The Forever Dog

by Bill Cochran, Dan Andreasen (Illustrator)

Overview

No one knows exactly what kind of dog Corky is, but if you ask his owner, Mike, the answer is simple: "He's my dog."

Mike and Corky are best friends; they do everything together. In fact they even make a plan. Mike tells Corky that they will always do everything together—forever. It is their Forever Plan.

And it works well. From one year to the next Corky is right there with Mike. Until one day, when Mike comes home from school and Corky isn't there . . . The story of how Mike comes to accept Corky's death forms a simple, poignant portrait of a special friendship that both celebrates the joys of owning a pet and becomes a heartfelt guide for anyone who is coping with the loss of a loved one.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062183972
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	11/15/2011
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	6 MB
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Bill Cochran is also the author of The Forever Dog, which Booklist called “an outstanding, realistic addition to books about death and dying.” Raised in Palo Alto, California, he is now a creative director in advertising. He lives in Dallas, Texas where he also performs with a popular comedy improv troupe.

Dan Andreasen has illustrated many well-loved books for children, including River Boy: The Story of Mark Twain and Pioneer Girl: The Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder, both by William Anderson, as well as many titles in the Little House series. He lives with his family in Medina, Ohio.

Editorial Reviews

PreS-Gr 3
The deep friendship between a boy and his dog is lovingly portrayed in warm prose and appealing art. Corky, who "seemed to be built from other dogs' spare parts," and Mike are inseparable, and they plan to be "best friends forever." Cochran gently leads readers through a difficult plot in which Corky dies, and Mike, with the help of his mother, comes to accept that the Forever Plan will have to work in a different way. In the satisfying conclusion, he lets the memory of his dog "all the way into his heart. And it felt warm inside." Andreasen's soft illustrations portray a heartwarming relationship and capture the changing mood of the story from joy and exhilaration to sadness and back again to a subdued happiness and understanding. This book has much to offer to children, not only because they love pets but also because of its sensitive treatment of loss.
—Lee BockCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal