Year: 2000
Tagline: "Every family needs an optimist."
Reasons they need to see it: This movie is the ultimate example of the relationship a child can have with their pet. If not for Skip, Willie would have likely remained the shy, withdrawn boy that he is at the start of the film. Skip brings him out of his shell and enriches his life as he grows up, and they both learn to protect and look out for each other. As an only child, I’m a serious advocate of this one for children who don't know what it's like to have siblings in particular (though it’s a great film for any kid, especially if they have a dog).
What to look out for: There is a bit of violence in the graveyard scene that causes Willie to get upset and might bring out the same emotion in your kiddos. Though the movie takes place when Willie is 9, the ending of the film explains what happens as Willie and Skip grow older, which if you can guess, ends differently for each character, as dogs only live a fraction of the life we do. I recall crying hysterically through the end of this film every time i saw it, but I think it was important that as a young dog owner I was exposed to the loss of a pet — those feelings the movie stirred in me stuck for years until I said goodbye to my own childhood dog as an adult and will continue to stick with me for the rest of my pet-owning life.
