I’m breaking my own rules with this book as I confess it isn’t one which I have read with Ivy. It’s a tiny bit old for her just yet (the recommended age range is 3-8) but it’s an important book covering a difficult topic so I am sharing it in the hope it may be helpful to you, our followers.
The Magical Wood was written to help small children deal with the emotions they may feel around bereavement, particularly the death of a close family member.
The wood is a beautiful place which is home to a family of trees. It’s a happy place visited by lots of little animals who love to play and splash in the river. One night there is a terrible storm and when the tree family wake up they discover that the Strongest Tree (one of the oldest trees in the wood) has fallen in the night and is no longer alive. The trees know that their lives have now changed forever and many tears are shed. How can they continue without the Strongest Tree?
Each season the wood is visited by a new animal who brings the tree family a message which will help them through this difficult time. Between them Mr. Bear, Mrs. Owl, Mr. Robin and Mrs. Rabbit offer hope and understanding so that when a full year has passed the trees know that although they will never forget Strongest Tree, they will always remember the happy times they had in the wood. He will live on in their memories and always be with them.
This is a beautiful, uncomplicated book which manages to cover an extremely difficult topic in both a gentle and moving way. The overriding message is that it’s ok to be sad and that whilst it is hugely painful now, this pain will recede over time and you will find a way to live with the new status quo.
Money raised from the sale of the book will go to Winston’s Wish, a charity which supports bereaved children.
Buy it now: https://amzn.to/2Koh2mL
Disclosure: The author supplied us with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.