I've read this book a number of times but my favorite is when my son and I read it out loud together. It was great fun doing the backwoods, "hillbilly" accent and using old-timey terms like varmints and vittles and rations. When we got to the very end of the book I could no longer read and my son had to take over because I was so choked up and emotional. This is a great book for anyone who has had a beloved pet or who has a beloved child. Life can break your heart you better believe it. But it's beautiful nonetheless.