Sammy in the Sky

"My sunshine doesn't come from the skies, it comes from the love in my dog's eyes."

This is Connick (named after Harry Connick, Jr.).  He was part of our family for 15 years.  He passed away in October 2007 when Emmy was 20 months old.  She doesn't remember him, but I do because he filled my heart with joy every single day.  It is this joy as well as the happy memories that my husband and I share with Emmy that allows her to talk about Connick like she remembers him.  She loves to tell others how Connick liked to chase tennis balls, how he let her climb into his doggy bed and snuggle with his blanket, how he stood by her from the day she was born and watched over her with a protective eye.

The loss of a pet is an extremely difficult experience and only those that have had this experience can truly understand the emotional pain.  I am thankful that Emmy was so young when Connick left us because she was spared this pain.  However, I know that loss is inevitable and I know that a dog will join our family again soon.  When it's time to say goodbye, I will be very thankful that we came across the book Sammy in the Sky and that we shared this book with Emmy many, many times.

Sammy in the Sky is beautifully written by Barbara Walsh with exquisite watercolor paintings by Jamie Wyeth. The story was inspired by Walsh's family's first dog, Sam - a loyal and loving hound dog.

We were very fortunate to meet Barbara Walsh at our local bookstore in the summer of 2011. We had her autograph our copy of the book. She wrote,

"To Emerson, With dog licks 

from Connick." 

and signed her name. Emmy was delighted and so was I!

Walsh wrote Sammy in the Sky in a way that allows the reader to imagine herself as the main character since the character remains unnamed.  The little girl can be any child who has ever lost a dog. The story takes us through all the joy and love that Sammy brings to the family, to the announcement that he is sick, on to his death, and to a celebration of his life.

"Then we blew bubbles into the wind.  They floated higher and higher toward 

a cloud that looked like a dog running in the sky.  I could see its paws, 

floppy ears, and tail.  It's Sammy!" I yelled.  "He's chasing the bubbles!  

Sammy's with us!"  

Jamie Wyeth's paintings are the perfect match to Walsh's story.  Absolutely extraordinary!   Wyeth's love for dogs is evident in his thoughtful illustrations and his understanding of the beauty of the Maine landscape, where the story takes place, is captured dreamily in the pale colors of the paintings.  The illustrations evoke every emotion (love, joy, grief) of the unconditional love between a dog and his human.  Emmy and I fell in love with Sammy on the very first page. Just take a look at his eyes!

"My dad said Sammy was the best hound 

dog in the whole world.  All I knew was 

that I loved Sammy and Sammy loved me."

Emmy's favorite part of the story is when the little girl finds the cloud shaped like Sammy in the sky. To this very day, Emmy will look up into the sky and squeal with delight when she finds a special cloud shaped like Connick.  Sammy in the Sky shows us that our love and our memories is what keeps our loved one with us forever tucked inside our hearts.  This message is an important one to pass along to a child and a great reminder to adults.  Anyone, young or old, would treasure this book, and its message, forever.  

Most recently, Emmy and I came across a fantastic book of poems that celebrates the uniqueness of the human/canine relationship.  Dog Songs, by well known poet Mary Oliver, contains 35 simple poems and prose that capture the wholehearted devotion of dogs and is enhanced by the simple pen and ink drawings found throughout the book.  One of our favorite poems is Little Dog's Rhapsody in the Night.

Little Dog's Rhapsody in the Night
He puts his cheek against mine
And makes small, expressive sounds.
And when I'm awake, or awake enough
He turns upside down, his four paws in the air
And his eyes dark and fervent
"Tell me you love me," he says
"Tell me again."
Could there be a sweeter arrangement?
Over and over he gets to ask.
I get to tell

Please listen to Mary Oliver read Little Dog's Rhapsody in the Night:



Emmy would love to have a dog as her buddy again and my husband and I would love to have a dog as a part of our family again. Unfortunately, we live in an apartment building where the policy is "No Dogs Allowed" which always makes me think of the Charlie Brown episode when Snoopy gets kicked out of the library and a very deep voice says, "No Dogs Allowed!"  How can they kick a dog who LOVES to read out of the library?  CRAZY!

We did want Emmy to experience the joy, as well as the responsibility, of a pet so we decided recently to add two guinea pigs to our family - Fluffy and Lightning.  They are the sweetest little things!  We love to hear them squeak and whistle whenever we come home.  Emmy is such a wonderful caretaker of her little "piggies."  Her favorite thing that her guinea pigs do is hop about in their cage.  When she found out that this is called "popcorning" she loved it even more.

Emmy and I hope that you have the opportunity in your life to experience the love of a dog (or a guinea pig).  The affection and wholehearted devotion of a pet, who loves us unconditionally, is amazing. While in the process of caring for a pet, he teaches us such an important lesson...TO LOVE.  By letting us see ourselves through his eyes, we allow ourselves to believe what he sees, to believe that we are worthy of love - that we ARE love.

Thank you for being our teacher Connick!  We keep you tucked inside our hearts every day.  

"What we have once enjoyed

we can never lose;

All that we love deeply,

becomes a part of us."

