Still Her Spirit Sings
Click on cover to order
The journey of a dog’s life begins with her sudden arrival as a puppy. We watch as she earns her name, takes her first bath and chews her way around the house. As she grows we penetrate her eyes, learn her moods, observe her quirks and witness her loyalty. When she unexpectedly falls ill and dies, we feel the grief a family goes through.
Grief then transitions to reverence as we reflect on how Spirit and all dogs teach us lessons of life and love that stay in our hearts long after they die. With humor and tender reflection, Robert W. Kurkela describes a dog who embodied an unforgettable mix of joy, compassion, adventure and mischief.
The spiritually uplifting and sensitive verse is thought provoking and is accompanied by whimsical, light-hearted illustrations. Still Her Spirit Sings will appeal to parents and children of all faiths who have mourned the loss of a beloved animal.
"As a children's grief counselor, I would recommend this book to all parents in any of life's difficult challenges. It will surely help teach about life, love and the loss of someone special."
Sharami Kerr, Ph.D
Healing Hearts Program Coordinator
United Hospice of Rockland
"Through cleverly designed illustrations and poetic verse, Still Her Spirit Sings gently portrays the life and legacy of Spirit, an energetic, loyal, and even sometimes mischievous dog who is incorporated into a loving family, develops an agreeable personality then unexpectedly dies.
Tenderly written with rhyme and beauty. Finely illustrated with careful detail. This book provides children and parents alike a great opportunity to reflect and invoke thought on a collection of life's many great lessons, specifically those of love, loss and remembrance. A treasured read for anyone who has ever experienced the loss of a pet."
Jennifer Herbstritt
Author of "Leaving Virginia: A Bike Ride Across America in Memory of Jeremy"
"Still Her Spirit Sings: One Dog's Love, Lessons, Life and Legacy" is a father's verse tribute to his beloved dog Spirit, whose unexpected illness and death imprints deeply on hte family, including two small children. To answer hard questions truthfully, and to pay proper full tribute to a faithful furry companion is the stated goal of "Still Her Spirit Sings." But perhaps even more important is the offering of compassion and comfort in the whimsical verse portrait of Spirit. In answer to the questions often asked, "Do dogs (animals) have souls? Will they go to heaven? Will we see them again?" Kurkela writes the following: "Oh yes, believe with all of your heart/That our dogs are still on their guard!/ They inspire our honest acts/ Brightly move us to compassion/Their loyalty lives on after death/ As lessons learned in our every breath,/Though this tale has now been told/ Words, like souls, know no end/May they comfort you through your days/ Long, long after you turn this page." The title of "Still Her Spirit Sings" was taken from a poem written by the author in memory of his mother, in "Lilies on the Moon." "I find it just amazing/ When daily I stop and think,/ That she's no longer with us,/ Yet still her spirit sings." "Still Her Spirit Sings" is lovingly embellished with spare, haunting portraits of daily details of the life of Spirit. "Still Her Spirit Sings" will be especially treasured by parents and children who have experienced the loss of a beloved pet.
Midwest Book Review
"The illustrations are precious. I especially love the line drawings and the movement that they give to the subjects. I am taking it to my (child therapy) waiting room where many will enjoy it."
Katharine Pumphrey Knapp
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
Serving women and children
Charlottesville, VA
"I LOVE the book! The drawings are...so wonderful! The cover drawing is one of my very favorites..I do believe that dogs have souls. I know my dog Daisy has a 6th sense about when I am sick, and she comforts me. The page where everyone is holding Spirit when she is sick touched me... and her eyes showing kindness, sadness, and being bad...so real!"
Florence Clark, M.Ed. (counseling)
Sebastian, FL
“Still Her Spirit Sings is a touching story. It shows that even if you miss someone they are still with you. But it's their souls that are with you. It shows that you can lose someone but still find them in your heart.”
Manny E. McGinley
Third Grade
Order your copy today!
Click on the cover above to order!
Grief then transitions to reverence as we reflect on how Spirit and all dogs teach us lessons of life and love that stay in our hearts long after they die. With humor and tender reflection, Robert W. Kurkela describes a dog who embodied an unforgettable mix of joy, compassion, adventure and mischief.
The spiritually uplifting and sensitive verse is thought provoking and is accompanied by whimsical, light-hearted illustrations. Still Her Spirit Sings will appeal to parents and children of all faiths who have mourned the loss of a beloved animal.
"As a children's grief counselor, I would recommend this book to all parents in any of life's difficult challenges. It will surely help teach about life, love and the loss of someone special."
Sharami Kerr, Ph.D
Healing Hearts Program Coordinator
United Hospice of Rockland
"Through cleverly designed illustrations and poetic verse, Still Her Spirit Sings gently portrays the life and legacy of Spirit, an energetic, loyal, and even sometimes mischievous dog who is incorporated into a loving family, develops an agreeable personality then unexpectedly dies.
Tenderly written with rhyme and beauty. Finely illustrated with careful detail. This book provides children and parents alike a great opportunity to reflect and invoke thought on a collection of life's many great lessons, specifically those of love, loss and remembrance. A treasured read for anyone who has ever experienced the loss of a pet."
Jennifer Herbstritt
Author of "Leaving Virginia: A Bike Ride Across America in Memory of Jeremy"
"Still Her Spirit Sings: One Dog's Love, Lessons, Life and Legacy" is a father's verse tribute to his beloved dog Spirit, whose unexpected illness and death imprints deeply on hte family, including two small children. To answer hard questions truthfully, and to pay proper full tribute to a faithful furry companion is the stated goal of "Still Her Spirit Sings." But perhaps even more important is the offering of compassion and comfort in the whimsical verse portrait of Spirit. In answer to the questions often asked, "Do dogs (animals) have souls? Will they go to heaven? Will we see them again?" Kurkela writes the following: "Oh yes, believe with all of your heart/That our dogs are still on their guard!/ They inspire our honest acts/ Brightly move us to compassion/Their loyalty lives on after death/ As lessons learned in our every breath,/Though this tale has now been told/ Words, like souls, know no end/May they comfort you through your days/ Long, long after you turn this page." The title of "Still Her Spirit Sings" was taken from a poem written by the author in memory of his mother, in "Lilies on the Moon." "I find it just amazing/ When daily I stop and think,/ That she's no longer with us,/ Yet still her spirit sings." "Still Her Spirit Sings" is lovingly embellished with spare, haunting portraits of daily details of the life of Spirit. "Still Her Spirit Sings" will be especially treasured by parents and children who have experienced the loss of a beloved pet.
Midwest Book Review
"The illustrations are precious. I especially love the line drawings and the movement that they give to the subjects. I am taking it to my (child therapy) waiting room where many will enjoy it."
Katharine Pumphrey Knapp
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
Serving women and children
Charlottesville, VA
"I LOVE the book! The drawings are...so wonderful! The cover drawing is one of my very favorites..I do believe that dogs have souls. I know my dog Daisy has a 6th sense about when I am sick, and she comforts me. The page where everyone is holding Spirit when she is sick touched me... and her eyes showing kindness, sadness, and being bad...so real!"
Florence Clark, M.Ed. (counseling)
Sebastian, FL
“Still Her Spirit Sings is a touching story. It shows that even if you miss someone they are still with you. But it's their souls that are with you. It shows that you can lose someone but still find them in your heart.”
Manny E. McGinley
Third Grade
Order your copy today!
Click on the cover above to order!