Ellie’s best friend, Noodle the dog, has been by her side since the very beginning—snuggling during naps, wagging at her drawings, and comforting her through every scraped knee and sleepy tear. But now, Noodle is very old. And Ellie faces something she’s never had to before: saying goodbye.

Through quiet moments, gentle reflection, and the creation of her “memory garden,” Ellie begins to understand that love doesn’t disappear—it transforms. It lives on in our hearts, in our stories, and sometimes, even in our dreams.

Ellie and the Very Hard Goodbye is a longer-form Cub Club original for ages 4 to 8 that supports emotional processing around loss with deep tenderness, imagination, and care.

This story gently supports: • Navigating the loss of a pet or loved one • Emotional honesty and grief expression • Ritual and remembrance through imagination • Reassurance that love continues

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