This box includes the following books:
Board Book: First Questions and Answers: Why Do Things Die? By Katie Daynes Illustrated by Christine Pym
A beautiful and gentle look at the circle of life, using Christine Pym's gorgeous animal characters to explore the emotions and facts around death, with questions such as Is it ok to talk about dying? What happens when someone dies? Can I shout and cry and hide away? And how can I stop feeling sad?
Hardcover: Always Sisters: A Story of Loss and Love By Saira Mir Illustrated by Shahrzad Maydani
This much-needed picture book about navigating the difficult experience of pregnancy loss meets young readers at their level to offer a tender look at grieving someone who never entered the world.
Raya can’t wait for her baby sister to arrive. She’s already got a name—Nura—and Raya is certain they’ll be best friends. She’s got all kinds of plans for things they’ll do together like run through the sprinklers, play dress-up, and give piggyback rides.
But one day, Mama returns from the doctor with tears in her eyes. Nura won’t be coming home after all. Raya feels confused and sad, like all the love she has for Nura is trapped inside her. With the help of family, friends, and her school counselor, though, Raya finds a way to grieve this loss and to share the love she’ll always feel for her sister.
Hardcover: The Fun We Had By Charissa Coulthard Illustrated by Sam Usher
"Coulthard dedicates the book to her own mother, who died last year - and her skill is to convey that sense of loss entirely through the eyes of her child narrator. The story will resonate with any young reader who has lost a grandparent; but it will appeal to many an adult too."
The Telegraph
The Fun We Had
This poignant story of love and loss takes readers on a heartfelt journey through the changing seasons as a little girl visits her poorly Nana. Each time she visits, they remember all the special adventures they have shared together. When Nana dies, she leaves the little girl a box of keepsakes that she has secretly collected from their moments together. Through these shared memories, this moving story gently touches on the concept of bereavement in a way that is both comforting and easy for young children to understand.
Based on the author’s personal experience, The Fun We Had was inspired by the bond shared between her young son and his Nana who passed away from cancer just before it was published. She wanted to write something about loss that would ultimately celebrate how powerful and precious our memories of loved ones are — especially when we no longer have them close.
