Illustrated by Lloyd Bloom. 32 p., Eerdmans, 2002. Shared experience can be both a metaphor for loss and a way to move through the loss. in this story, set in the context of a farming family, Anna's Grandpa teaches her about the music that the corn makes in the fields - music that sounds to Anna just like Grandpa. Almost as if to commemorate the experience, he gives her kernels of corn to plant the next year. During the winter, Grandpa dies, and Anna misses him terribly. The corn seeds feel hard, just as she feels hard inside. She tells her mother that she doesn't plant them because she likes them as they am, and besides, if she buries them, like Grandpa, they'll be gone forever. But her mother reminds her that she won't hear the music in them unless she plants them. With this encouragement, she eventually does. True to her mother's word, the corn grows, and Anna hears its music. Anna saves some of these seeds to plant the following year. This story is illustrated with gently-colored pencil and pastel drawings. Rich in metaphor, it offers both empathy and hope to children who have lost someone close. Ages 4-9
Showing posts with label death of a person. Show all posts
Showing posts with label death of a person. Show all posts
The Enchanted Wood by Ruth Sanderson
32 p., Little, Brown+, 19991. Resolution of grief can be a difficult journey. In this original fairy tale, when the queen dies, the king's grief is so vast that the entire land experiences years of drought. A legend says that finding the Heart of the World, which is in the Enchanted Wood, will allow a man to achieve his purpose, and the king realizes that ending the drought is just such a purpose. The two oldest princes, both full of arrogance, first seek the Heart of the World. The wise woman who guards the gates of the Enchanted Wood warns them to stay on on the path, but each is distracted - the oldest by his love of hunting, and the second by his love of fighting. The youngest prince, Galen, goes to the wood, with not only a passion to save his kingdom (and his brothers), but also, openness and humility. As a result of the latter attributes, he acquires the help of the gatekeeper's daughter, Rose, who accompanies him on his journey. Seeing his brothers struggling, Galen is sorely tempted to leave the path, but he's able to stay on it when Rose warns him that he'll become enchanted if he leaves it. When, with her help, he understands that he'd wanted to leave the path because he loves his brothers, yet he's staying true to his purpose of saving the kingdom, the forest becomes much less forbidding. They reach the Heart of the World, where there is a magical tree and a spring. Drinking from the spring, Galen wishes for a permanent end to the drought. It immediately begins to rain. The wood is no longer enchanted, freeing Rose's family from generations of guarding its gate. Galen's brothers greet him warmly and with new humility, and the king holds a great feast. When Galen becomes king, he and Rose rule the kingdom with wisdom and joy. Illustrated with beautifully atmospheric oil paintings, this story illustrates the roles of compassion and connection in recovery from grief. Ages 7-10
Blackberry Stew by Isabell Monk
Illustrated by Janice Lee Porter. 32 p., Carolrhoda, 2005. Children might understand death as never again seeing the person who died. This is Hope's experience when her beloved Grandpa Jack dies. But on the day of his funeral, her wise Aunt Poogee stops making blackberry stew long enough to question this way of understanding it. She can close her eyes and see Grandpa Jack rocking Hope when she was a baby. Aunt Poogee continues sharing memories of Grandpa Jack, but Hope can't see him until her aunt reminds her of the time they went blackberry picking and met a snake. Aunt Poogee was afraid of the snake, and left. But Hope was able to use Grandpa Jack's encouragement to touch the snake. When Aunt Poogee made blackberry stew that night, it was "warm and gooey-good," and reminded Hope of how she felt with Grandpa Jack. Remembering, Hope understands that Grandpa Jack lives on in their memories of him, and is always with them when they tell stories about him - or eat blackberry stew. She had been afraid to go to the funeral before, but now she's ready; Grandpa Jack had shown her her own courage when they met the snake, and she has access to that courage now. She knows that when she says goodbye to Grandpa Jack, it's only temporary, until the next story. The book ends with the recipe for blackberry stew. Illustrated with warmly-colored oil paintings, this story offers comfort, support, and a genuinely uplifting perspective. Ages 4-8
Remembering Grandpa by Uma Krishnaswami
Illustrated by Layne Johnson. 32 p., Boyds Mills, 2007. When someone has died, it can be hard for children to bear adults' sadness. A year after the death of little bunny Daysha's grandpa, her grandma "came down with a bad case of sadness." Daysha decides to look for a cure. To do this, she visits many of Grandpa's favorite places, bringing back things that remind her of him. As she does, she remembers Grandpa lovingly, moving through her own sense of loss. When she's piled the special things in Grandpa's favorite spot on the back steps, she brings Grandma out to see them. They both cry, especially Grandma, who acknowledges this lovely tribute, and takes Daysha for ice cream, just as Grandpa used to. Daysha understands that Grandma's sadness doesn't need a cure after all, "just hugs, and the right kind of remembering." This story is illustrated with sweet oil paintings. It contains important, supportive messages about both remembering someone who has died, and sharing the experience of loss. Ages 6-8
