Published by Chronicle Books
Summary: Every night, Rabbit listens to the traffic on a distant road and dreams of traveling. He lives vicariously through old Dog, who used to travel all over the country on his motorbike. Dog loves to share his stories, and Rabbit loves to hear them. Then one day, Dog is gone, and the motorbike comes to live with Rabbit. The seasons pass, and the motorbike sits quietly while Rabbit goes about his chores. Then one night, he dreams of the bike’s engine howling. The next morning, he tells the bike, “Just down the road.” But the road is longer than Rabbit anticipates, and it’s a long time until he returns home, full of stories of his own to share with a new friend. 48 pages; ages 4-9.
Pros: A deceptively quiet and simple story about slowly moving on from loss and overcoming your fears. This book was as thought-provoking for me as I imagine it would be for any 6-year-old.
Cons: Dog’s death is described so subtly that kids might miss it.