Say Good-Bye

Vet Volunteers #5

by Laurie Halse Anderson

Seeing Jane's dog, Yum-Yum, help cheer up children in a cancer ward makes Zoe think about having her puppy, Sneakers, trained to do therapy, too, especially when Yum-Yum becomes very ill.

Genres: Fiction, Animals, Middle Grade, Childrens, Realistic Fiction, Dogs, Juvenile

125 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2001

About the author

UPDATE! Rebellion 1776 is out! The New York Times wrote, "Filled with immersive detail, expert delineations of complex characters, and both harsh and loving reality, Rebellion 1776 provides young readers with a true experience of a historic moment in time that resonates with today's world." Huzzah!

Laurie Halse Anderson is the New York Times-bestselling author of many award-winning books including the groundbreaking, modern classic Speak, a National Book Award finalist which has sold over 3.5 million copies and been translated into 35 languages.

In 2023, Anderson was named the Laureate of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, long considered to be the de facto 'Nobel Prize for Children's Literature.'

A passionate spokesperson for the need to combat censorship, she has been honored for her battles for intellectual freedom by the National Coalition Against Censorship and the National Council of Teachers of English. She lives near Philadelphia. Go Birds!

Follow Laurie on Bluesky at @halseanderson.bsky.social, Instagram at halseanderson, and Facebook at lauriehalseanderson, or by visiting her website, madwomanintheforest.com.

Reviews

[Amorette Novoa · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this story there these kids taking care of the dog they finally managed to take care of the dog i love this book i could read more of this book any time of the day

[Noah Muñoz]

The book Vet Volunteers by Laurie Halse Anderson. was a good book I read a book from this series before and it was pretty good so I wanted to read another book from them. Both of the books I choose had a dog on the cover cause I look dogs. I liked this book and I look forward to reading more of this books. And do some more book reports on them.

[L Y N N · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review: http://books-n-music.blogspot.com/201.... I am extremely impressed with Anderson's writing!! I lived the story line and her sense of characterization was very well done. I'm betting my grandchildren will it just as much as I did. Definitely need to get more of her books for them! (So grandma can 'preview' them, too!)

[Whitney Boatright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I LOVED learning about all the veterinarian terms and what malignancy looked like in yum yum's cancer. Here are some of my favorite quotes.

I can't help but wonder as I watch everyone - what is it about a dog that makes people so happy? Especially kids like these, who have a whole lot to be unhappy about.

I don't know. Maybe it's because a dog just thinks about today. He doesn't worry about the future. He doesn't fret about the big messes he made yesterday! He's just trying to be happy now.

Medicine is in the minds and hands of the doctors and nurses- not in the clinic's interior design.

I can't wait to start book 6. Such great information. Also liked the info at the end about how your pet can become a therapy dog and what you need to go through if you're interested in becoming involved in animal assisted activities or animal assisted therapy.

[Verania Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book Vet Volunteers Say Goodbye is a 5 out of 5 stars. The main character Zoe was someone I related to. Not only was she loving for animals but also had divorced parents it was something I related to a lot. My favorite character is Yum Yum because even though he had to deal with bad himself he helped with bad. I also appreciate that they include some of the other books in which is a great idea. Definitely recommend to you if you like pets

[Lisa Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this as a preview for a gift for an animal-loving, want-to-be-a-vet child. It was interesting and informative, while an easy read. I thought it dealt effectively w/ difficult issues like divorce, cancer, and depression. Hard to say if the depth of grief over the dog’s death was captured.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a really good, but sad book

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book makes me think about how awesome writing is in children’s literature. This book deals with some difficult subjects in a realistic yet hopeful way. I love the characters and the story.

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Little sad because the dog dies though...

[Nell Ewens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mature. Babysitters Club feel, but centered around a vet clinic and therapy pets at a hospital.

[Elizabeth D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

12/17/10
pg. 112
jane found out that her beautiful dog yum yum has cancer and put him down since he was already 13. and that the cancer was untreatableand that if they did expencive surgury it would only give him a couple extra months to live. so yum yum was put to sleep. I know how it is to have an animal that you really love die and how hard it is to say good-bye so i know how much greif jane must be in letting her dog go.


12/22/10
I just finished my book, i think it was really good but a little sad when her dog Yum Yum died, though it was happy when Zoe ( Jane's friend) finally got sneakers her puppy trained so that she could bring him in to the childrens hospital to be a therapy dog.

[Books Kids Like · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zoe adopted one of the sick puppy-mill pups and named him Sneakers. Even though she loves him, she isn’t consistent about training him so his behavior is deplorable. The other dog that stole Zoe’s heart is a shih tzu named Yum Yum. One morning, Jane brings Yum Yum for a quick shampoo and asks Zoe to go with them to the hospital. Yum Yum is a therapy dog in the cancer ward. Zoe watches in awe as the little dog does tricks and plays ball. His antics cheer the sick children so much. When they find out that Yum Yum has cancer, Jane arranges to take Zoe and Sneakers on Yum Yum’s last hospital visit. The children love Sneakers, but the dog’s bad behavior gets in the way. Zoe decides that she must get serious about training Sneakers so he can take Yum Yum’s place.
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the Wild at Heart or Vet Volunteers series. The story of Zoe, how she feels inadiquate around the other young voluteers. It also deals with the death of a dog who has become her friend.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

laurie halse anderson is an amazing animal book author vet volunteers is a great series, just spectalure, say good bye is about a vet volunteer who meets a therapy dog and just falls in love. unfortuantely something happens to break the volunteer's and the therapy dog's owner's hearts.

[Myah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the best emotional story of a dog (do not read back it is a big spoiler) This book is great if you love animals and short books If you want to learn go on kidblog.com!! This is the best book I have read in ages.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Going the Distance

Zoe teaches us a valuable lesson among the pages of this book. Zoe wanted to give up on Sneakers but through the encouragement of other people in her life she continues her journey. In the end she reaps great joy by giving the gift of joy.

[Elizabeth Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

The thing I remember really being so great about this book? The contrast from the first one. It shows true understanding of character as the point of view varies throughout the series. Beautiful.
(PG rating)

[Jen Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for 2nd grade and up.

[Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Yum-Yum get cancer Zoe must find a way to move on but Yum-Yum has left to big of paw-prints on her heart to go on.

[Clare Campbell]

This book was very heart warming. I almost cried !

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was heartwarming, caring, sweet and many mork effections along those lines. It really makes you think about the other people with cancer and all the other sick animals in this world.

[Mary · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not enjoy this book because it wasnt intresting.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was really sad. It's about this girl named Zoey who loves this little dog but the dog gets a deadly disease.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

See the first book in the series for a full review.

[Alejandra montano · Rating 5 out of 5]

sad ending:'(

[Lydia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this whole series when I was a kid and this one was my favorite, my rating would be lower now but I would have given it a five star rating when I was a kid.

[Theresa]

Spoiler: don't read, cliff notes for my memory.


Will be a good book for 8-11 yrs girls depending on maturity, (cancer, death, blended? families & overcoming broken hearts).

[Kimberly Sabatini · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know I'm a broken record, but my kids love this whole series. <3 Okay--me too. :o)

[Io · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book is kind of boring and sad.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

My granddaughter and I love Laure Halse Anderson's 'Wild at Heart' series