Penrose man pens book to help children with loss of a pet

Losing a loved one can be difficult, even when it’s an animal, but a new book written by a man from Penrose is helping kids through the process of losing a pet.

Nitro is not only Daniel Lehnig’s best friend, he’s also the inspiration behind his book titled “The Mystery of Nitro’s Long Lost Tail.”

It’s written for kids at the second-grade reading level, but offers a whimsical way to get into a deeper message: coping with loss.

“The book starts out with Nitro talking about the planet he came from and the gravity is different on the planet he came from because the planet is square,” Lehnig said.

The storyline follows Nitro’s journey as he tries to get back to his home planet, “Niko”.

“I feel good reading too, because I know I’m helping other people with the loss of a dog,” said Lehnig.

He says most of the story takes place in Penrose, giving Nitro celebrity status among his little town of less than 4,000.

“We drive down the road and they’ll see him at the drive-thru and everybody in the neighborhood knows Nitro,” Lehnig said.

And Lehnig says the book won’t be his or Nitro’s last.

“It’s a check off my bucket list, but yes, I want to write another book,” he said.

He says Nitro will continue helping people around him.

If you’re interested in the book, it’s available here.