Beautiful Joe's paradise

the long version

Do animals go to heaven? Is there a heaven for them? For anyone who has lost a beloved pet, this book will be a great comfort. It is a story of a boy who's dog is killed. As he grieves over the body, monkeys in a hot air balloon-type vehicle come for the dog's spirit. The boy refuses to let his dog leave without him, so the monkeys take him along. He goes to a place where all animals who have died go. Beautiful Joe is there along with the animals in his story. Animals the boy has had contact with over the years come forward to greet him. The boy finds out how the animals work together, how they now have the power of speech, how bad animals are "punished", and what happens when the owners pass thru the veil and are reunited with their beloved pets. It is one of the best books I've ever read!