I read this book in grade four and then did a book report on it.

This book was not nearly as fun as the blurb on the back made it sound like it would be. The characters were kind of flat and the plot was pretty weak.

The idea of kids running a pet funeral business, with no adults knowledge, and the business including a professional crier sounds much more intriguing than the actual execution of this story.

This was my favorite book when I was little and I completely forgot about it. For some reason, it just came to mind again.

Reread this childhood favorite and it still holds true. “Sometimes children glow with life.”

Transitions are hard, which is why writers get stereotyped so easily. You don't see Stephen King writing children's stories, do you?
I think "The Beloved Dearly" would be fun to see in person, but it didn't translate well to the novel. I could tell there were a lot of sight gags, but suspension of belief was impossible for me. Seriously, they all acted like adults, which would have been cute in a made-for-t.v. movie...but not this novel. Mr. Cooney is primarily a scriptwriter and playwright, and "The Beloved Dearly" was a play, so that explains the bad transition.
All in all, it was a good idea executed in the wrong form.

I enjoyed this book when I was 7ish, but rereading it, I’m not sure why. I didn’t particularly like it as an adult, but I can’t imagine it will hold most kids’ attention, either. It’s pretty dry, and not in a calming, low-stimulation way. It doesn’t approach grief with any nuance (even though it’s about dead pets and dead parents). I’m not really sure what the message of the book is supposed to be. Kids will not understand the “jokes” in the book, because they’re all parodies of working an office job. It feels like the narrator is constantly asking us adults: “haha? Get it? Do you get it? It’s because kids don’t have jobs!” Yes. We get it.

Book # 3 of 5th grade Chat n' Chew.

love their friendship

Your classical trouble maker looking for a way to get money in a great and funny way!

This book lacked something and I am not sure what it was. The story was okay, some of the characters were well developed, and the writing was okay. It just fell flat. It wasn't compelling or inspiring or even hopeful. Utterly forgettable for me but my daughter liked okay so I gave it 3 stars.

I think I read this on a road trip to Kentucky. It is very cute and funny. A very good read if you're looking for something fun and mindless. It will probably be a book I buy for my book collection.

The Beloved Dearly is a sweet story, but it feels a bit incomplete. I was waiting to figure out what Cat Lady's connection to Betty's late rabbit was, but there was never an answer. And we never found out Swimming Pool's real name. I hope her parents didn't actually write "Swimming Pool" on her birth certificate. These seem like minor sticking points but wrapping up little details like these would have gone a long way to making the story a bit more satisfying. Still, it's cute and mostly silly, worth trying out even if I don't reread it.