Bereavement Archives - Page 2 of 2

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Bereavement

Wed
01 ^st

Badger’s Parting Gifts
by Susan Varley

Badger is old and he knows that he doesn’t have long left on this earth. He’s not afraid to die, but he is worried about how his friends will feel after he has gone. He prepares them by explaining that soon he will be going down the Long Tunnel and that he doesn’t want them to be sad.

Sure enough, one day Badger’s friends come to visit and discover that he has died. They understand that he has gone down the Long Tunnel and that he was not scared to do so, but still they are very sad that they will not see their friend again. As Autumn turns to Winter, the animals stay at home and mourn their loss.

Sun
01 ^st

The Invisible String
by Patrice Karst & Joanne Lew-Vriethoff

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This wonderful picture book teaches children about the unbreakable bond we have with the people closest to us, whether they are near or far.

When Liza and Jeremy are awoken by thunder they run straight to their mother for comfort. She tries to encourage them back to their own beds but it’s clear that they don’t want to leave – so she tells them about the Invisible String. At first the children are confused. What string? Why can’t they see it? Where does it go?

Their mother explains that the Invisible String is made out of love and it connects you to your favourite people, even when you can’t see them. Whenever you miss someone, your love flows through the string and tugs on their heart so they know you are thinking of them. Their love then travels right back to you.

Sat
23 ^rd

In The Stars by Sam Kitson & Katie Faithfull

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This is a book about baby loss so if this topic is a trigger for you then please do not read any further———————————————-

When someone dies, children will naturally have a lot of questions and reading books together is a great way of helping them understand. I’ve come across quite a few whilst writing my blog and it seems that most focus on the death of an older relative. But what happens when the lost loved one was just a child themselves?

This beautiful book, published by SANDS – the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Charity, is designed to help small children work through their grief. Written to help author Sam Kitson’s own children understand the death of their sibling, the book follows a conversation between Minnie and Moss as they contemplate where in the universe their sister might be.

Fri
01 ^st

Mum’s Jumper
by Jayde Perkin

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This sensitively-written story traces a young girl’s journey as she works through her grief after losing her mum.

A smiling visit to hospital is followed by a phone call in the early hours. A little girl learns that her mother has passed away. Struggling to understand, she moves through the next few weeks in a blur of tears and flowers. At the funeral she overhears snippets of grown up conversations about cancer and she also hears people talking about her. She feels lost and afraid and her grief follows her round like a dark cloud. She worries that nothing will ever be the same and she feels angry all the time.

But then one day, as she and her father are looking through her Mum’s things, she finds her Mum’s favourite jumper. She wraps it around herself and inhales its special smell. She wears it every day.

Tue
01 ^st

The Immortal Jellyfish
by Sang Miao

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Have you heard of the immortal jellyfish? Known as the ‘turritopsis dohrnii’, it technically never really dies. When it starts to decay its cells reaggregate in to polyps, from which new baby jellyfish emerge. Fascinating! You can read more here. This book takes this philosophy of reincarnation and uses it to help children process grief after loss.

As this story begins we see a small boy and his Grandpa drawing jellyfish together. As they sketch, the Grandpa talks about the special immortal jellyfish and its ability to live on forever. They discuss immortality, leaving the boy a little confused. He wants to live forever too. If the jellyfish can do it, then why can’t he?

Not long after, the Grandpa passes away. The boy is devastated and finds refuge in sleep after a day of crying hot tears. What follows is a magical dream sequence which helps him to cope with his grief.

Sun
26 ^th

The Heart And The Bottle
by Oliver Jeffers

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There’s something incredibly special about Oliver Jeffers. All of his books seem to work on two levels. Children love them because the stories are simple and the illustrations are beautiful – but there is something deep in each story which really resonates with adults too. When I pick up one of his books and read it for the first time, I know that it’s probably going to make me feel a bit weepy and this one affected me more than any of the others.

The story is about a little girl who loves life. She loves to explore, she loves to learn and she sees wonder everywhere she turns. Pictured beside her (but not mentioned in the text) is her grandfather. Then one day she discovers an empty chair in her house, and the grandfather is no longer there.

Fri
03 ^rd

The Magical Wood By Mark Lemon & Maia Walczak

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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?

Tue
01 ^st

Grandad’s Island
by Benji Davis

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Grandad’s Island is one of those books that I think every child should read. It covers the sensitive topic of bereavement but in a really smart and beautiful way which helps the child grasp the concept as best they can at a young age.

The story is about a little a little boy called Syd whose beloved Grandad lives in a house at the bottom of the garden. One day Syd pops around but he can’t find his Grandad anywhere. He searches the house and eventually finds him up in the attic where he has prepared an adventure.

They go through a magical door which takes them to a ship and then sail the oceans until they reach a tropical island. Look closely at the illustrations and you can see that the wonderful treasures on the island echo the pictures and keepsakes you see in Grandad’s house in the first few pages. On this island Grandad is surrounded by all of his favourite things – and he doesn’t need to use his walking stick to get around anymore! They build a shack, swim together in the waterfall and play with all of the exciting animals they find.

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