Love that dog

There are all kinds of tugs at heartstrings particularly during the holiday season. Many of these have to do with animals.

Some families will consider getting a pet, some will support animal charities, and some children may even lose a pet.

Our dog, a longtime family member, has become ill recently. And even though our son is a teenager, how will he handle her eventual death? They’ve grown a lot together.

Will he remember how the boy in Sharon Creech’s touching novel, Love That Dog (opens in a new window) (HarperCollins) comes to grips with the loss of his dog? How poetry — and meeting writer Walter Dean Myers, (opens in a new window) helped?

Books and stories often linger long after the conclusion. Children draw on those vicarious experiences — the positive and the not-so-positive perhaps when they need those stories the most.

Because of the power of story, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) “recognizes an exceptional children’s book with a humane focus on animals or the environment with the KIND Children’s Book Award.” (opens in a new window)

In fact, the HSUS website (opens in a new window) is a good place for parents thinking of getting a pet during the holiday season.

So here’s to health and happiness during the season — for people — and their pets!