Carson, Jo, illustrated by Annie Cannon. You Hold Me and I'll Hold You. New York, N.Y.: Orchard Books, 1992.
This book is primarily about a young girl attending her first funeral, that of an elderly relative. To prepare her for the funeral she and her father discuss the services they have held for pets. The girl finds comfort with her father at the service acknowledging that [i]t was good to be held, and it was good to be holding too.
RELATIVE OLD AGE
Dean, Anna, illustrated by Colin Stevens. Meggie's Magic. Ringwood, Vic.: Viking, 1993.
Australian
Meggie's sister reminisces about her sister's short life. She also describes her parents' grief. She finds comfort in her memories of playing with Meggie, and the realisation that Meggie's magic lives on in those memories. The soft acrylic illustrations enhance the text.
SIBLING ILLNESS
De Paola, Tomie. Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs. Revised edition. New York, N.Y.: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1998.
A worthy holder of the classic tag, recently reissued in full colour to celebrate the 20th anniversary. The book tells the true story of young Tommy and his best friend, his great-grandmother Nana Upstairs. Tommy's mother explains that Nana Upstairs will never come back "[e]xcept in your memory. She will come back in your memory whenever you think about her." When Tommy loses Nana Upstairs and, years later, Nana Downstairs, he sees a falling star - "Perhaps ... a kiss from Nana Upstairs."
GRANDPARENT OLD AGE
Fox, Mem, illustrated by Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson. Sophie. San Diego, Calif.: Harcourt Brace, 1994.
Australian
As Sophie grows older and bigger, Sophie's beloved Grandpa grows older and smaller until he is no longer there. Touching, with simple text, but quite deep subtext. Robinson's vivid illustrations, based on Afro-American culture, take up the whole page. There is also an earlier edition, illustrated by Craig Smith who based his illustrations on Australian-European culture, and the illustrations lend a different focus to the text.GRANDPARENT OLD AGE
Impey, Rose, illustrated by Robin Bell Corfield. Feather Pillows. London, U.K.: Picture Lions, 1998.
This book emphasises the comfort and joy that can be found in happy memories. Sarah's Grandma has recently died after an illness. Sarah grows bored looking through the photograph albums and takes her little brother, Jake, into the garden. They enter the shed in which Sarah remembers making feather pillows with Grandma and her mother years ago. Sarah and her mother laugh through their tears.
GRANDPARENT ILLNESS |  | | |
Kelly, Holly. Goodbye Max. London, U.K.: Walker Books, 1990.
Ben's old dog Max finally succumbs to old age. Ben reacts with anger to the offer to get him a new puppy, and when it arrives Ben ignores it. Ben works through his anger and grief with the help of his friend Zach. The boys do this by reminiscing about Max and, through doing so, realising that Max was old and failing. At the end of the book Ben is ready to name the new puppy. The illustrations are simple and cartoon-like. The language is easy and would be accessible to ages four and over.
PET OLD AGE
Leavy, Una, illustrated Jennifer Eachus. Goodbye Pappa. London, U.K.: Orchard Books, 1996.
The majority of the book is spent establishing and detailing the relationship between Shane and Peter and their grandfather. Pappa dies soon after a visit from the boys. The boys attend the funeral and then spend the night at Pappa's house. Their mother comforts them with the advice that they should "[t]hink of all the happy times you had." A lyrical text with soft illustrations. It does not help explain death, or help ease the grieving process, but would provide a good starting point for a discussion on the topic.
GRANDPARENT OLD AGE
Limb, Sue, illustrated by Claudio Muņoz. Come Back, Grandma. London, U.K.: Red Fox, 1995.
This is the story of Bessie and her relationship with Grandma, who always has time for her. But one day Grandma dies and Bessie misses her. Bessie sees Grandma's face in the curtains and the trees, and tries to see Heaven at night. There are brief discussions about Grandma being part of nature, or reincarnated, so Bessie tries to see who Grandma has been reincarnated as. The length of grief is mentioned, as Bessie still misses Grandma when she grows up. The loneliness is eased when Bessie's little girl grows up with many of Grandma's characteristics.
