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Guy Bacon was just eight years old when his younger sister was a victim of the Sandy Hook Elementary School attacks almost exactly three years ago. When he boarded the bus to go back to school the following January, nobody — his grieving parents, his shaken friends, or himself — knew what to expect. But Guy and the rest of the children and teachers were greeted with comfort in the form of furry, four-legged friends.
Therapy dogs played an absolutely crucial role in the comforting, mending, and rebuilding of the entire Newtown, CT community. They were so important that Guy knew he had to introduce them to the world, and he wrote and compiled a sweet book to do so: The Dogs of Newtown. In it, Guy includes photos of each of the therapy dogs and emphasizes their unique personalities and traits, as well as the impact that each has made in the lives of those it touched.
As Guy, now eleven, says, “these were some of the most special therapy dogs that visited my friends and me at school and helped lick the tears away.”
The book is not scary and does not mention the Sandy Hook tragedy blatantly. Rather, it is written from a child’s perspective and focuses on the help, comfort, and friendship that these dogs offered. Perhaps your child has seen some of the scary news reports in the last few days, and you’d like a way to comfort them and to point out the helpers in our society: The Dogs of Newtown is a fantastic way to do that.
Joel, JoAnn and Guy Bacon are the parents and brother of Charlotte Bacon, who died as a result of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT. Charlotte was just 6 years old but left a bold impression on everyone she met. The Bacon family has founded and developed a number of projects to honor their spirited Charlotte, share her joy and beauty, and advocate for what has helped them most as they grieve.
Both books, Good Dogs, Great Listeners and The Dogs of Newtown, are able to stand alone, but are also used as tools for the Charlotte’s Litter Program. Charlotte Bacon’s bold story, the things she loved, and the Bacon family’s own grief process have contributed to a brand that is unique to their family.
The Bacon family lives in Sandy Hook, Connecticut. They will always be a family of four.
For more information, visit www.gooddogsgreatlisteners.com and www.charlotteslitter.org, and connect with Charlotte’s Litter and Good Dogs, Great Listeners on Facebook.
Good Dogs, Great Listeners can be purchased from www.amazon.com.
The Dogs of Newtown can be purchased from www.amazon.com.
