Even Bad Dogs Go to Heaven

Gr 2 Up—After recovering from a near-fatal illness, Huneck established a chapel dedicated to the relationship between dogs and their owners on his property in Vermont. He originally wrote about it in The Dog Chapel: Welcome All Creeds, All Breeds. No Dogmas Allowed (Abrams, 2002). He begins this book with an update about the chapel 10 years after its foundation. The introduction is lengthy—six pages of fairly small print—but touching. It is illustrated with color photographs of the small chapel, its walls covered with notes and photos from dog lovers who visited or were influenced by Huneck's work. Following the introduction, the artist presents about 30 short sayings about dogs, one per spread, in large informal print and illustrates each one with his characteristic style. The sayings are clever and celebrate the richness that pets bring to life. They also offer comfort for those who might have lost a beloved canine friend. The illustrations are simple and solid, but brightly colored and have a gentle humor of their own. This book is a fitting remembrance of Huneck, who recently passed away, and a good choice for those who may be dealing with their own loss.—Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UT