The book jacket reviewing this beautiful tale notes that MacLahclan writes with "spare & poignant prose," and that is surely true. Never maudliln, always heartfelt, this story looks at familial grief and plodding through day by day after losing a husband and father.

Finn and Fiona O'Brien loved their father deeply. They remember him through his pithy phrases. He was a therapist and his language seemed to deeply address both happy and sad life occurences. When their father is tragically killed in a car accident after he swerved to miss hitting a dog and little boy, they grapple with how to move forward.

Their loving mother is supportive, and is also grieving deeply. Together, the three of them, and others whose lives he impacted remember the love he so freely gave to all. He loved playing basketball with his family and it became a tradition of fun. His favorite song was Dona Nobis Pacem, "Grant Us Peace." and the family remembers him by listening to this beautiful music.

Woven in the tale is one of Declan O'Brien's clients who calls once a week to check in with the family. He adds a clear sense of how special this wonderful man was who helped so many through love, patience and kindness.

When Luke recommends that Finn and Fiona volunteer at a local animal shelter, they soon find meaning in helping dogs without a home. In particular, Finn, whose grief is so very raw, finds a dog whose master died. Slowly, Finn brings this dog away from the wall where he was stationed away from interaction. Fiona also finds a soul mate with a dog they bring home.

Stunningly beautiful, the author never fails to touch the heart of many readers. ( )

This little book by the author of Sarah Plain & Tall follows siblings Finn & Fiona as they grapple for meaning & stability after their father is suddenly killed in a car accident. ( )

Beautifully plotted and written. A delicate and often mishandled set of subjects. Authors who cover death, and children's reaction to it, often stray into schmaltzy contrived territory. The same thing happens with stories about the magical properties of human relationships with dogs. MacLachlan skirts along the edge of these tropes, but never falls in. The result is a truly feeling and valuable story for any child or adult, alike.
As an aside - I picked this up from the NEW selections at our library, because our librarian is a rock star, and her ordering choices have been brilliant more often than not. It is a true joy to grab a title you had no awareness of, or intention to read, and then have it surprise you to tears when you read it at home. Thank you Leigh Anne :) ( )

Fiona and Finn are siblings who have a father named Declan who always had a kind word to say to everybody. They had the special treat of eating his “runny” eggs every morning. Finn always cooked his in the microwave after they were put on his plate. It seemed like any other day until the phone call came in saying their dad had been killed in a car accident. Now, Fiona and Finn must cope with missing their dad. Lucky for them they have a good friend and neighbor named Luke. He finds out the local animal shelter is looking for people to read to the dogs and keep them company. Will this be the therapy that will help ease their pain? I would recommend this for anyone who is a fan of books by this author. The story is heartfelt and depicts the struggles with loss and how to handle it. ( )

I buy every new chapter book that Patricia MacLachlan writes. She is a wonder of putting heart into short novels with just the right words. Fiona and Finn O'Brien remember their father through his sayings and move through their grief over his death with the help of two rescue dogs. Spare and meaningful, though not maudlin. The song "Dona Nobis Pacem" is one of my favorites and MacLachlan uses it perfectly in her tale. This is a book to be read over and pondered. ( )