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Varley, Susan. Badger's Parting Gifts. London: Random Century, 1992.
This book features anthropomorphic animals, which helps to distance the reader from the situation. Badger prepares his young friends for his imminent death and then begins the journey through the Long Tunnel, running freely for the first time in years. The animals, Badger's friends, gather to remember Badger, with special things and memories compromising Badger's parting gifts. Each animal shares what they had learnt from Badger: cutting paper chains of moles; ice-skating; knotting a tie; a gingerbread recipe. These gifts and memories enable them to appreciate Badger's life and help each other through the grieving process. Death is explained simply in the text: [d]ying meant only that [Badger] would leave his body behind.
PEER OLD AGE
Vigna, Judith. Saying Goodbye to Daddy. Morton Grove, Ill.: Albert Whitman and Company, 1991.
ASP AWP CP DP GP HWP LP MNP NPP PP SP TASP TEPP TPP TOP WAP WP
Clare's father dies in a car accident that leaves Clare very scared. She has the support of her mother and her grandfather. Her mother reminds Clare of their old hamster, Sam, and what happened when he died. Clare doesn't believe that that could happen to her father. Clare's mother carefully explains what has happened to Clare's father's body, and that it had been taken to a funeral home and dressed in his best suit. Clare worries that she caused her father's death because she yelled at him. Clare's anger is expressed when she begins to break the dollhouse her father had made for her. Clare is afraid of going in a car to the funeral, which her mother acknowledges and sympathises with. Clare is allowed to express her grief and can share in her memories of her father.
PARENT ACCIDENT
Viorst, Judith, illustrated by Erik Blegvad. The Tenth Good Thing About Barney. London: Collins, 1971.
When Barney, the family cat, dies the narrator's parents organise a funeral service for which his mother advises him to "[t]hink of ten good things about Barney." The narrator thinks of nine things but cannot think of the tenth. The narrator and his neighbour, Annie, discuss the afterlife: whether Barney is in Heaven or the ground. The narrator's father talks to him, telling him that is all right to be sad. He also uses the growth of plants to help ease the narrator's grief, telling him that Barney will "help to grow the flowers, and he'll help to grow that tree and some grass." This becomes the tenth good thing about Barney because "that's not a bad life for a cat."
PET OLD AGE
Wallace-Brodeur, Ruth, illustrated by Kathryn Mitter. Goodbye, Mitch. Morton Grove, Ill.: Albert Whitman and Company, 1995.
Michael has always been friends with Mitch, his cat. Mitch is growing old, however, and can't eat much or play. The vet can't do anything, Mitch is just getting ready to die. Michael spends a lot of time making sure Mitch is comfortable and warm, so much so that he is cuddling Mitch when Mitch dies. Michael holds Mitch, with his parents beside him, until he is ready to let Mitch go. The family buries Mitch, and Michael remembers him and will always love him.
PET OLD AGE
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Weitzman, Elizabeth. Let's Talk About When a Parent Dies. New York, N.Y.: The Rosen Publishing Group, 1996.Chapters include: Grief; It's Not Your Fault; You Can Never Love Too Much; A Common Fear; Changes; Share Your Feelings; Acceptance; The Next Step; Memories Last Forever. A basic text which provides a very good starting place for this age group.
PARENT NON-FICTION
White, E. B., illustrated by Garth Williams. Charlotte's Web. Harmondsworth, U.K.: Puffin Books, 1963.
The classic tale of Wilbur, the pig, and his friendship with Charlotte, the grey spider who lives in the corner of Wilbur's doorway. Wilbur is devastated when Charlotte dies, soon after laying her eggs. Wilbur cares for Charlotte's babies until they are ready to leave for new homes. Although Wilbur continues to be friends with Charlotte's descendants, Charlotte holds a special place in his heart.
PEER OLD AGE
Wild, Margaret, illustrated by Noela Young. Toby. Norwood, S. Aust.: Omnibus Books, 1993.
Australian
Toby, the family dog, is two years older than Sara, the oldest child. Sara and Toby have always been close and Sara reacts to Toby's decline in health with anger, impatience and denial. Sara does spend Toby's last night with him. The comfort found in memories is shown at the end. The concept of death is not explained, the euphemisms and subtleties used by Margaret Wild means that the book would be more accessible to an older age group.
PET OLD AGE
Wild, Margaret, illustrated by Julie Vivas. The Very Best of Friends. Sydney, N.S.W.: Margaret Hamilton, 1991.
Australian
Although a picture book this book is more suitable for this older age group. The book tells of the relationship between husband and wife, Jessie and James, and James' cat William. William and James are the very best of friends, but Jessie just puts up with William, being a dog person. One day James dies of a heart attack. In her grief Jessie withdraws from the world and ignores William. William turns wild and one day scratches Jessie. At this point Jessie has come through the worst of her grief and works at establishing a relationship with William. Vivas' soft water-colour illustrations enhance the text, especially the change in William to feral cat. Jessie and James are comfortably middle- to old-aged, and the depth of their relationship is shown in the illustrations.
RELATIVE ILLNESS
Yates, Piatarihi, illustrated by Guntis Atvars, Maori translation by Renata Raharuhi. Koro Pokiha: a Young Girl's Memories of her First Tangi. Wellington, N.Z.: Kotuku Media, 1992. Bilingual Text.
New Zealand
Although not specifically dealing with the emotions around death, this book is a good introduction to the customs surrounding a tangi. There is a sense that Koro had lived a rich life and was prepared for his death.
GRANDPARENT OLD AGE
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