Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

In Teetsel's picture book, two beloved pets, one alive and one deceased, share a secret.

As the story opens, Bea, a black and white dog, is already an angel - the narrator describes her dreaming of the humans she loved so much. When the family decides they are ready to open their hearts to a new dog, they bring Honey home. Honey realizes something that the humans don't: "The family doesn't know that Bea is still here with them. They can't see Bea." But Honey can, and in the following pages the two dogs share their love for the human family as Bea guides Honey through both mischief and good behavior. Teetsel uses short, spare text and accessible vocabulary, making this useful for young independent readers who may be mourning their own loss. The brief sentences break the text down into small chunks for easy reading, and Gosse's watercolor illustrations welcome young readers into a loving family (one especially lovely image shows how Honey sees many families followed by their angel pets, who have never left them). The backgrounds are more abstract and light on details, keeping the focus on the characters. The book was inspired by the cover image, a portrait painted by Teetsel's son of the family dogs - one living and one an angel.

A touching story to help guide young readers through grief by emphasizing love.

Anyone who’s lost a pet may find comfort in Bea and Honey: The Secret. It’s not always easy to move on after losing a pet or beloved family member, but this book helps us believe that we never truly lose them as they’re always with us. Claudia Teetsel is a sensitive and caring author who helps children - and adults - get through this difficult time. This children’s picture book features two adorable dogs: Bea, a short form for Beatrice, or “she who brings happiness,” and Honey, a term of endearment. Honey is the current dog and Bea was the previous dog that passed away. The new dog can sense the former pet and feels its presence.

Color paintings by illustrator Judith Gosse adorn the pages with images of Honey and Bea, with Bea wearing a halo. Children will be attracted to the warm, pastel colors of the full-page pictures. Children love stories about pets - especially dogs - and they’ll gravitate to the images of the adorable dogs in Bea and Honey: The Secret. The watercolor paintings are realistic family images. Claudia Teetsel takes us on a journey of recovery after a family has to say goodbye to their pet. Will the new dog enjoy all the activities that a previous dog liked? The cover artwork by Jason Teetsel inspired this story of life continuing after grieving a loss. Just because you can’t see someone, it doesn’t mean they are no longer with you. The memories will linger long after the goodbyes.