This spring, Where’s Big Dog? arrived on the literary scene. The children’s book, written by Emmy Award winning actress Jessica Collins and producer Lisa Melamed, offers a clever solution for families suffering the loss of a cherished pet. The book is about understanding loss and moving through grief, and it touches upon the concepts of remembrance and healing.
Although losing a furry friend comes with lots of challenging feelings, Where’s Big Dog? takes the experience beyond the sadness and reminds readers that so much happiness and love has emerged via this pup-to-person bond. The cuddles, the licks, all the love—pets brings so much joy, loyalty, and friendship. Those are the feelings to hold onto.
Jessica Collins’s career spans more than 30 years in television and film. This book was inspired by her Goldendoodle, Lucy. Unfortunately, Collins understands the kind of pain that follows the loss of a pet. Through her family’s experience, she hopes to help others.
“When we lost our dog Lucy, after nearly 15 years, it was the hardest day for our family. Telling my 7-year-old Jemma was something I wasn’t prepared for. Like so many kids, this was her first real experience with loss. I found it incredibly difficult to find the words to help her, while I was grieving too,” said Jessica Collins.
Since the launch of Where’s Big Dog? the book, published by Indigo River and Simon & Schuster, has been gifted to many families who are also suffering loss. The story tells the recipient: “I see you and I’m thinking about you, I know this is difficult.”
Like the warm, furry hugs we received, the language is gentle. Its simplicity enables young readers to feel like it’s “their” story rather than a tale delivered from an adult’s perspective.
Seeking Spot
Where’s Big Dog? takes readers on a journey to “find” their dog again whether he or she is in the clouds, the knots on a tree trunk or on the fluffy couch they used to rest on.
“When we started seeing Lucy’s image in our floors and rugs and in the clouds, it felt like a visit, and made her feel like she was still here. It didn’t take away the sadness, but it delivered some sweetness to our first few days without her. It felt like she was saying ‘hi’ and ‘I’m still with you.’ Our hope in putting this book out is that our readers will remain open to this idea, so they can feel the comfort,” said Collins.
The idea emerged after a visit from a neighbor right after Lucy passed. “She noticed I was with our little dog, but our big dog, Lucy was missing. She asked, “Where’s Big Dog?” and I began sobbing. Later I told the story to Lisa, and she said, “that sounds like the title of a book,” revealed Collins.
In the days that followed, Collins and her daughter began noticing little things that reminded them of Lucy—shapes in the clouds, images in the knots of wood, moments that felt like signs of her love. Those moments brought comfort, especially to Jemma. Instead of focusing on the loss, she started looking for Lucy and speaking about the joy of seeing her furry face and feeling connected.
Melamed has written and produced television shows for network, cable, and streaming,
including Nickelodeon’s Hey Dude and is a Golden Globe winner for Party of Five. She kicked offer her career at Scholastic Productions. This marks her first book.
Where’s Big Dog? is illustrated by Carla Naude, a South African artist and illustrator currently based in Texas. A lifelong book lover and animal enthusiast, Naude has a knack for bringing characters to life. The book is $18.99 and is available at Simon & Schuster, Barnes & Noble, Target, and Amazon, among other retailers.
“Having loved and lost our own big dogs over the years, this one hit home.
Heartfelt and real,” said Christine Taylor and Ben Stiller. “Touching and tender, with engaging illustrations, Where’s Big Dog? will remain on my coffee table for a long time to come as a reminder of my missed furry family members,” added Holly Goldberg Sloan, a celebrated screenwriter and New York Times bestselling author.