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Children’s Video Series: The Grace of Dogs
How children come to terms with the death of a pet
Charley grows up knowing that her dog, Kirby, loves her. They do everything together, and Charley experiences grace through Kirby's attention and companionship. After Kirby dies, Charley discovers the gift her dog left behind: a heart made bigger by love. This animated story in five short episodes wraps up with a beautiful reflection on how love that's given to us, by pets, by people, and by God, doesn't disappear when they're gone. It grows us. It stays with us. And it gives us more to share with the world.
This video series, based on Dr. Andrew Root's book, "The Grace of Dogs," is produced by Luther Seminary's "Nurturing Children Through Worship and Prayer Initiative" and funded by the Lilly Endowment.
Resources links included: Five videos and a set of 10 coloring pages
What’s Inside
Episode 1: Kirby and Me
What does it look like to grow up alongside a dog who becomes your best friend? And what does that have to do with faith? In Episode 1 of The Grace of Dogs video series, Charley introduces us to Kirby, her beloved dog, and invites us into a story full of laughter, wonder, and honest questions about friendship, love, and even God.
Episode 2: Kirby Knows How I Feel
Charley's back, and so is Kirby. In this episode, Charley introduces us to her friends' pets (including a rhinoceros named Tusk who only eats donuts... maybe), and reflects on what makes dogs uniquely special: they really see us. Kirby's gift of showing up and paying attention points to something bigger, the truth that every person matters, and that God sees and understands us, too.
Episode 3: Kirby Loves Me Anyway
Charley and Kirby are back. In this episode, Charley gets real about her grumpy days, her messy habits, and her love of costumes and fake accents. Through it all, Kirby doesn't budge. Dogs love us just as we are, and Charley has a word for that: grace. This animated story connects Kirby's unconditional love to something even bigger, the way God comes close -- no matter what we're feeling or going through.
Episode 4: Kirby Teaches Me to Say Goodbye
Charley and Kirby are back for one of their most important conversations yet. In this episode, Charlie shares how Kirby grew old alongside her, from birthday parties to the first day of school. Then comes the hard part: Kirby gets sick, and Charley learns what grief feels like. This animated story doesn't shy away from big questions, like where do pets go when they die, and why do bad things happen if God loves us? It gently points young viewers toward the truth that God knows grief too, and that even in loss, we are never alone.
Episode 5: Kirby Teaches Me to Love
This is the final episode of Charley and Kirby's story. After the grief of losing his best friend, Charley discovers the gift Kirby left behind: a heart made bigger by love. This animated story wraps up with a beautiful reflection on how love given to us, by pets, by people, and by God, doesn't disappear when they're gone. It grows us. It stays with us. And it gives us more to share with the world.
What to Expect
