The story is designed to supplement the murmurings of consolation when one must explain death to a child. When Mike, Timothy's firefighter friend, dies, Timothy's mother and Mike's colleagues affirm that Mike was lucky to have had Timothy for his friend. The loss is explained and the sadness is acknowledged, as the child is also assured that he enhanced the life of another and that in time happy memories will persist amidst the sorrow.The current market for children's books about death is replete with parables. Tess' Tree, by Jess Brallier, for instance, describes the funeral Tess holds for her favorite tree. Susan Varley's Badger's Parting Gifts talks of woodland animals remembering their friend's kindness and friendship after his death. The works are meant to entice the child to extrapolate the circumstances to his or her own efforts to cope with loss. Other works offer more direct explanations about death itself. Lifetimes: The Beautiful Way to Explain Death to Children, by Bryan Mellonie, explains that everything has a beginning and an end. When Dinosaurs Die, by Laura Krasny Brown, discusses the ways in which someone might die and describes funerals and other customs.Fire Buddy complements works that currently are available but fills a critical gap. The story propounds a crucial message that is not included in other works: in times of immeasurable grief, some semblance of solace lies in the conviction that one enhanced the life of another.The book resonates with all religions, is relevant regardless of the cause or circumstances surrounding a particular death, and resonates regardless of the age of the deceased and his or her relationship to the child.The story concludes with a "Discuss and Discover" guide for parents and caregivers. Questions and responses lay a framework to discuss the key messages of the story.e