En ball for Daisy

My dog-loving kindergartner asked for this every night for two weeks straight—the way the story handles Daisy's loss without being heavy-handed really resonated with her. We've read a lot of picture books, but this one's pacing feels uniquely gentle.

The watercolor illustrations are stunning, and the way the story handles the dog's grief without being heavy-handed really resonated with my nephew. He lost his favorite stuffed bunny last month and now asks to read it every night, which feels like a small comfort ritual.

My 3-year-old has made me read this to her every night since it arrived, and she gets genuinely teary at the part where the ball pops. The illustrations really capture that raw feeling of losing something you love, and the wordless pages let her tell the story in her own words. It's a beautiful way