I, Cosmo Paperback – March 30, 2021

My 11 year old really enjoyed this book. I would highly recommend for all ages, as his Grammie ended up reading it too!

great story

Absolutely fantastic! I know this was intended for the middle grade audience, but I adored the story — laughing out loud and tearing up throughout. Cosmo is an older golden retriever and he’s the one who narrates this story. His boy, Max, is struggling with the realization that his mom and dad aren’t getting along and they might eventually split up. So Cosmo feels it’s his responsibility to hold the family together. The story comes at this topic from a unique position, showcasing how divorce impacts everyone (including our beloved pets). I love how expressive Cosmo is and how he reads and interprets common human actions. I’ll admit that I was nervous because Cosmo is getting up there in age, but this story has a happy ending and will soon be a favorite in children’s and middle grade libraries. I also appreciated the note at the very end, encouraging readers to first look at shelters and rescues when they want to adopt a dog. I highly recommend! My thanks to NetGalley, Carlie Sorosiak, and Candlewick Press for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest response.

I have a dog named Cosmo, so of course I had to read this book! It was a really sweet story from the dog’s perspective as his family goes through a difficult time. I loved that you could really get a feel for Cosmo’s personality and he was just too cute and funny. There were times the story took a sad turn both from the dog’s perspective and his family’s. The constant reminder of Cosmo’s age was also heartbreaking, but he was so strong and determined to be there for the people he loved and who loved him. Highly recommend!*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

A sweet book about a Golden Retriever and his human family, most specifically, Max the 10 year old boy whom Cosmo is closest with. As much as I'm tempted to say that this is another boy and his dog story, it would be unfair to not consider the importance of the rest of the family. For, you see, this is also a story about a family in the early stages of the parents deciding to divorce and the impact that decision has on Max and Cosmo.The book is told through the eyes and thoughts of Cosmo, the dog, as he perceives things evolving and the effects it has, especially on his best friend, Max. There are also extended family members and neighborhood dogs who occasionally come to visit or are encountered at various times. Uncle Reggie happens to be one of the most important figures in Max's life. You could say that Uncle Reggie steps in as a bit of a father figure when times are tough. He always seems to know just what Max needs and both Max and Cosmo love him for this.Interestingly enough, both Max and Cosmo love the movie Grease and eventually work out a dance routine based on the movie for a local talent show involving dogs and their owners. Cosmo is fully dedicated to this pursuit despite his ailing body due to his advanced age. All this goes down as the divorce comes to a head creating a little extra drama along the way.This book is actually written for children but appealing to adults who just love a good dog story between their more serious reads. Some of the issues are sad but don't get too intense for a more sensitive child. It can serve to help them address some of life's difficulties such as divorce and the impending doom of an aging pet. Don't worry, it never gets too sad but allows one to consider and ask questions to ease into contemplation of these events that may take place in the real life of a child.My only drawback, considering that this is a child's book, is the choice of using the movie Grease. It works well enough but I'm not convinced that most children would be familiar enough with the movie to understand those parts considering the movie is a few decades old. Then again, it still gets lots of play so maybe I'm just not understanding its popularity amongst the 10 year old set. Regardless, I'm sure they would still get the idea of what is being told though not sure they would understand the full mode of the styles, music and dances. If you are buying this book for a child, it would be even more special if it was paired with the movie for a deeper understanding of certain parts that play some importance within the book.

Come meet Cosmo and his family. This is a heartwarming story told from a dog's point of view. If you love a good dog story, you don't want to miss this book. I really enjoyed it. Thank you Candlewick Press Walker Books US via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is such a beautiful story of unconditional love and family. Written from the view point of a golden retriever, I never had any doubts who was speaking to me as I read--felt very authentic from a dog's POV.

Cosmo touches my heart as well. I will give these books to the children in my family and circle of friends.I love good-feel books. I write good-feel books myself.