~ Helen Keller ~ 

Move Over, Rover!

Move Over, Rover! by Karen Beaumont, with illustrations by Jane Dyer, is Emmy's favorite book at the moment (mine, too). The sweet and gentle dog, Rover, is enjoying a bone in his doghouse when a thunderstorm comes along. Generously, Rover allows some other animal friends (cat, racoon, squirrel...) to seek shelter in his doghouse to keep warm and sleep through the storm.

"Squirrel's in the doghouse,
sleeping through the storm...
Blue Jay's looking all around
to find a place that's warm.
Squeeze in, squirrel!
Make room, Racoon!
Skit-scat, Cat!
Mover over, Rover!"

Karen Beaumont uses a familiar motif - generosity leads to overcrowding - that can be found in Jan Brett's The Mitten as well as the use of a cumulative story like Audrey Woods' The Napping House (click here to find more cumulative stories).



When Emmy and I read Move Over, Rover the first time we missed a very important part of the story shown in the illustrations - a skunk hiding behind the doghouse who slips inside when Rover goes out to check out the rain. The skunk is snuggled inside as all the other animals find warmth in Rover's house. Skunk's fur can be seen (if you look closely) in all the pictures and when the inhabitants in the overcrowded house suddenly catch a whiff of something they all skitter, scatter leaving skunk comfortably sleeping through the storm. The story ends with the sun shining and Rover once again chewing on his bone in his doghouse very happy that he's alone.

Hearing Emmy read this story is simply delightful. Her favorite line is "Skit-scat, Cat!" She always wants me to read the back jacket flap where it is shared that Move Over, Rover was inspired by Karen's childhood in Oregon when one rainy night her dog let a goat into the house and she found them both curled up on her parents' bed!!! Emmy likes to imagine how many animals could fit inside her house which makes me think that I should share Margot Zemach's book It Could Always Be Worse which tells of a family complaining about their crowded and noisy house and the interesting advice that a wise Rabbi gives to them.

Emmy and I have been enjoying this poem by Ken Nesbitt about a "watch dog."

My Dog is Not Like Other Dogs

My dog is not like other dogs.
He doesn't care to walk,
He doesn't bark, he doesn't howl.
He goes "Tick, tock. Tick, tock."

He beeps each day at half-past nine.
At noon he starts to chime,
I have a strong suspicion
that my dog can tell the time.

Another dog might run and play,
or smother me with licking,
but my dog just annoys me
with his beeping and his ticking.

Should you decide to buy a dog,
consider my remarks:
When looking for a "watch dog,"
get yourself the kind that barks.

Hairy Maclary and Zachary Quack

Oh, Emmy and I are so in love with Hairy Maclary! He is the most wonderful dog - mischievous and loveable. If you are looking for a new series of books to bring into your child's life, this is definitely it! In the book Hairy Maclary and Zachary Quack, Hairy is attempting to take an afternoon snooze, when Zachary Quack, a tenacious duckling, interrupts him for him some playtime. After much pestering and a great save, Hairy and Zachary become the best of friends.

And now a word about the author, Lynley Dodd - FABULOUS! She is New Zealand's best known and most hightly respected author and illustrator of children's picture books. Her work has sold over two million copies worldwide. Lynley Dodd creates a world of rhythm and rhyme that is enchanting. It's wonderful to find an author and illustrator who works to create not only beautiful art, but also beautiful language. Here is an example, "It was drowsily warm, with dozens of bees lazily buzzing through flowers and trees." All of Dodd's books make the most wonderful read alouds. Take a moment to listen in as the book Hairy Maclary and Zachary Quack is read aloud.

Harry the Dirty Dog

When Emmy woke up this morning, she promptly told me that she wanted to be left alone to read. This was a first! Who am I to say no to that so off I went to have a cup of coffee. As I poured my first cup of the day, I wondered what my little reader was up to so I crept into the hallway and peeked through her door. Amazingly, my daughter was immersed in a book. Sitting beside her was a basket of books that we usually leave in the bathroom (most private place to read). She was so immersed in talking about the books to her dolls and stuffed animals that she didn't even notice me standing there. Later, at breakfast, I commented on her reading. I told her how books always fill me up with happiness and wondered if it did the same for her. She replied, yes. When asked which of the books she read today was her favorite, she quickly answered Harry the Dirty Dog. Ah, yes, the perils of a dog who did not want to take a bath. We've enjoyed reading and talking about this book over and over again for the past few months. This most recent discussion about Harry sparked the idea of starting a blog that records Emmy's journey as a reader and states our favorite book of the day. I love to talk about books, especially children's books, and welcome the opportunity to chit-chat with others who feel the same.

A bit of information: Harry the Dirty Dog was written by Gene Zion in the year 1956. It has been rereleased with splashes of color added to the illustrations by Margaret Bloy Graham. It is the first in a series of Harry books that are just as enjoyable to read. There is just something so endearing about this mischievous puppy and who can't relate to spending the day messing around getting dirty rather than bathing and becoming squeaky clean. I love the old fashioned images and the conversations that can be started related to the dog's adventures.