Review of “The Beloved Dearly,” by Doug Cooney

“The Beloved Dearly,” by Doug Cooney is a heart-warming novel about a young boy who learns the true value of friends while trying to run a pet burial service.

Ernie may be only twelve years old, but he has plenty ideas about how to make money. When he gets in trouble for selling his own cheeseburgers in the cafeteria at school its the last straw, though. Ernie’s father tells him that if he finds out that Ernie is trying to make money off people again he will ground him.

But then Ernie finds an abandoned lot, and the perfect business: pet burials. Soon Ernie has three employees: Dusty, a young artist who designs special burial boxes for each pet, Tony, a young boy who has a shovel and likes to dig holes, and Swimming Pool, a tomboy girl who works as a mourner and therapist. Ernie’s business takes off quickly, bringing in customers nearly every day, but soon problems start to crop up.

When Swimming Pool quits the company because Ernie won’t give her a raise, it is only the start of a gradual unraveling that begins eating away at Ernie’s business. The problem is that Ernie just sees Dusty, Tony, and Swimming Pool as employees, and he doesn’t seem to realize that they should really be friends. Not only that but Ernie is starting to worry about his Dad finding out about the business and grounding him.

I enjoyed reading “The Beloved Dearly” for its high-quality humor and sensitive characters. Apparently this book started as a play, receiving many awards. I haven’t seen the play, but I can say for a certainty that “The Beloved Dearly” is an excellent book for young readers. Not only does it teach lessons about honesty and friendship, but the plot is funny and well balanced.

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