Welcome to Dog Beach by Lisa Greenwald is as refreshing as a dip in the ocean on a hot summer’s day. The story centers around 11 year old Remy, whose favorite place in the world, Seagate Island, is a magical place where summer is picture perfect. It isn’t just the looks that make the place so flawless. The sense of community is what make it truly appealing. On Seagate, you’re allowed to just walk into other people’s houses without knocking, and you know everyone on the island and have probably played ping-pong with them at least once. One of the biggest contributors to this feeling of community is the island-wide love of dogs. When Remy’s dog Danish dies, she’s crushed, and wonders how she’ll make it through a summer at the place Danish loved most. Having to walk past their favorite place to spend time, Dog Beach, every single day doesn’t help. As more and more changes come Remy’s way, she finds that change can be a good thing, and learns how to fill the hole Danish left behind. I thought this book was a pleasant twist on the classic death of a pet story, and I loved the picture the book painted of Remy’s beloved island so much that I wished it was a real place. The author made sure to focus on more than just Danish’s death, and that realistic take was what made me enjoy the book so much. Welcome to Dog Beach is the perfect book for summer and those dealing with loss of a pet.