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What happens when a loved one dies? : our first talk about death  Cover Image Book Book

What happens when a loved one dies? : our first talk about death

Roberts, Jillian 1971- (author.). Revell, Cindy, 1961- (illusrator.).

Summary: Whether children are experiencing grief and loss for the first time or simply curious, it can be difficult to know how to talk to them about death. Using questions posed in a child's voice and answers that start simply and become more in-depth, this book allows adults to guide the conversation to a natural and reassuring conclusion. Additional questions at the back of the book allow for further discussion.

Record details

  • ISBN: 9781459809451
  • Physical Description: 32 unnumbered pages : colour illustrations ; 23 cm
    regular print
    print
  • Publisher: Victoria, British Columbia : Orca Books Publishers, [2016]
Subject: Death -- Juvenile literature
Children and death -- Juvenile literature
Bereavement -- Juvenile literature
Grief -- Juvenile literature

Available copies

  • 24 of 25 copies available at BC Interlibrary Connect. (Show)
  • 1 of 1 copy available at Vanderhoof Public Library.

Holds

  • 1 current hold with 25 total copies.
Show Only Available Copies
Location Call Number / Copy Notes Barcode Shelving Location Holdable? Status Due Date
Vanderhoof Public Library J393 ROB (Text) 35193000355455 Juvenile Non-Fiction Volume hold Available -

  • Booklist Reviews : Booklist Reviews 2016 March #2
    Rather than present a single fictional story, this helpful book aimed at kids who have questions about death employs simple, yet truthful, responses that either immediately satisfy or give children additional tools for articulating more specific questions. Among the questions addressed are who and what is susceptible to death (yes, pets, too), where the dead "go," and whether the living may ever again see dead loved ones. Less tangible topics such as the soul are broached by noting that there are various belief systems and that those systems suggest different things. This approach leaves plenty of space for the adult reading with the child to discuss family beliefs. Soft, pastel digital art depicts a wide variety of ethnicities, family groupings, and even animals, and gives visual suggestions about behaviors related to visiting the dying, celebrating the memory of a loved one, and even working through grief. An excellent choice for preschools as well as libraries. Copyright 2014 Booklist Reviews.
  • Horn Book Guide Reviews : Horn Book Guide Reviews 2016 Fall
    This bibliotherapeutic offering provides simple, accessible answers to common questions about death ("What happens to the person who has died?"), which are voiced in the text by children of varying ethnicities, each of whom is surrounded by a loving family. While this is a serviceable starting point, the lack of a non-spiritual viewpoint and the focus on death as a product of old age limit its usefulness. Copyright 2016 Horn Book Guide Reviews.
  • Kirkus Reviews : Kirkus Reviews 2016 February #1
    A "just enough" introduction to the experience of death. Designed for adults to share with very young children, this gentle informational text begins with the part death plays in the natural world and goes on to answer the questions of children who lose grandparents. (Just who has died can be inferred from illustrations; it's not directly stated in the text.) The author, a child psychologist, explains why people die and talks about funerals, describing them as usual but not universal. Answering the question "What happens to the person who has died?" she introduces the idea of a soul, carefully prefacing it with the phrase, "Many cultures believe…." She uses the same kind of formulation for concepts of afterlife, heaven, and reincarnation. She reassures young listeners that it's normal to be sad and offers ways to cope with grief: a commemoration, writing and drawing, sharing memories and talking about the loss. Revell's digitally painted illustrations support the text. They're consciously multicultural, including images of a candle, casket and flowers, burning incense, and a mosque. A freckle-faced boy and dark-skinned curly-haired girl are the main characters, but some pages feature Asian families. She emphasizes the children's heads and eyes, making them very appealing. There are birds, butterflies, flowers, and even a rainbow. A boon for families with young children. (Informational picture book. 3-6) Copyright Kirkus 2016 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved.
  • Publishers Weekly Reviews : PW Reviews 2016 February #4

    In this second book in the Just Enough series, after 2015's Where Do Babies Come From?, Roberts, a child psychologist, looks to the other end of a lifespan. Three children of different ethnicities, each with a recent death in their lives, appear in rotation, asking simple questions about dying, which Roberts answers in a gentle but straightforward manner: "Death means that a living thing is no longer alive. A tree full of leaves and blossoms is alive. An old tree that has fallen over in the forest is no longer alive. It is dead." The conversation flows organically, in the same way that a parent's dialogue with a child might, as Roberts touches on topics that include human death, funerals, the afterlife, and grief. Roberts tends to keep the answers general, allowing families to personalize discussions to their own traditions and beliefs. Revell's smudgy, brightly colored illustrations provide a friendly, reassuring backdrop for the big questions being discussed. Ages 3–6. (Apr.)

    [Page ]. Copyright 2016 PWxyz LLC
  • School Library Journal Reviews : SLJ Reviews 2016 April

    PreS-Gr 2—This title about the hows and whys of death is a necessary addition to any children's collection. Roberts does a commendable job providing answers for the practical questions surrounding death ("What happens when someone dies?…. That person's body stops working") and the spiritual ("Where does that person go?…. Many cultures believe that a person is made up of both a body and a soul"). Roberts chooses to forgo a formal narrative style, instead opting for a question and answer format. This allows for the introduction of different and diverse families into the narrative. Colorful illustrations focus on the many emotions and traditions of grieving, giving young readers opportunities to make textual and visual connections. VERDICT Because of the lack of materials on death and grieving in many children's collections, this title is highly recommended for purchase.—Paige Mellinger, Gwinnett County Public Libraries, Lillburn, GA

    [Page 182]. (c) Copyright 2016 Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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