Noodle Helps Gabriel Say Goodbye

by Caryn Rivadeneira, Priscilla Alpaugh (Illustrator)

Overview

After losing her first two forever homes, Noodle the goldendoodle knows all about the sadness of goodbyes. But in her new home with Andrea and as an official Helper Hound, Noodle helps Gabriel deal with the loss of his grandfather and to discover that our loved ones can be found in the little things all around us even when they're gone.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781634409155
Publisher:	Red Chair Press
Publication date:	08/01/2020
Series:	Helper Hounds
Pages:	72
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 7.60(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	660L (what's this?)
Age Range:	7 - 8 Years

About the Author

Caryn Rivadeneira dreamed of two things as a kid: being a writer and having lots of dogs. Both came true. Caryn and her rescued pit bull live in the Chicago suburbs.

Priscilla Alpaugh holds a BFA in painting and illustration, as well as an MFA in illustration. She has painted murals, mailboxes, and traffic light boxes. Now Priscilla works creating beautiful images for children's books.

Editorial Reviews

"A positive message of hope and love."—Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2020-06-03
This therapy dog narrates her perspective on grief.

Curly Noodle the goldendoodle knows firsthand about loss, having lost two families already. She now lives on the campus of a local university, happily greeting others on her long walks. Noodle has been officially trained to be a “world-famous Helper Hound.” Her current case concerns a young boy named Gabriel, who won’t cry over his grandfather’s recent death. Gabriel’s family is supportive, and their unnamed but described Catholic faith teaches that “one day [they] will all be together again,” but Gabriel opens up only in Noodle’s comforting presence. He’s helped by other humans sharing stories of loss and a metaphor of Noodle’s left-behind curly hairs as traces of a loved one’s lingering love. Positivity and a surprise reunion supply a happy ending to this somber lesson. Noodle’s narration is compassionate and sincere, like her doggy personality, and appropriate for readers who may be going through similar life events. The text discourages dog breeding: “Rescued is the best breed!” Noodle’s owner says. Backmatter contains “Tips for Grieving” as well as some facts on goldendoodles. Gabriel’s bilingual family hails from Mexico, and illustrations depict the other primary characters as white. Noodle’s current owners are in a same-sex partnership. Companion title Robot Helps Max and Lily Deal With Bullies features a Rottweiler who provides support for a pair of bullied siblings.

A positive message of hope and love. (Fiction. 6-9)

Kirkus Reviews