Harry & Hopper Hardcover – January 18, 2011

We lost our family dog a few months before coming across this title. Although it couldn't bring our Jake back... it helped fill a void created by his loss. Timely find. Sweet story. Tears!!!

If you want to traumatize young children, this is the book for you.The story has adorable drawings and starts off describing the life of a boy (Harry) and his dog (Hopper). Only seven pages in, however, Hopper dies. There was apparently an "accident" while Harry was at school and Hopper died. There was no subtitle or indication on the cover (of the book we checked out from the library) that this would happen. I was reading this as a bedtime story to a three-year-old and five-year-old. They were understandably upset, seeing as how they were not prepared for this to happen at all. Because our boys are young, I usually try to prepare them for books where something shocking or upsetting might happen.Harry's dad is going to bury the dog. Harry decides not to say goodbye at that time.The next night, Harry sleeps on the sofa and Hopper comes to visit. My sons were so confused by this. Hopper was dead; how could he come back? I said it was just a dream, though the book makes it pretty clear it is not a dream, to Harry. Harry and Hopper play all night. Hopper returns the next night, though isn't as playful or as warm. The last night, Hopper doesn't come to the window. Harry goes outside and finds Hopper "as wispy as winter fog, as cold as winter air." Harry brings him in the house and they lay on the bed together and Harry says goodbye to Hopper. That's the end of the book. Apparently Harry has to hear Hopper died when he comes home from school, and then he has to watch Hopper slowly die all over again over the course of three nights.Even though I made it clear that Harry was only dreaming about Hopper, the boys were upset, crying, and scared. They kept talking about zombie dogs and ghost dogs and how they come back to life after their dead if you didn't say goodbye, etc. It took forever to get them to bed, and they refused to be in a room without me (including the bathroom).There MUST be other books out there better than this for dealing with the loss of a pet. Really, ANYTHING would be better than this for a young child in particular. At the very least, warn people they are going to be reading a book about a dead / zombie dog before they read it to little children.

Every time I read a picture book, I smile or laugh, but Harry & Hopper was different. I cried and cried and blew my nose many times. Every time I read it, my heart is touched. I can't forget this motherless boy and his faithful, tender dog. Now they are living in my heart. This book is one of my treasures. I highly recommend this book for children in order to grow their sensitivity and to give them tender heart. Margaret Wild is a writer who can make a reader weep, and also Freya Blackwood's illustrations are super. This beautiful story and art together make good harmony. Even as I am writing this book review, my eyes are wet.

Harry and Hopper, Harry's dog, adore each other. Then Hopper dies while Harry is at school. Harry misses his dog very much and wishes he could have told Hopper goodbye. Then Hopper begins to visit Harry each night. They play together and, when morning comes, Hopper disappears. Every night, however, Hopper becomes less and less solid, and less and less warm. Knowing it will be the last time he sees Hopper, Harry tells Hopper goodbye.A gentle story. A lovely way to let go of a beloved pet."In the middle of the night,something woke him up.He turned over---and there,leaping at the window, was adog. A dog as jumpy asa grasshopper!Harry sprang off the sofa and ran to the back door. He flung it open.`Hopper!' he cried. `You'vecome back!'"

My 15 year old doggie passed away not quite a month ago. Although this is a book for children it spoke to me. I appreciated how lost & lonely Harry felt. Harry needed to say goodbye in his own way to his beloved Hopper. This is troubling to some readers, but I was comforted by the boy's love for his dog & the particular way he grieved. The art work is lovely.

Harry & Hopper is a fresh take on books for children about losing a pet. One day Harry comes home to learn his beloved dog, Hopper has died. Sad and upset, Harry refused to believe this is true. That night he dreams Hopper is alive and is finally able to say goodbye to his friend. The text is realistic without being maudlin. The beautiful illustrations fit perfectly with the text and bring out the joy Harry and Hopper felt when they were together. For everyone who has yearned for just a little more time with a loved one who is gone, this book will show that those we love are forever with us in our memories. After reading this book you will hug those you love with the knowledge that time together can be short and every moment should be savored.

As a previous reviewer said this book caught me and my 3 and 5 year old off guard. We picked it from the library with no idea that it would be about the loss of a pet dog. Tonight we read it at bedtime and I can firmly state that this book was extremely upsetting. We were all three in tears. Perhaps if you selected this book knowing what to expect and were using it to open up a dialogue about loss it could have value. Otherwise, I would skip this one.

Harry loves his dog Hopper and the pair shares a very close bond. When tragedy strikes, Harry has a hard lesson to learn - about coming to terms with loss and of learning to grieve. Initially, Harry balks at accepting his loss and refuses to discuss it, but later he does learn to handle his grief, albeit in an unusual manner.There is an almost supernatural twist to this story, and my kindergartner kept asking why the dog at times appeared like it was `fading'. I chose to interpret it as Harry experiencing a dream where the spirit of his dead dog comes back to visit, thus enabling the pair to have closure. A poignant read which helps children learn about the process of grieving.

I loved this little book. I bought it for my grandson, who is too small just yet to understand the message, but I read it to myself first and had to admit that it brought me to tears. Being a dog lover, who lost a faithful labrador last year, the book induced real emotion in me. William is being brought up with much loved dogs in the house and I hope that the book may help him when the time comes.

Beautiful illustrations! The book arrived quickly and in good condition Thanks

Amazing quality and quick shipping time!! Would definetly recommend😊

Une très belle histoire de deuil. Poétique et juste dans les émotions avec un graphisme aussi touchant qui mérite le prix décerné!!!

私も犬と一緒に暮らしています。この絵本の犬によく似たぶち柄のかわいい女の子です。彼女が死んでしまったら、どうしようと考えるときがあります。この絵本は、少年の悲しみと立ち直りを心を打たれる抑えた表現で描いています。何度読んでも、とても切ない気持ちになります。ほかの方が書いておられるように、このお話は、子供には少し悲しすぎて受け入れられないかもしれません。でも、大人になって、別れがたい人達との別れを何度も経験してきた私には、とても心を打たれる本です。