The Longest Letsgoboy

August 23, 2021
Via a first-person narration, debut author Wilder writes about an old dog’s final walk with beloved child “Little,” employing an invented language that allows readers to see things as the dog does. Moody mixed-media spreads by Chien (The Bear and the Moon) capture the lines sagging under the dog’s eyes and the white that grizzles its snout. Calling, “Letsgoboy!” brown-skinned Little greets the hound with a hug around the neck: “Her paws crunchcrunch across diggie-dirt, and waybacks fill my head.” An aerial view shows scenes from the dog’s puppyhood from a great height, underscoring their distance in time. The old hound knows its end is near; as “I wuffwuff farewell to tweeters, branchjumpers, and fuzzhoppers,” it wants only for Little to be safe. When it’s clear that “she will be okay, and I am ready,” warm golds and celestial blues show butterflies springing from shafts of light that flow from its now-still form. As the seasons pass and another transition occurs in the family, a spread shows Little looking up and waving; her dog is watching over her. Though gentle humor lightens the story, it can’t compensate for the loss shown in this moving testament to the love between child and dog. An affecting resource for starting conversations with readers experiencing their own loss. Ages 3–5. Author’s agent: Jenna Pocius, Red Fox Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Steven Malk, Writers House.

Starred review from November 1, 2021

PreS-Gr 3-Letsgoboy, a dog along in years, and his pint-sized companion embark on their final walk, their senses taking in the magic of the summer woods. Letsgoboy is delighted at every turn by the sights, sounds, and smells of the forest, and he uses a lexicon uniquely his own to describe his environs-clouds are puffers, trees are tallsticks, squirrels are branchjumpers. And while his joy cannot be dulled by the fatigue of old age, Letsgoboy knows that this walk will be his last. He revels in the love he feels for his surroundings and Little, his girl. With his earthbound journey complete, he peacefully passes in the shadow of his home. His girl grieves, seasons turn, and spring brings renewed life and a puppy to Letsgoboy's child. Wilder deftly navigates the difficult topic of death by presenting it in tandem with the joy of life. The grief of loss is acknowledged, but not dwelled upon, and Wilder's use of literal-and sometimes silly-descriptive phrases adds just the right amount of levity to a tough subject matter. The mixed media illustrations work brilliantly in conjunction with the text, particularly Chien's depiction of Letsgoboy's passing. The palette fluctuates from vibrant to solemn, shifting appropriately to the mood of the story. VERDICT One not to be missed, this moving, visceral tale is a testament to the bond between a child and pet. Any person, young or old, who has experienced loss will find this essential purchase a profound comfort.-Sarah Simpson, Westerville P.L., OH

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Starred review from September 15, 2021
Grades 1-3 *Starred Review* In as genuinely doggy a narrative as ever there was, an aging tailwagger answers the call of his loving, two-legged "foreverfriend" Little--"letsgoboy!"--and remembers being an "awwpuppy" again, "runjumping and tailchasing." Now, though, it's just a companionable "slowstep" out and then back, to settle beneath stretching shadows . . . and to hear another, more distant "Letsgoboy!" "I take one last look at Little. She will be okay. And I am ready." Echoing the strong mutual attachment that underlies every line of this monologue, Chien's grainy, soft-focus scenes follow the old pooch and a tiny, exuberant child who barely reaches his shoulder through a woodsy ramble, and then sends the dog on alone, to soar through bright abstract spaces ("My oldbones feel new") while seasons pass below, and, finally, to watch joyously as Little looks up in remembrance after getting a slobberkiss from a new awwpuppy. "She gives me a happyface. I wigglewag. She's my foreverfriend." If there's a dryeye in the house after this, check for a pulse. Cynthia Rylant's vision of Dog Heaven (1995) may offer more specific details about what awaits new arrivals, but Littles left behind will find a similar level of love and comfort here.

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Starred review from October 1, 2021
A dog savors one last outing with his little girl, remembering puppyhood and simple pleasures before passing, while their love lives on, enriching and inspiring new adventures as they unfold. Floppy-eared and graying, an old dog rises to still find wonder in the world--from the fireball sun and puffer clouds to the swirly wind and a good old stretch--but it's his forever friend, Little, who makes him "wigglewag" with joy. As the brown-skinned child with her black mop of hair calls out "Letsgoboy!" memories of leaping and chasing squirrels surface. The dog gazes upon this remarkable world and "wuffwuffs" his farewells, and Little gives him her tightest "lovesqueeze." Under a luminous sky, he closes his eyes, and twilight blue bursts into a dazzling kaleidoscope, and he can "runjump" again. He sees the family mourn and the seasons change, until one spring Little is on a "letsgoboy" with a new puppy. Happy to feel her joy, he joins her in spirit, knowing they are each other's friends forever. Mixed-media illustrations masterfully play with scale, composition, and perspective; and Chien's use of simple, exploratory shapes and patterns creates enchanting characters and landscapes full of energy, peace, and transformation. Told from the dog's perspective, the playful and poignant text offers an arc beautifully visualized by Chien, whose palette choices flex with the narrative. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Stunning, tender, and brilliant. Readers will laugh and cry--but most of all love. (Picture book. 3-adult)

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