Stay
A Girl, a Dog, a Bucket List
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- $17.99
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- $17.99
Publisher Description
Eli the dog has been with Astrid since her parents brought her home from the hospital as a baby. Now Astrid is getting older, and so is Eli. Before he slows down too much, Astrid wants to make fun memories with him. So she makes a bucket list for Eli, which includes experiences such as eating with him in a restaurant, and taking him down a slide at the playground.
But in the end, what is most important to Eli is the time he spends with Astrid, whom he loves dearly. In Stay, sisters Kate and M. Sarah Klise have created a story that reminds readers of all ages that time with our loved ones is the most precious gift of all.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Who says bucket lists are just for humans? Not the Klise sisters (Grammy Lamby and the Secret Handshake), who gracefully trace a girl's growing awareness of her dog's impending death. When Astrid's parents bring their newborn daughter home from the hospital, Eli, a shaggy dog, is waiting patiently, her "first friend." M. Sarah Klise's evocative acrylics amplify the matter-of-fact narrative, showing Astrid growing taller and more active as Eli slows down. But Astrid takes a proactive approach to the inevitable, making a list, she tells Eli, "of all the things you should do before you get too old." Together, they visit the library and movie theater (Lassie is playing), sleep under the stars, and even enjoy spaghetti and meatballs in a restaurant, but readers will gradually come to understand that the way Astrid and Eli have been spending their time is less important than the fact that they've spent it together. The Klises close with an image of girl and dog watching the sunset over the water, a moment that like the book as a whole is both emotionally restrained and full of feeling. Ages 3 5.
