Picture Books on Grieving the Loss of a Pet

I recently said goodbye to my dog, Al Pacino. His death was unexpected and far too soon. Al was a Chihuahua mutt with a heart of gold. All he needed in life were belly rubs and chunks of apple. Al was beloved by the children who came to my branch, too, ever since he starred in one of our scavenger hunts.

When Al passed away, my instinct was to go to our shelves and pull out picture books. As a children’s librarian, it’s my wholehearted belief that you are never too old to appreciate a good picture book. In my search for some kind of closure, I came across three titles that stood out to me.

An Ofrenda for Perro by Judith B. Valdés
This book lives in our Holiday Collection for Dia De Los Muertos. However, I think you could read this book any time, especially after the loss of a beloved pet. Perro has been the family dog ever since Benito was born. Benito is gutted by Perro’s death, but learns to honor him in an ofrenda. What I like the most about this book is that it captures the grief in everyday moments. He misses Perro’s snoring, for instance. That one hit home. For a tiny dog, Al Pacino had an impressively loud snore.

Olive by Edwina Wyatt
When Lilah’s cat Olive dies, her parents encourage her to plant an olive tree in the cat’s honor. The tree grows, but Lilah is not interested in looking at it. She doesn’t want to remember Olive. One day she sees another cat trying to sit in Olive’s favorite spots in their yard and Lilah chases the cat up the olive tree. Much like Lilah, there are moments where I don’t want to think about my late pet either. It isn’t because I don’t love him, but because thinking about him is just too painful at times.

Reading Widely, Cheering Wildly: Global Reading Challenge City Finals Recap

And the winner was the Loyal Heights’ The Sparky Beavers after 10 tiebreaker rounds.

Ten was the magic number for Loyal Heights Elementary’s The Sparky Beavers at the Global Reading Challenge citywide finals on Tuesday, March 26, at the Central Library. That’s how many tiebreaker rounds it took for this team of fourth and fifth graders to eliminate eight other finalist teams and become the 2024 Global Reading Challenge champions.  

A packed audience of around 275 parents, siblings and friends clapped for the Beavers and all the teams’ valiant efforts as the winning team received their trophy. (The Beavers’ cheer squad included fans in a panda suit and a chicken suit, since a beaver suit wasn’t available.)    

This year’s Global Reading Challenge books

Now in its 29th year, the Library’s Global Reading Challenge is a collaboration between the Library and Seattle Public Schools that encourages reading as a fun and recreational activity for fourth and fifth graders. The program starts in the fall, with students of all reading abilities forming teams to read and study eight books selected by the Library for their accessibility and because they represent a wide range of experiences by authors with cultural connections to the stories they tell.

The Library makes thousands of the books available to students in multiple formats (including Always Available digital copies and uncatalogued copies) and in Spanish-language versions when available.

What Seattle Teens Read in 2023

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What are the kids checking out these days? We were curious, so as a follow-up to our post on The Seattle Public Library’s most popular books for adults in 2023, we’ve gathered the top checkouts for teens last year, including fiction, nonfiction and e-audiobooks.

It’s an interesting list, ranging from award-winning graphic novels such as “The Talk” and Alice Oseman’s “Heartstopper series” to a LOT of checkouts for series such as “A Court of Thorn and Roses” and “The Hunger Games.”

Check them out below. Maybe you’ll find a new book for your young adult reader — or for yourself. YA books aren’t just for kids, you know!

More Middle Grade Fiction for Adults

Earlier this year, I shared some middle grade fiction books that I believe can (and should!) be enjoyed at any age. Since then, I’ve discovered more great titles. If you are looking for well written and compelling stories, don’t miss out on these reads based on where we shelve them in the library!

Hummingbird by Natalie Lloyd

After being homeschooled all her life, Olive, who suffers from brittle bone disease, finally gets the chance to attend school in person. But fitting in isn’t as easy as she expected. When she learns of a magical hummingbird that grants wishes, Olive decides to go on a quest to find it.

Ophie’s Ghosts by Justina Ireland

Ophie discovers that she can see ghosts after her father, who was killed hours earlier by a white lynch mob, returns to save her and her mother. After Ophie and her mother must move to Pittsburgh to work in a wealthy white family’s home, Ophie discovers the house is haunted and decides to help the spirits.

A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat

In this Les Misérables retelling, Pong, who was born in Namwon Prison, finally escapes. Now free in Chattana, a place where all the light is controlled by one man called the Governor, Pong struggles to be free–especially with Nok, the prison ward’s daughter, determined to find him.

Read All About It! The 8 Great Titles for the 2024 Global Reading Challenge

The Seattle Public Library’s 2024 Global Reading Challenge books tell stories about many things, including a Navajo water monster, a magic button, and a rescue Chihuahua with a destiny to rule the world.

Now in its 29^th year, the Global Reading Challenge is a reading incentive program between the Library and Seattle Public Schools (SPS). Fourth and fifth graders enrolled in SPS of all reading abilities read the books together and team up for trivia competitions. The semi-finals and City Final competitions, which happen in March 2024, will be in person once again this year! Find out more at spl.org/GRC.

The Global Reading Challenge lineup includes eight wonderful titles that tell stories from a wide variety of ages and backgrounds and are by authors with a cultural connection to the story they are telling. You can learn about the books from our children’s librarians in this video, or read about them below.

The Jumbies, by Tracey Baptiste

Jumbies are creatures that come out at night to steal children or lure them in harm’s way. In this Caribbean fairytale, brave 11-year-old Corinne La Mer doesn’t believe in Jumbies at first. Eventually she must call on her courage and an ancient magic to stop an evil spirit and save her island home.

Our librarian says: “During her journey with her friends, Corinne discovers her true origins. Does she save her father? What is Corinne’s origin? Who is this evil stepmother? Read ‘The Jumbies’ to find out.”

Invisible, by Christina Diaz Gonzalez

Can five overlooked kids make one big difference? Stuck together when they’re forced to complete their school’s community service hours, five Spanish-speaking kids are sure they have nothing in common with one another, even though some people see them as all the same. Then they meet someone who truly needs their help.

Our librarian says: “The five students must decide whether to be willing to expose their own secrets to help or if staying invisible is the only way to survive high school.”