Tate Dived

A moving picture book in which a misunderstanding about the fate of a beloved dog leads to a child’s joyful reimagining of what it means to say goodbye. A story of love, longing, and the imaginary underwater adventures of a scuba diving beagle.

When a mom tries to find the right words to tell her son that their dog has died, he mishears her and finds himself imagining that Tate dived instead. The thought is enough to pull him out of his sadness and into the ocean, where he pictures Tate swimming, floating, moving like he used to as a puppy. As much as he misses his best friend, it’s a comfort to think of him out there on a whole new adventure, sniffing the seaweed the way he used to sniff the trees, making friends with puffer fish, and meeting enormous whales that look just like his favorite chew toy. It’s a relief to imagine that he’s safe and happy, even though it was his time to swim away from them. It makes missing him a little bit easier. It makes his heart feel a little bit bigger.

Tender and evocative, this picture book offers a deeply comforting approach to loss. Bestselling author Jennifer E. Smith and award-winning illustrator Leo Espinosa bring warmth and hope to this heartfelt portrayal of grief and the love that remains.