Taking on the serious topic of the loss of a loved one, Dan Cohen and Lisa Norman's third installment to The Adventures of Flapjack, Saying Goodbye, becomes an uplifting exploration of the meaning of life. The story follows the Australian Shepherd dog, Flapjack, who had been rescued by a forest ranger and adopted by his new Mom and Dad. Flapjack enjoys being with his family, but can't help missing his old friend, Fowler the duck. For five seasons, Fowler has not visited Flapjack and he doesn't know why. Then, one day, Flapjack spots a duck in the sky, but it is not Fowler. The Australian Shepherd learns from Fowler's son that his dear friend is close to passing away. Crossing long distances, Flapjack journeys to say goodbye to his friend one last time. It is there he discovers that death is not an ending, but a beginning.

For young readers, these heavy ideas will be easily palatable and might even aid in coping with the loss of a loved one. Dan Cohen's bouncing rhymes and Lisa Norman's lively, heartwarming illustrations make The Adventures of Flapjack one adventurous lesson. At the heart of this tale is the idea that death, like life, is merely another adventure, and that in nature nothing actually dies, but, like the seasons, always returns. And, in that case, one would expect a new best friend for Flapjack to be in the works in the next installment of The Adventures of Flapjack. Meanwhile, kids can connect with and befriend Flapjack the dog on his website or social media accounts listed in the book.

The Adventures of Flapjack, Saying Goodbye by Dan Cohen is a picture book style story that helps children deal with loss and bereavement through the charming adventure of a lovable dog. Flapjack is an Australian Shepherd dog who loves his duck friend, Fowler. Not a season goes by without visits from Fowler. Then the time comes when he no longer flies in. Flapjack is very sad to learn that his friend has reached the end of his life and will die soon. But Fowler shares his words of wisdom and comfort with Flapjack about the natural cycle of life, the joy of living, and living on in memories and spirit.

This is a lovely, hopeful book to share with a child who has experienced loss or bereavement. I feel it needs to be read aloud with time to look at the illustrations and discuss the story’s meaning as it unfolds. It can be difficult for many children to talk about their feelings or fears, and books that gently help them to see they are not alone are invaluable. Flapjack is adorable and children will warm to him and empathize with his sadness at losing his friend. I like the rhyming nature to the text and the way Flapjack gradually comes to terms with his loss and begins to understand that endings and beginnings are all a part of life – and that when loved ones pass away they leave us with special happy memories and a sense of their presence. Using the example of clouds and raindrops nurturing life and growth before being recycled is a good way to explain how everything created has its natural time before passing on to another stage.

Lisa Norman’s illustrations complement Dan Cohen’s story perfectly. I liked the pictures of the four seasons – a connecting of Fowler’s year-round visits with the idea that life events can be seen as seasons that always move on and begin again. The depiction of Flapjack’s dream of happy times with Fowler and the clever The…Beginning (as opposed to The End) at the end of the book give it a comforting and hopeful conclusion. A beautifully presented and special book for families, and also for teachers, therapists and counsellors who are helping children deal with loss.

Flapjack feels very lucky to have adopted Mom and Dad. Lots of good things have happened to him, like interesting walks. Sometimes, though, Flapjack misses his friends in the forest, particularly a special duck called Fowler. Even after Flapjack adopted his Mom and Dad and went to live in town, Fowler came to visit. Lately, there’s been no sign of Fowler and Flapjack is confused. He doesn’t understand why. When a duck lands on the pond in Flapjack’s backyard, hope arises, but it’s not Fowler. It’s Fowler’s son come to tell Flapjack that Fowler is dying. Flapjack insists on following Fowler’s son back to the nest in the forest. When he finds Fowler, Flapjack sees how old and frail his long time friend is and he’s very sad. He doesn’t understand this 'dying.' Fowler explains that death is a part of life, but it’s important to enjoy life to its fullest and keep the memories of happy times and good friends close.

Death is a difficult concept for anyone to understand and accept, but most especially for children. Using his beautiful Australian Shepherd, Flapjack, as a guide, author Dan Cohen created a story around his beloved Aussie to help others, particularly children, accept and try to understand this difficult concept. Dogs have an incredible ability to adapt to any situation and to love unconditionally. Dan used his dog’s amazing compassion to create children’s stories like The Adventures of Flapjack: Saying Goodbye to help young readers learn and understand. The story is told in rhyme and beautifully illustrated by Lisa Norman, another dog lover. A very tender-hearted story. Well done!

The Adventures of Flapjack: Saying Goodbye by Dan Cohen continues with tales of the life of a brave Australian Shepherd and delivers yet more valuable life lessons for its readers. Saying Goodbye is the story of Flapjack and his best friend - a duck called Fowler. Fowler used to visit Flapjack every season, but he had not visited for the last five seasons. Flapjack was very worried for his friend, but was staying hopeful. As it turned out, he was right to be worried because when a young version of Fowler later showed up, he delivered some saddening news. Flapjack knew he had to go see his friend right away. However, Fowler lived very far away and Flapjack could not fly. So how would he get there? Follow yet another one of the incredible adventures of Flapjack and witness his amazing courage in the face of great adversity.

Saying Goodbye is yet another worthy read in The Adventures of Flapjack series by Dan Cohen, and a worthwhile addition to any kids' library. In this part of the story, young readers will learn about everlasting friendship, courage, and how to achieve the impossible through hard work and a can-do attitude. The book also delivers an invaluable lesson for kids, and even adults too, about coping with life's biggest losses. Dan Cohen knows how to write an amazing story and perfectly capture his characters' emotions, as right away portrayed by the rather sombre tone of Saying Goodbye. Lisa Norman's vivid illustrations bring it all to life rather brilliantly.