The Language of Doves by Rosemary Wells
Illustrated by Greg Shed. 32 p., Dial, 1996. Julietta's grandfather gives her a dove for her sixth birthday, and Julietta names her Isabella. Her grandfather tells her how he kept doves at the monastery where he was raised as an orphan. One dove, also named Isabella, is very special to him. At the age of nine, along with his doves, he is drafted into World War I to send messages within the army. His Isabella is seriously injured, yet manages to come home to him. He cares for her and keeps her safe. Just after Julietta turns nine, her grandfather dies. Her Isabella, who was at his house, has been sold with his other doves to an out-of-state breeder. Yet she returns home to Julietta, bearing a message of love and hope from Grandfather. This story offers children hope of maintaining connections and caring in spite of war, and beyond death. Ages 7-11
Losing Uncle Tim by MaryKate Jordan
Illustrated by Judith Friedman. 32 p., Whitman, 1989. Daniel recalls the fun he'd had with his Uncle Tim. When Uncle Tim begins to get very tired, Daniel's mom explains that he has AIDS. Daniel is sad, angry, confused, and afraid he will catch AIDS from his uncle; his father reassures him that this won't happen. Daniel talks to Uncle Tim when Tim is in a coma, and Tim dies soon afterward. Daniel attends the funeral, which is conducted by a minister. Daniel begins to resolve his grief in part by seeing himself as being like Uncle Tim. This story encourages acceptance of all the feelings children may have when someone dies; gives information about AIDS, and helps children understand some ways to keep someone they love with them after the person dies. Ages 4-8
Old Pig by Margaret Wild
Illustrated by Ron Brooks. 33 p., Dial, 1996. Old Pig and Granddaughter do the chores together every day, until one day Old Pig doesn't get up for breakfast. Knowing that she is going to die soon, she puts her affairs in order and takes one last long, slow walk around the town with Granddaughter, enjoying the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes. She allows Granddaughter to care for her tenderly one last time. This story offers a sweet image of a loving goodbye. Ages 3-7
The Healing Tree by Kathleen Maresh Hemery
Illustrated by Kyra Teis.25 p., Centering Corporation, 2001.
Samantha asks her Baba (grandma) Marta why the tree has a scar. Baba tells her how the tree was special to her because it had an important role in some of her best times with her mother. When Baba's mother died, when Baba was still a little girl, lightning struck the tree, causing it to lose the branch from which Baba's swing hung. The tree became like Baba and her family, scarred by a sudden loss and changed forever, but eventually healing. This story offers children empathy with the pain of losing someone close, and hope that there is healing after grief.
Ages 6-10
Samantha asks her Baba (grandma) Marta why the tree has a scar. Baba tells her how the tree was special to her because it had an important role in some of her best times with her mother. When Baba's mother died, when Baba was still a little girl, lightning struck the tree, causing it to lose the branch from which Baba's swing hung. The tree became like Baba and her family, scarred by a sudden loss and changed forever, but eventually healing. This story offers children empathy with the pain of losing someone close, and hope that there is healing after grief.
Ages 6-10
Abuelita's Paradise by Carmen Santiago Nodar
Illustrated by Diane Paterson.32 p., Whitman, 1992.
As this story begins, Marita's father gives her her grandmother's rocking chair, saying that Abuelita wanted her to have it. Marita sits in the chair and remembers sitting in Abuelita's lap in the chair as she told her stories of her childhood on a sugar cane farm in Puerto Rico. Abuelita tells Marita that Puerto Rico is paradise. Toward the end of the book, the author tells us that Abuelita has died. Marita's mother sits with her in the rocking chair and both feel embraced by Abuelita's presence, shown in the illustrations as a shadowy image. Marita daydreams about traveling to Puerto Rico someday, feeling that she truly has her Abuelita with her. Children will understand that when someone close dies, their stories are still a part of you.
Ages 3-8
As this story begins, Marita's father gives her her grandmother's rocking chair, saying that Abuelita wanted her to have it. Marita sits in the chair and remembers sitting in Abuelita's lap in the chair as she told her stories of her childhood on a sugar cane farm in Puerto Rico. Abuelita tells Marita that Puerto Rico is paradise. Toward the end of the book, the author tells us that Abuelita has died. Marita's mother sits with her in the rocking chair and both feel embraced by Abuelita's presence, shown in the illustrations as a shadowy image. Marita daydreams about traveling to Puerto Rico someday, feeling that she truly has her Abuelita with her. Children will understand that when someone close dies, their stories are still a part of you.
Ages 3-8