Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Remembering Lily, a little brown pup who once "ran/ and jumped/ and barked/... But not now," a child moves through her routine noticing the dog's sudden absence. The empty rug "where Lily isn't," the gap beside a breakfast chair, the lack of havoc at the mailman's arrival. Paschkis expresses the child's grief with quiet melancholy ("There is no belly to/ be rubbed or ears/ to be scratched"), while Chodos-Irvine's colorful artwork, rendered using hand-cut stencils and gouache, emphasizes Lily's presence and absence both, showing the distinct space that Lily once took up, physically and otherwise. Expert brushwork adds movement and texture to the neat, sparse pages. A straightforward story about grieving--and coming to terms with--the passing of a beloved pet. Ages 4--8. (Jan.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2--This book addresses the loss of a pet with great sensitivity and tenderness. Lily, a dog, has died, and the child who loved her notices all the spaces that are empty now that she is gone: the lonely park, the quiet in all the rooms of the house, and the empty rug next to her bed. The girl realizes that when she draws, it is Lily that she draws over and over again. In fact, Lily still exists in her memory and in her heart. Chodos-Irvine does a remarkable job with the art. She draws what is not there in such a way that readers sense Lily on every page. VERDICT This book is beautifully written and illustrated, and answers a real need that children have. Paschkis offers children hope as she moves Lily firmly into the memory and heart of our young child. A tender addition for most libraries.--Joan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A small child describes all the aspects of life that are now changed due to the loss of beloved dog Lily.The unnamed child narrates the story, beginning with a motion-filled spread detailing all the fun, active ways that the small, brown dog liked to play. The narrative shifts, and now Lily is gone, though readers don't learn the details of Lily's demise. The child continues the story with spare sentences describing Lily's different actions, using the repeated structure of what Lily isn't doing. Lily isn't there on her braided rug or waiting for food to fall from the breakfast table or sitting by the door when the narrator returns from school. Every description of what Lily isn't there to do communicates the child's sadness and longing for Lily while also conveying a quiet acceptance and respect for memories of her pet. An understated but powerful conclusion shows the narrator drawing pictures of Lily, with a sweet, unforgettable ending emphasizing that the dog will always be in the child's heart. Restrained illustrations stand out with a large trim size and plenty of white space that conveys a subtle sense of emptiness and loss. Both narrator and mother present white; humans in the background include people of color.Touching and comforting. (Picture book. 3-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
