The Rainbow Bridge: A Visit to Pet Paradise

by Adrian Raeside

Adrian Raeside has created a magical tale of adventure for pet lovers of all ages in The Rainbow Bridge . Using his gift for creating spunky characters, Raeside has created a valuable fable for anyone who cherishes the companionship of a family pet. Seven-year-old Rick and his beloved dog Koko are inseparable. They cavort in the swimming hole, chase each other through the fields, play fetch and wrestle. But their relationship changes as Koko grows old and his health declines.
With Koko's passing, Rick is devastated. But then one night, he is woken by Buster, a flatulent but well-intentioned messenger dog, who suddenly appears at the boy's bedside. Buster ferries Rick to a magical paradise for pets where Rick is reunited with Koko; it fills Rick's heart with joy. It's a place where cats burrow through fields of catnip, no couch is off-limits to dogs and frisbees are flung endlessly. This mysterious adventure is truly a holiday miracle! Adrian Raeside captures the special bond between humans and their pets, and with marvelous illustrations, brings a gentle humour to a story that will resonate with children and pet lovers of all ages.

Genres: Childrens, Grief, Picture Books, Animals

32 pages, Paperback

First published April 11, 2012

Reviews

[Stephen Wallace · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am giving this 3 stars because it is a children's book yet somehow I wanted more. Illustrations are nice enough, story tells people that our dog is waiting for us, and that we move on with our pets. All good.

People always want to know if the dog dies in the end of a dog book. Well, in this one it dies in the beginning. It is written pretty quick maybe it won't be so painful, unless the parent stopped there and let it sink in...

There is one passage we who have lost dogs have felt:

'Over the next few days, the house felt strange. Nobody barked when the mailman walked past. No clicky-clack of claws on the kitchen floor. No wet nose at the table every time food was served.'

I didn't realize that all our pets went to the rainbow bridge. Guess it seems fair. There are paradises specific for the animal like dogs, cats, birds, fish. Does that mean I will have a lot of aquarium fish going with me when I pass on?

I know that the Rainbow bridge would have fields for dogs to run in, and bones aplenty, but didn't think about the couches:

Rick stopped in front of a heap of couches. The sides had been shredded by cat claws and almost every couch was occupied by snoozing dogs or cats. Koko pawed at a cushion. “We call this our lounge area.”
“And no one tells you to get off the couch?” “At first, I felt a bit guilty,” said Koko, “but it soon passes.”

In the end the boy makes a comment which perhaps points to a lesson learned, "All dogs speak, we just don't listen properly."

I always thought a book like this would be good to read to a child way before a dog gets near death to prepare them a little in advance. It would be good to have a discussion on death when we are not in the midst of it. I am not sure if there is a good passage that dogs go to heaven in the Bible, but I choose to believe that they come from heaven and then they return to heaven.

[Taren Moran · Rating 5 out of 5]

As hard as it was to read, I think it really helped my son with where our cat has gone to wait for us, and that is everything.

[Christina Field · Rating 4 out of 5]

We just lost our precious baby. Got this book for my kids. It is sad but it helped my kids.

[Ambs :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read after my mum recommended after we lost our dog, who we all miss so much! Sobbed my eyes out but was comforting. Although this is for kids, it was nice to think my Nemo is in a nice place <3

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could give a 10 star review I would. I bought this for my 4 year old daughter, as we recently lost our 11 year old dog. I thought this would help her comprehend better where her four legged friend is now.
Oh, how I cried reading it to her. It was so beautiful and I felt so calm afterwards.
I’m glad I have my own copy of this book.

[Lauren Fischetti · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you lost a pet, read this book. If you have kids who lost a pet, read this book with them. If you love kids who lost a pet, read this book with them! I lost my dog last year, and my nieces and I read this book and put a picture of him in the book. Then I lost my other dog this year and put a picture of him in the book again. It reallllly helped us both times. This book is great, and it allows kids to see that it's ok to be sad about your dog, and it's ok to talk about them and have great memories!

[Alyssa Levitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend recommended this to me as Hudson Dog is getting older and having some bad days. While it’s geared toward kids, it still really worked for me. As expected, it made me cry, but there were some happy tears in there, too, and I liked reading it while petting Huds.

[Erica Sonzogni · Rating 5 out of 5]

A pet’s passing can be one of the most devastating experiences of a person’s life, even more so if this happens to a child. The Rainbow Bridge is a picture book that shows what happens to a young boy named Rick when he loses his beloved pet dog, Koko. Rick is devastated by this loss but one day, a ghost dog, Buster, comes to pick up a squeaky toy that Koko has left behind. Rick is confused; first, that he can understand Buster and second because Koko has died so Rick is uncertain as to why Buster is retrieving Koko’s item. Buster takes Rick on an adventure to The Rainbow Bridge, a place where pets go when they pass away. There, he sees his former goldfish swimming in a pond happily, cats lazily scratching away on couches, and dogs playing with endless frisbee throws. He meets up with Koko, who shows him how in the future, when he is old, they will be reunited once again. Before Rick leaves The Rainbow bridge, Koko shares, “And Ricky, have lots of pets and love them all like you loved me.” Rick was able to go back to his home, where he received another dog as a Christmas present and made sure to love him just like he loved Koko.

This book is a heartwarming story involving a sensitive issue that many children experience. Rick’s grief felt real and he went through a gamut of emotions that would be common in these situations. Even though his parents supported him and were also upset by the passing of Koko, no one was as devastated as Rick. This is relatable to many children. Seeing the animals happy in this new land allowed Rick, and the children reading the story, to see that the pets they loved are in a better place. It also gives them hope that one day, many decades from now, they will be reunited. While this book focuses on an intense topic, the cartoon illustrations keep it child-like. There are even some references to “potty” humor that would make young children laugh. The entire story, from start to finish, is the perfect one to read to a child to prepare them for the inevitable passing of a loved pet, to help them through the grieving process, and to give them hope for the future. A perfect story and gift for anyone dealing with the loss of a pet.

[Lore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I browsed around and decided to purchase this book after we lost our dog, Juliette, a few years ago. It was perfect for my then toddler and 10 year old son to help them with the grief and loss of their best friend. The book is well written for children and the art is equally amazing. I recommend this one for anyone with young kids that are dealing with the loss of a pet friend.

[Brooke Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was beyond helpful at navigating pet loss with our son after the unexpected passing of both of our dogs within three months of each other. Though it is a bit long, it generated great conversation about grief and healing with him. Definitely recommend to parents also navigating this chapter of life.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this with our 7yo son as a way of processing the passing of our 11yo cat. We cried as we read this, especially the final pages. I would recommend this to anyone trying to explain the loss of a beloved pet to young children. Helps bring a sense of hope and closure.

[Maja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely beautifully written, cried my eyes out :)

[Dr NSCA-CPT · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun book about overcoming the loss of a pet. Written for children but can be enjoyed by all ages. Filled with great illustrations.

[Alan Fuller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pets wait for their masters before they cross the rainbow bridge.

[Kristin W · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book for me to read with my kids after our 9 year old dobie had to be euthanized. It was so reassuring to know he was in a good place.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful and beautifully written story that helps with the grief of losing a beloved pet.

[James Zaksek · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book years and years ago. It was a nice reminder that our pets will always be waiting for us when we are gone. Great book.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great little book to let kids think about when their pets die. In the book the pets who have died wait for their humans and when they both meet up they cross the rainbow bridge together. What a wonderful thought. I have a few pets there now and I can't wait to be with them again.