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Sammy in the Sky
by
Barbara Walsh (Goodreads Author),
Jamie Wyeth
A deeply affecting tale of love, loss, and remembrance-- told in clear-eyed prose by a top journalist and illustrated by a renowned American painter.
Sammy, the best hound dog in the whole wide world, loves his girl and she loves him. When illness cuts Sammy's life short, the girl's family keeps his spirit alive by celebrating his love of chasing wind-blown bubbles, keeping...more
Sammy, the best hound dog in the whole wide world, loves his girl and she loves him. When illness cuts Sammy's life short, the girl's family keeps his spirit alive by celebrating his love of chasing wind-blown bubbles, keeping...more
Hardcover, 32 pages
Published
August 9th 2011
by Candlewick Press
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A well-loved dog, Sammy is simply the best hound dog in the world, and his human companions enjoy the time they spend with him. The narrator especially loves him because he stays by her side during night storms and loves to pop the bubbles she and her younger sister blow in the air. But then when Sammy turns 12, he becomes ill and begins the slow but inevitable slide toward death. The family says goodbye to him as he grows more feeble with each day. After some time has passed, the family members...more
sammy in the sky is honest and healing in it's treatment of what the loss of a beloved friend means to children. it's the right book at the right time for our family as we anticipate the departure of our sweet girl casey sometime in the not so distant future. artist illustrator jamie wyeth, son of renowned american master andrew wyeth, matches the mood of walsh's story well with his watercolors. i especially like the obvious nod to mary badham's scout finch wyeth gives the narrator. there's some...more
Sad, but a nice straightforward picture book to help kids understand the death of a pet.
Even a cold-hearted, "no more dead dogs" cynic like me felt moved by this book. Here's one that kids who have lost or will lose a beloved family dog can relate to. This is a rare book where the dog isn't "put to sleep" by the veterinarian - instead, the dog dies from its illness at home: "Sammy's breathing grew slower and slower until it stopped." I'm sure it'll be well-received by the next grown-up who comes to my library looking for a book to help explain a pet's death to a kid.
Sammy is the best hound dog in the world. When Sammy gets sick and dies, the family mourns his loss and remembers Sammy by doing things Sammy had always loved.
A surprising amount of text on each page for a picture book. Big, beautiful paintings on every page.
“’Can’t Sammy come back?’ I asked Daddy. ‘Just for a little while?’
Daddy shook his head. ‘You’ll have to remember him in your heart,’ he said.”
A surprising amount of text on each page for a picture book. Big, beautiful paintings on every page.
“’Can’t Sammy come back?’ I asked Daddy. ‘Just for a little while?’
Daddy shook his head. ‘You’ll have to remember him in your heart,’ he said.”
Like Margaret Wild's Harry & Hopper, this book made me sniffle and wipe my eyes. Sammy is the best hound dog in the whole world. And when he gets old and sick, the little girl is distraught. A wonderfully told and illustrated book about losing a beloved pet.
I am about to cry after reading this book--so sweet and wonderful. (It doesn't help that the narrator looks like Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird.) Recommended for anyone who is losing or has lost an animal they loved. The paintings which are the story's illustrations are wonderful--I want them for my home.
Even a non-animal lover like myself was touched by this book. It is a sweet story about the loss a beloved pet and the healing that occurs. This would be a good story to share with children who are going through a similar situation. The illustrations are soft and gentle much like the message of the story.
Such a touching story about a family, and the special love between her best houndog in the world and a young girl. Based on the author's own family experience, every reader who has ever loved and lost a pet will appreciate this story. With fantastic illustration by Maine's own Jamie Wyeth.
Loving and losing a dog,nuff said, having just lost my dog.Where does a dog's beautiful, loving spirit go? What do you tell your children? Depending upon your belief system, this book may help and it may even give you an idea for a ritual. Beautifully illustrated.
A beautiful story about the love a family has for their dog and what it's like to lose him. The death of a pet is a great place to start when talking to kids about death. Despite the sadness, it is still moving in its writing and illustrations.
THIS BOOK WILL MAKE YOU CRY. Illustrated by the grandson of N.C. Wyeth, depicting who I swear is Scout from To Kill A Mockingbird, this is a gut-wrenching book about the best dog in the world getting cancer and slowly dying.
This is a beautiful story about losing a beloved pet. I couldn't finish it without crying. Each illustration is a watercolor painting and gorgeous. This would be a great read for a child who has experienced loss.
simple book about a beloved pet's death, although I didn't like that the child narrator wasn't included when the father buried Sammy, there was an tender celebration on the beach where the whole family remembered Sammy.
I am not a dog person, but I have a child who is. We read this book together and both really enjoyed it. It is a sweet story about a girl an her love for her dog. It is sad, but a cute book.
Loved this story about Sammy and his family. It's amazing what pets can do for a family and how they become one of "us." A great story to share when a family has lost a beloved pet.
I cried while reading, impressed and stunned to see how bravely and decently each character of the book faces the unrecoverable loss of Sammy… This is simply beautiful.
A nice book about a beloved and dying pet. A nice look at preparing for death, if that is at all possible, and celebrating the life of an important part of the family.
Such a sad book with beautiful illustrations. Would be great for helping children deal with death of pets or people.
Another touching dearly departed dog story. These authors need to read Gordon Korman's No More Dead Dogs.
Aug 08, 2012
Damera Blincoe
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Shelves:
children-s-books-about-death,
juvenile-books
This is a very sad book. It talks about a child dealing with the death of her dog.
Beautifully illustrated by Jamie Wyeth, a heartfelt tale of a dog.
A beautiful book about coping with the death of a beloved pet.
A sweet story about dealing with the death of a beloved pet.
Beautiful illustrations. A sad dog book, as a warning.
May 18, 2011
Alison
marked it as to-read
Illustrator Jamie Wyeth is the grandson of Andrew Wyeth!
:( Sad book, beautiful pictures and story.
I'm really fond of the pictures!!!!!
Deals well with the loss of a pet.
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Barbara Walsh is a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist who has worked for newspapers and magazines in Florida, Massachusetts, Maine, and Ireland. Sammy in the Sky was inspired by her family’s first dog, Sam, a loyal and loving hound who died in 2003. She is also the author of August Gale; A Father and Daughter’s Journey into the Storm, an adult biography and memoir book. Barbara Walsh lives in Maine...more
More about Barbara Walsh...
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