  | Longest letsgoboy Author: Wilder, Derick | |
| Price: $21.88 | ||
Summary:
As a dog and his little girl go on their final walk together, he gets to experience the sights, smells, and wonders of this world one last time before peacefully passing on. But for such a good boy and his foreverfriend, that doesn't mean it's the end.
| Illustrator: | Chien, Catia |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (+) (10/01/21)
School Library Journal (+) (11/01/21)
Booklist (+) (09/15/21)
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (+) (00/09/21)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 09/15/2021 *Starred Review* In as genuinely doggy a narrative as ever there was, an aging tailwagger answers the call of his loving, two-legged “foreverfriend” Little—“letsgoboy!”—and remembers being an “awwpuppy” again, “runjumping and tailchasing.” Now, though, it’s just a companionable “slowstep” out and then back, to settle beneath stretching shadows . . . and to hear another, more distant “Letsgoboy!” “I take one last look at Little. She will be okay. And I am ready.” Echoing the strong mutual attachment that underlies every line of this monologue, Chien’s grainy, soft-focus scenes follow the old pooch and a tiny, exuberant child who barely reaches his shoulder through a woodsy ramble, and then sends the dog on alone, to soar through bright abstract spaces (“My oldbones feel new”) while seasons pass below, and, finally, to watch joyously as Little looks up in remembrance after getting a slobberkiss from a new awwpuppy. “She gives me a happyface. I wigglewag. She’s my foreverfriend.” If there’s a dryeye in the house after this, check for a pulse. Cynthia Rylant’s vision of Dog Heaven (1995) may offer more specific details about what awaits new arrivals, but Littles left behind will find a similar level of love and comfort here. - Copyright 2021 Booklist.
School Library Journal - 11/01/2021 PreS-Gr 3—Letsgoboy, a dog along in years, and his pint-sized companion embark on their final walk, their senses taking in the magic of the summer woods. Letsgoboy is delighted at every turn by the sights, sounds, and smells of the forest, and he uses a lexicon uniquely his own to describe his environs—clouds are puffers, trees are tallsticks, squirrels are branchjumpers. And while his joy cannot be dulled by the fatigue of old age, Letsgoboy knows that this walk will be his last. He revels in the love he feels for his surroundings and Little, his girl. With his earthbound journey complete, he peacefully passes in the shadow of his home. His girl grieves, seasons turn, and spring brings renewed life and a puppy to Letsgoboy's child. Wilder deftly navigates the difficult topic of death by presenting it in tandem with the joy of life. The grief of loss is acknowledged, but not dwelled upon, and Wilder's use of literal—and sometimes silly—descriptive phrases adds just the right amount of levity to a tough subject matter. The mixed media illustrations work brilliantly in conjunction with the text, particularly Chien's depiction of Letsgoboy's passing. The palette fluctuates from vibrant to solemn, shifting appropriately to the mood of the story. VERDICT One not to be missed, this moving, visceral tale is a testament to the bond between a child and pet. Any person, young or old, who has experienced loss will find this essential purchase a profound comfort.—Sarah Simpson, Westerville P.L., OH - Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
