The Deadening, Book 1

"Derrick Hollis is a 7th grader at Zachary Taylor Middle School and an aspiring cartoonist too shy to show his work to anybody but his best friend Doug. Derrick is devastated when his dog Max dies. But after being cremated, Max returns from the other side and starts giving Derrick advice. Derrick could use it, especially when it comes to affairs of the heart and standing up to bullies"--