The Tenth Good Thing about Barney

By Judith Viorst

Book Overview

My cat Barney died this Friday. I was very sad. My mother said we could have a funeral for him, and I should think of ten good things about Barney so I could tell them... But the small boy who loved Barney can only think of nine. Later, while talking with his father, he discovers the tenth -- and begins to understand.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0689712030
• ISBN13: 9780689712036
• Release Date: September 1987
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
• Length: 25 Pages
• Weight: 0.34 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 8.3" x 8.8"
• Age Range: 6 to 9 years
• Grade Range: Grades 1 to 4

Customer Reviews

I cannot recommend this book enough.

We picked this book up secondhand, and after reading it, intend to get it for all the kids in our lives with pets. It is simple and beautifully done. We have a dog that is five, so still a long way to go, but I think it is a fantastic read to get our daughter familiar with the concept of death. We are not religious, and I feel like too many books have kids talking about their pets going to heaven, which is fine but is not in line with what we believe, and also being raised Catholic, is not in line with that either. This is a wonderfully done middle ground. One of the characters does insist the cat is going to heaven, and this isn't dismissed as implausible, so it does hold room for any religious beliefs you or your family has that your child may be exposed to. Cannot rate this highly enough. The illustrations are nicely done, and it is a wonderful and easy way to present the concept of death, and use it as a starting off point for discussions with your children. To the reviewer who believes it is too gruesome, that is one opinion, and I would rather have a factual understanding to present to my child. It does discuss how the cat's body will change in the dirt, and will decompose to help flowers grow. This is not a gruesome thing, it is just a fact. The life cycle is covered fairly early on in the curriculum, so your child may already be familiar with the concept. They do not remove the cat's head to keep a skull on the mantle or anything like that, to anyone just reading these reviews. They don't even discuss how he died, just that he did. I did not find it disturbing in the slightest.

Terrifying

This book is terribly. It says they are not sure if pets go to heaven and talks about their bodies decomposing. Our dog died unexpectedly after having her for 10 years. Needless to say we are all devastated. This book brought fear not comfort. Instead buy: saying goodbye to Lulu and I'll always love you

A personal favorite

As a veterinary technician who regularly assisted in euthanasia procedures, I kept kept copies of this book on hand to distribute to families with children. Years later I'm working as a teacher and still love it. In contrast to other reviewer comments that the book is morbid, I find the underlying message hopeful - that our bodies are part of a natural cycle and that death gives rise to new life. The language is simple, elegant and understandable even for young children. If you have family pets and have not yet experienced a loss, buy this book ahead of time. You'll appreciate having it on that day when inevitable death comes calling.

A Book About Death from the Point of View of a Little Boy

The little boy who is the narrator of this book has just had his pet cat Barney die. He can only think of nine good things about Barney, until the day after the funeral, when he spends the day in the garden with his father. The plot is extremely simple and spare, but the book depicts grief very well, and so we understand just how broken-hearted the little boy is, and how much he loved his cat. The Tenth Good Thing About Barney is an excellent springboard for families of every religious persuasion (including agnostics and atheists) to discuss what they feel happens after we die. The book helps children put into words many questions that they might be too young to articulate, and helps parents answer them for him as best you can. The writing is excellent, and perfectly captures the voice of a young boy, and the illustrations are elegant. It's a classic book, and belongs in every library.

Touching and Comforting

This book is absolutely, without a doubt, a great book for younger children to cope with the loss of a pet. This book, however, would not be appropriate for the loss of a human life. The author lets the reader know that it is OK to feel sad, to not want to watch TV, or to eat or to go outside and play. But most important of all, that it is OK to cry and feel sad.The mother and father hold a backyard funeral for Barney, the beloved deceased cat, and the little boy comes up with nine good things to say about Barney. Afterwards, when they plant flowers, he can come up with the tenth good thing about Barney.Older children will find this too ?babyish?, I believe, but this book was perfect for my younger children when our beloved dog, Snowball died. Our vet gave us this book, along with the Rainbow Bridge poem. It was very comforting.The book conveys that we have to honor the grieving and the questions of children as they mourn their beloved pet, whether it is a fish, a dog, a cow, a horse, or whatever pet is important to them. The value of a ?ceremony? is just as important for closure.I highly recommend this tender book.

Wonderful book for children struggling with death.

Judith Viorst has written a lovely and touching look at death from the perspective of a child. Though dealing with the death of a pet, it helps children deal with the reality of any death. I can't read it out loud without crying myself; but then, children need to know we feel sad sometimes, too, and it's okay.This book does not have religious overtones, so it can be used by families with all different sets of beliefs. It addresses the feelings children have when faced by loss, and how we all deal with those feelings, learn from them, and grow.

The best book for anyone who has ever owned a pet.

The Tenth Good thing about Barney was such a wonderful book, when I was Little. I used to have the tape of it. Barney was a cat and he died last friday. Mother consoled the small boy who loved Barney, by encouraging him to think of ten good things about him. But the boy that loved Barney could only think of nine. So after the funeral, he thought of the tenth good thing, which was that Barney was helping to grow a flower. Mom bought me a copy of this book after my pet fish Frank died. And then we later bought an identical copy after my cousin's pet dog Cindy died. I hope they continue to make it.