Dear Brave Friend is an absolute must-read for anyone who has lost his or her beloved pet. A dog that has passed, through a letter he tells this story. He tells about the memories that he had with his friend, and for this friend to know that he lives on through him. The illustrations perfectly match the story. I loved this book and I am 64, so it is for all ages.

I would like to thank the author and iRead Book Tours for the review copy in exchange for my honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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Dear Brave Friend is so sweet! The story is presented in a posthumous letter from a dog to the sad friend who misses him. Though it deals with loss, it is gentle, caring, and comforting.

I love how the dog validates the various emotions that surface after losing a pet or other loved one, whether scared, sad, lonely, or mad. It can be confusing—especially for young children—dealing with the memories and hurt.

“I want you to put your hand over your heart and listen to it THUMP, THUMP, THUMP. That, my friend, is my tail wagging because I’m living in your heart.” (excerpt)

The illustrations truly display the special moments a furry family member brings to a family. They are playful, tender, imaginative, and sweet.

As a special bonus, the book offers interactive pages in the back, allowing the reader to write their own letters, draw pictures, and express their thoughts and feelings. And a sweet presentation page is in the front of the book for gift giving and includes a space for “In Loving Memory of ______.”

This is a sweet and supportive children’s book that helps parents and children deal with the loss of a pet and offers proactive ways to heal.

Dɪsᴄʟᴏsᴜʀᴇ: I ʀᴇᴄᴇɪᴠᴇᴅ ᴀ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟɪᴍᴇɴᴛᴀʀʏ ᴄᴏᴘʏ ᴏғ ᴛʜɪs ʙᴏᴏᴋ. Mʏ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ ᴡᴀs ɴᴏᴛ ɪɴғʟᴜᴇɴᴄᴇᴅ. ( )

Dear Brave Friend is such a good little book for younger readers by Leigh Ann Gerk . I have not seen many books that deal with a loss of a pet. I think the author does a great job showing young readers that it is okay to be sad and it is okay to be missing their dear friend. But, it, also, shows that their loved one’s memory will always be with them. It is quite touching to read.

I really enjoyed the illustrations in Dear Brave Friend. Trish Murtha’s talent shines through in the pictures throughout the book. They followed the story perfectly. The pages were so beautiful and vibrant that would catch any young reader’s eye. I adored the colorful pictures on every single page.

Dear Brave Friend is getting a very well deserved five plus stars from me. I highly recommend it for young readers of all ages, especially for those that four to ten years old. Especially, for those who are grieving the loss of a beloved pet. I will be proudly donating my copy of this book to my son’s elementary school library. I know the librarian and teachers will be thankful and excited to share this story with their younger students. I know they will enjoy this story as much as my family did. We will be looking for more books by Leigh Ann Gerk in the future.

I received Dear Brave Friend from the publisher. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion. ( )

I enjoyed this book called “Dear Brave Friend”. It was good. It is based on the fact of a dog passing away but does it through a letter from the dog to the boy. It explains the feeling of how the boy may feel after losing a pet. Any pet lover can use this for any pet, not just a dog.

The book shows the compassion of how to deal with losing a pet and it is okay. You can put your cat in where the dog is being interpreted. The book does a wonderful job of going through the feeling you or your child may go through with losing a pet.

The pictures are well done. I enjoyed them. I can see many pet lovers using this book. It helps with explaining the feeling and emotions of losing a pet. It also talks about what you can do to remember your pet. There are some blank pages in the back of the book that will let you write and draw your lost pet if you choose to do so.

I was captured by the pictures in the book. They are my favorite. They were beautifully done. I can not say that enough. The story is done well. It hit the meaning of losing a pet without getting too complicated. It was written well. I just can not believe this is a self-help book for children and middle-grade kids. It feels more than that when you read it. Any pet lover will enjoy this book. ( )