I'll Always Love You

A recent discussion in the Children's Books group I moderate has reminded me of this book, which - together with Judith Viorst's The Tenth Good Thing About Barney - is one of my top recommendations for those looking for books to help a child begin the grieving process for the loss of a pet.

"This is a story about Elfie - the best dog in the whole world" begins Hans Wilhelm's I'll Always Love You, in which a young boy and his beloved dachshund grow up together, only to be parted when Elfie grows old and dies. As he and his family begin to grieve, the narrator is comforted by the many wonderful adventures he had with Elfie, and by the fact that every day he told her: "I'll always love you."

With its simple but heartfelt narrative, and show more expressive (and often humorous) watercolor illustrations, this little picture book offers a sensitive portrayal of a child's love for his animal companion, and his grief at her loss. Young readers who are facing a similar situation will find comfort in Wilhelm's gentle story. Highly recommended. show less

Cute book. Good one to read to a child, especially if they just got a dog, to explain the whole process of life, playing, getting in trouble, and eventually passing away. (Nice when an old dog just passes away seemingly peacefully). Nice illustrations, maybe not OMG great, but definitely good. A small book, but still captures a nice story.

Cute book. Good one to read to a child, especially if they just got a dog, to explain the whole process of life, playing, getting in trouble, and eventually passing away. (Nice when an old dog just passes away seemingly peacefully). Nice illustrations, maybe not OMG great, but definitely good. A small book, but still captures a nice story.

I really liked this book because of my personal connect to the events in it. I think the plot, overall, describes an event that many readers may be able to relate to. I found that the pace of the story was typically good, but at some points just went straight to the point. This was seen as a positive as well as a negative. I, as an adult, was able to predict the ending of the story, but i'm unsure if the ending is something the targeted audience is ready to *read* about. Specifically, on page 22 when it says, "One morning I woke up and discovered that Elfie had died during the night" it was quite abrupt to read that Elfie just "died", all of the sudden. Although there was some build up to this moment, there could have been a more show more delicate way to say it. Despite certain examples, the book pushes readers to care for the things that they have. You see this theme throughout the story as Elfie's owner cares for him and loves him in spite of everything. The point of view was in first person throughout, which I believe may be beneficial to readers. The main idea or message that I believe the author is trying to get across is to not take for granted the time you have with another; for that time can go very quick. show less

In my opinion, this book is too sad for children in Kindergarten to Second grade however it is too simple for older students. Although the plot was well-organized it was somewhat abrupt. The author built up the relationship with the boy and Elfie then ended it quickly. A majority of the book talked about the good times that the little boy and Elfie had and then after the visit to the vet, Elfie just passed away. I believe that young children will find this book upsetting and not enjoy the ending. Nevertheless, the book pushes the readers to think about tough issues, like losing a loved one. It brings the readers to reality when it informs them of Elfie's death. Children may enjoy reading about the fun times that the little boy had with show more Elfie but also might be able to relate to losing a pet or loved one. The general idea or message of this story teaches children to appreciate their loved ones and to frequently tell them that you love them because you never know when it'll be their time to pass. show less

A boy tells the story of Elfie, the best dog in the world. She and the boy grow up together, but Elfie grows old faster. When Elfie starts acting different from her usual self, the boy worries and they bring her to the vet, but the vet says that Elfie is just getting old. The boy reminds her of how much he cares for her because he says, “I’ll always love you” every day. When Elfie passes away, the boy is sure that she will know he will always love her. This is a sweet story that deals with death and loss of a pet in a great way. It shows that we should care for those close to us and tell them they are loved before they are gone, especially when they are in a delicate state. The soft, watercolor illustrations set the tone of this show more book, ensuring a light hearted feeling throughout the whole story. This book could be used with any age in a classroom, either to console children dealing with loss or just to expose them to a topic that is not often talked about, because it is good to discuss sad issues so that students know how to handle them. show less

I would have given this 5 stars, but it made me so sad! It really is a very good story about the love a boy has for his dog. The boy and dog grow together, playing and enjoying each other. But the dog grows old while the boy just gets older. In the end the dog dies from old age. The boy as able to look back on their relationship, happy that he told his dog, "I'll always love you." For dog lovers, this book really hits home.