There isn’t a set or specific age where mental health suddenly holds more importance than another. Mental health at any age is an important factor that is often ignored, especially when it comes to young children. However, it is important to know that even children’s mental health should be acknowledged and addressed in all forms. Which is exactly what author Randi-Lee Bowslaugh does in her children’s book Woofie Says Goodbye.
Woofie Says Goodbye has a simplistic style cover that keeps the focus on Woofie, the main character of this story. Set in a lovely lavender background with a darker purple border sits an oval-shaped image. In this image, Woofie is being held tightly by an arm.
Woofie is a plush pup with brown ears, a brown spot over his left eye, and a brown mouth. Woofie is a mostly white pup with brown spots all over. He’s also wearing a black bowtie with black buttons down his tummy. Woofie is depicted having a glimmer in his eyes that teases the glimmer of life inside him, which makes him a unique and cuddly friend to the children he helps.
Woofie Says Goodbye is a short children’s story by author Bowslaugh that details Woofie’s latest adventure. Woofie is going home with a young girl by the name of Elizabeth. Woofie Says Goodbye is told from the first-person perspective with Woofie narrating the story. Woofie reflects back on his time with Elizabeth and all of the things that took place while he spent a week with her at home.
As Woofie narrates the story, he shares just how excited Elizabeth was to take him home with her. Author Bowslaugh does a lovely job helping little Woofie appear more realistic to her young readers. Woofie sharing his nervousness at the number of pets that Elizabeth has, especially, will cause readers to smile as they imagine him meeting all of these critters at the same time.
Scattered throughout Woofie Says Goodbye are adorable illustrations that help bring Woofie Says Goodbye to life. With each turn of the page, after reading a section of the story is an eye-catching picture adding a colorful element to the story and bringing that particular scene to life.
Woofie Says Goodbye is written in simplistic language that is perfect for young readers. The words are bite-sized, easy to understand, making the story easy to follow along. The flow of Woofie Says Goodbye is well-done and flows really well. You get the impression that author Bowslaugh put a lot of thought into making sure that this story would be something that young children would enjoy reading.
Woofie Says Goodbye breezes through the week with Elizabeth until one fateful day, Elizabeth’s pet hamster, Buffy, goes to sleep and doesn’t wake up. You’ll immediately feel a pang of sorrow for the beloved pet, and another for young Elizabeth as it appears this may be her first encounter with death.
Understandably, Elizabeth is devastated by the loss of her beloved pet. While Woofie is not an animate creature, he still brings her comfort through his presence. The illustrations in this book depict this beautifully.
Woofie Says Goodbye is the perfect short story for young readers. This story touches lightly on the subject of death. Woofie helps Elizabeth deal with the emotions impacting her mentally, following the loss of Buffy.
The focus of this story is on Woofie, as the main character, and Elizabeth, his current “caretaker,” but it would have been nice to have more details throughout the story. We feel that it would have added more depth to the story and added a nice layer to the book overall.
As it is, Woofie Says Goodbye is a nice story that tells how Woofie was there for a young girl when she needed him most. Woofie was able to brighten her day and give her someone to talk to, outside of her family, who could be there to help her through the grieving process.
Parents who are looking for an adorable little book to give to their children can’t miss with Woofie Says Goodbye. While this story has a sad note to it, it still manages to end on a happy note that will leave all who read this book with a smile on their face. Woofie Says Goodbye is part of a series, but since each book focuses on a different child, this book can be enjoyed alone. Of course, it’s probably safe to say that your child will be begging for more of little Woofie and his adventures.
Pros:
- Easy to read for young readers.
- Simplistic language.
- Adorable illustrations that add to the storyline.
- Enjoyable story.
- Good focus on mental health in an easy-to-understand manner.
Cons:
- It could use more detail to flesh out the story.
Scribble's Worth 