The Old Dog

Once there was a dog who loved to run and jump and play. She was the best friend Ben -- or any little boy -- could have. But as Ben got older, so did his dog. One morning, Ben's old dog didn't open her eyes or wag her tail. She didn't even move.</p>Charlotte Zolotow's remarkable insight into a universal experience -- the hurt and confusion a child feels after his first encounter with death -- is poignantly echoed by James Ransome's striking oil paintings.