Tate Dived - by Jennifer E Smith (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

A moving picture book in which a misunderstanding about the fate of a beloved dog leads to a child's joyful reimagining of what it means to say goodbye. A story of love, longing, and the imaginary underwater adventures of a scuba diving beagle.

When a mom tries to find the right words to tell her son that their dog has died, he mishears her and finds himself imagining that Tate dived instead. The thought is enough to pull him out of his sadness and into the ocean, where he pictures Tate swimming, floating, moving like he used to as a puppy. As much as he misses his best friend, it's a comfort to think of him out there on a whole new adventure, sniffing the seaweed the way he used to sniff the trees, making friends with puffer fish, and meeting enormous whales that look just like his favorite chew toy. It's a relief to imagine that he's safe and happy, even though it was his time to swim away from them. It makes missing him a little bit easier. It makes his heart feel a little bit bigger.

Tender and evocative, this picture book offers a deeply comforting approach to loss. Bestselling author Jennifer E. Smith and award-winning illustrator Leo Espinosa bring warmth and hope to this heartfelt portrayal of grief and the love that remains.

About the Author

Jennifer E. Smith is the bestselling author of several books for young adults, including The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight and Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between, both of which have been adapted for film. She is also the author of the picture books The Creature of Habit and The Creature of Habit Tries His Best, illustrated by Leo Espinosa, and A Cure for the Hiccups, illustrated by Brandon James Scott. She earned a master's degree in creative writing from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland and lives in Los Angeles.

Leo Espinosa is an author, illustrator, and designer from Bogota, Colombia. He is the creator of My Papa Has a Red Mustache, and has illustrated numerous picture books including The Creature of Habit; The Creature of Habit Tries His Best; No More Naps; NO is All I Know!; Pura Belpré Honor Book Islandborn; and The New York Times bestseller The World Belonged to Us. He lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with his family.