GRANDPARENT ILLNESS
London, Jonathon, illustrated by Sylvia Long. Liplap's Wish. San Francisco, Calif.: Chronicle Books, 1994.
Liplap, a little rabbit, misses his Grandma. He keeps expecting Grandma to be home. Liplap remembers his Grandma, and uses some of her treasures to decorate his snowbunny. Liplap's mother comforts him by telling him the story of the First Rabbits and how they were turned into the stars when they died. GRANDPARENT OLD AGE
Mellonie, Bryan, illustrated by Robert Ingpen and Dineke Kaye, Samoan translation by Ruby Va'a and Vio Solofa, Tongan translation by Konai Thaman and Taimoni Tongamoa. Beginnings and Endings with Lifetimes in Between. Suva, Fiji: Institute of Pacific Studies of the University of the South Pacific, 1991.
FIJI This book is also recommended for the 5-7 Age Group.
The text is in three languages: English, Samoan, and Tongan. A gentle introduction to the life cycle and the knowledge that every living thing has an ending, with a lifetime of living. A highly recommended book. There are other editions available which are not multilingual.
NON-FICTION | | | |
Moss, Miriam, illustrated by Lisa Flather. The Sunshine Cat. London, U.K.: Orchard Books, 1999.
A tender story with beautiful illustrations, this book details the relationship between and young family and their cat, Sunny. The realities of death are explained well in a conversation between the children and their parents following Sunny's death after being hit by a car. The bond between the children and their cat is acknowledged. There is also a discussion about getting a new kitten, the decision made is made by all the family. This book is highly recommended as it is one of the few books for this age group that explains the realities and finality of death.
PET ACCIDENT
Stanley, Elizabeth. China's Plum Tree. South Fremantle, W.A.: Sandcastle Books, 1992.Australian
Tom's cat, China, is growing old. After years of playing together in the plum tree China's doesn't have the energy to do anything anymore. Tom cares for China until China dies. China is buried under the plum tree where Tom spends a lot of time missing China. Tom's parents bring him home a little girl kitten, who looks very different to China. Tom takes the new kitten to the plum tree to meet China.
PET OLD AGE
Velthuijs, Max. Frog and the Birdsong. London, U.K.: Andersen Press, 1991.
Frog finds a dead bird, but he doesn't know what death is, so his friend Hare explains to Frog and the other animals what dead is. The animals remember the lovely song of the blackbird during a funeral service they conduct.
PET
Waddell, Martin, illustrated by Jane Johnson. Grandma's Bill. Hemel Hempstead, U.K.: MacDonald Young Books, 1995.
This book focuses on Bill's Granny going through her photograph albums, reminiscing about her late husband, the original Bill. It takes the younger bill a little while to understand the relationships between the people in the photographs and the people he knows. Although the concept of death is not explained it is obvious that Grandpa remains an important part of Granny's life, although why it has taken so long to introduce Bill, the younger, to his grandfather is not explained. Simple text with gentle illustrations.
GRANDPARENT OLD AGE
Wilhelm, Hans. I'll Always Love You. London, U.K.: Hodder and Stoughton, 1985.
This book is narrated in the first person, and details the relationship between the narrator and his dog, Elfie. After Elfie dies the narrator finds comfort in the knowledge that each night he told Elfie he loved her.
PET OLD AGE
Zolotow, Charlotte, illustrations by James Ransome. The Old Dog. New York, N.Y.: Harper Collins, 1995.
Ben finds his old brown-and-white dog dead one morning, he doesn't understand why she won't wag her tail or open her eyes. Ben's dad explains it's because she's dead, but Ben still doesn't understand, he keeps expecting her to meet him at the door or bark at the ringing telephone. Ben cries when he realises that dead means that someone isn't there, and there's no old dog to comfort him. The end of the book is slightly spoilt by the quick replacement of the old dog with a young Dalmatian puppy.
PET OLD AGE |
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