Kate, The Ghost Dog: Coping With the Death of a Pet

Patiently waiting for the doorknob to turn, they greet us after school. They lie close during dinnertime, tails sweeping the floor, anticipating a dropped morsel, and at bedtime, they cuddle close and lick away our day. Pets are more than friends. They are family. More than part of our everyday routine, they are the guardians of our hearts, showing us in so many ways how to love. When a pet passes away, it is crushing; sometimes the world implodes around us into a meaningless blur.

In Kate, the Ghost Dog: Coping With the Death of a Pet, Aleta is lost without her beloved Kate. Finding herself missing everything about her, she hides in her room, throws things at the door, and evades her best friends, Cassie and Nina. Her family gathers around her and tries to console her, to no avail. Rollerblading, school and, even, the annual weekend fair no longer hold her interest, and something has got to get through to Aleta before her grief consumes her. With the help of her faithful friends, family, and wise Uncle Jimmy, Aleta realizes that true remembrance is not experienced through sorrow, but honored in celebration, that through her memory, Kate will live forever.

Wayne L. Wilson has crafted a compassionate account of a young girl’s loss and struggle to cope. He offers consolation and understanding through his characters to a grieving, young Aleta, providing empathy to those who may be experiencing the emotions sorrow can cause. Accompanied by colorful and realistic illustrations, this is a comforting read. Young readers will surely share the universality of theme. Although the suggested reading age is 8-13 years, which seems an older audience than the text evokes, this is a tale of encouragement, hope, and light waiting at the end of darkness.