The death of a beloved family pet is often a child's first experience with heartbreak, and parents are left searching for the right words, the right timing, and the right way to help their child feel safe again. Goodbye, Best Friend: A Parent's Guide to Helping Kids Heal After Losing a Pet by Dr. Patricia A. Farrell, Ph.D., offers the compassionate support families need during one of childhood's most tender and confusing moments. 

Children don't grieve the way adults do—and they don't understand death the way adults do. Their questions can feel impossible, their emotions unpredictable, and their pain deeper than many parents expect. Dr. Farrell's book meets families exactly where they are, providing parents with age-appropriate guidance, emotionally honest language, and research-backed insights into how children process loss.

Drawing on decades of clinical experience, Dr. Farrell explains why the loss of a pet can shake a child's world, how attachment shapes grief, and why some children feel guilt, fear, or anger they can't easily express. With gentle clarity, she helps parents understand what their child is really experiencing—and how to support them with steadiness and love.

Goodbye, Best Friend includes:

• Age-specific guidance on what children understand about death, infused with real-life examples that help parents respond with clarity and confidence.
• Scripts and suggested language for difficult conversations—including sudden loss, euthanasia, and spiritual questions children often ask.
• Practical ways to involve children before, during, and after a loss so they feel included rather than helpless or left out.
• Healthy rituals and healing activities that help children express grief and preserve loving memories.
• Support for parents, who are often grieving while trying to stay strong for their child.

The book also addresses neurodiversity, family dynamics, cultural beliefs, and signs that a child may need professional help. It is readable, deeply human, and structured so parents can find exactly what they need in the moment they need it most.

"Parents often fear they're saying the wrong thing," Dr. Farrell writes. "But what children need most is honesty, presence, and the reassurance that their grief makes sense." 

Goodbye, Best Friend offers parents exactly that reassurance—while helping them guide their child from heartbreak toward healing.

Availability

Goodbye, Best Friend is available now in EPUB format for libraries and on Amazon Select.

About the Author

Dr. Patricia A. Farrell, Ph.D., is a psychologist, author, and mental-health expert with extensive experience helping families navigate grief, trauma, and emotional development. Her work has appeared in national media, and she is the author of multiple books supporting emotional wellbeing throughout the lifespan.