting now . . .

See what you can do.

I wrote earlier about Nikki McClure and her ways with her X-acto knife here; her website is really worth checking out if you're at all intrigued by the picture above.

I was so happy that Ben and Lorelei loved this book.  There's one page that Ben loves (see left)--Nikki McClure hides a dozen or so wild animals in one single, huge image, and Ben likes to find the snail, lizard, raccoon, deer, and especially the woodpecker.  This poem is one that I want to memorize so I can recite it to them when they are upset or having difficulty falling to sleep because it is so relaxing and enjoyable.

This is a wonderful book to give--I have to say it's going to be one of our go-to books for 3 year olds for the next few years, and is also a wonderful book for adults who might just need to be reminded of the importance of living in the present. 

Enjoy today, my imaginary friends!  Live it well.