One Boy -- One Dog -- One Dream Life is not easy for twelve-year-old Diego Escobár.  It was wonderful raising Aloha from puppyhood to eighteen months, but now he must return her to the guide dog school for her formal training.  Diego always knew that Aloha was on loan to him, but letting her go is proving to be the hardest challenge of his young life. In this tender, inspirational tale, based on the true-life story of Aloha, Diego discovers that the sweet and sad in life are often interwoven.  The unconditional love and trust between Aloha and Diego will enable her to become the dog she was bred to be.  In giving her up, Diego gains unexpected rewards. “Wherever you go, you will walk with a piece of my heart beside you.” Grade 3-7-This is the story of seventh-grader Diego, who raises a puppy to become a guide dog for the blind, and of Miss Kimberly Louise, a woman who loses her sight as the result of an automobile accident. Their paths meet when Diego presents Aloha to her after the animal's graduation from Guide Dogs for the Blind. This book does an excellent job of explaining the process of training guide-dog puppies, a topic that will fascinate many children. Unfortunately, the dialogue is often unnatural ("I think it's liberating not seeing an unkempt beard or a blemished face"), or just plain treacly ("My world is still filled with the same marvelous colors as before, but now I'm viewing them from a different perspective"). Character development is told instead of shown, particularly Diego's growing confidence through raising Aloha, and the story begins slowly due to long-winded descriptions. Despite these problems, the moving scenario will have readers sniffling as Diego passes Aloha's leash to Miss Kimberly Louise, and may even lead them to consult the appended list of resources to find out about raising their own guide-dog puppies. Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Maryland School for the Deaf, Columbia Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. “This book does an excellent job of explaining the process of training guide-dog puppies, a topic that will fascinate many children. The moving scenario will have readers sniffling as Diego passes Aloha's leash to Miss Kimberly Louise, and may even lead them to consult the appended list of resources to find out about raising their own guide-dog puppies.” —  School Library Journal “What a book!  Ms. Bauer Mueller has captured all the emotions from all of us who play a part in a guide dog’s life.” —  Michael Hingson, National Public Affairs Representative, Guide Dogs for the Blind “This beautiful book is inspiring – giving the reader a keen insight into raising a guide dog.  At the same time, it shows how one character, Kiberly Louise, deals with her sudden blindness.  The story is very unique and focused, which makes it perfect for the market of those interested in raising guide dogs, but also with a broad appeal for the mass market.  The research is very admirable.” —  Writer’s Digest Piñata Publishing is pleased to announce that "Hello, Goodbye, I Love You" has been selected by the Childrens Book Council and International Reading Association as a "2004 Children's Choice" book. _________________________________________ Piñata Publishing is pleased to announce that "Hello, Goodbye, I Love You" has been selected as a Dog Writers Association of America 2003 Writing Contest Special Awards finalist. As announced by the DWAA, "Merial is sponsoring the MERIAL HUMAN-ANIMAL BOND AWARD for the work which best highlights the special bond between people and their treasured pets… and best brings to life the concept of the human-animal bond." Pamela Bauer Mueller and Piñata Publishing are proud to be recognized in this category by Merial and DWAA. One Boy -- One Dog -- One Dream Life is not easy for twelve-year-old Diego Escobar. It was wonderful raising Aloha from puppyhood to eighteen months, but now he must return her to the guide dog school for her formal training. Diego always knew that Aloha was on loan to him, but letting her go is proving to be the hardest challenge of his young life. In this tender, inspirational tale, based on the true-life story of Aloha, Diego discovers that the sweet and sad in life are often interwoven. The unconditional love and trust between Aloha and Diego will enable her to become the dog she was bred to be. In giving her up, Diego gains unexpected rewards. "Wherever you go, you will walk with a piece of my heart beside you." "This book does an excellent job of explaining the process of training guide-dog puppies, a topic that will fascinate many children. The moving scenario will have readers sniffling as Diego passes Aloha's leash to Miss Kimberly Louise, and may even lead them to consult the appended list of resources to find out about raising their own guide-dog puppies." --School Library Journal "What a book! Ms. Bauer Mueller has captured all the emotions from all of us who play a part in a guide dog's life." --Michael Hing