What Happens When a Loved One Dies?: Our First Talk About Death

by Jillian Roberts, Cindy Revell (Illustrator)

Overview

Whether children are experiencing grief and loss for the first time or simply curious, it can be difficult to know how to talk to them about death.

Using questions posed in a child’s voice and answers that start simply and become more in-depth, this book allows adults to guide the conversation to a natural and reassuring conclusion. Additional questions at the back of the book allow for further discussion.

Child psychologist Dr. Jillian Roberts designed the Just Enough series to empower parents/caregivers to start conversations with young ones about difficult or challenging subject matter. Other books in the series deal with birth, diversity, separation and divorce.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781459831858
Publisher:	Orca Book Publishers
Publication date:	03/15/2022
Series:	Just Enough , #2
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	361,281
Product dimensions:	8.30(w) x 8.30(h) x 0.20(d)
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Dr. Jillian Roberts is a child psychologist, author, professor at the University of Victoria and mother of three children. Considered a go-to child psychology expert for journalists, Dr. Roberts is a regular contributor to HuffPost, Global News and CBC. She is the author of two bestselling and award-winning series of children’s books: the Just Enough series explains topics like birth and diversity to children ages 3–6, while the World Around Us series introduces kids ages 5–8 to issues like poverty and online safety. She lives in Victoria, British Columbia.

Cindy Revell’s illustrations have been used on billboards and wine bottles, and in magazines and numerous children’s books all over North America. She has worked with clients like Disney, Penguin Putnam, the L.A. Times and Scholastic. Her illustration of Mallory and the Power Boy (Annick Press) was nominated for a Governor General’s Literary Award for children’s book illustration. She lives in Edmonton.

Editorial Reviews

"Death is explained in an age-appropriate way...The text, which has a story book quality, is soothing and, above all, is suitable to this age level. The book has extra questions at the end which can even reach a bit older audience in covering other related topics in the concept of death. In spite of what is a grim and serious topic, Revell’s watercolour illustrations are colorful, lively and child-like, with nature and the child’s surroundings playing a large role. Her drawings feature a variety of ethnicities and families which lends depth to this topic. Kudos to Dr. Jillian Roberts for tackling a serious issue in such an accessible way. The author brings with her years of experience in this area, as both a teacher and a child psychologist."

CM Magazine

"This helpful book...employs simple, yet truthful, responses that either immediately satisfy or give children additional tools for articulating more specific questions...An excellent choice for preschools as well as libraries."

Booklist

02/22/2016
In this second book in the Just Enough series, after 2015’s Where Do Babies Come From?, Roberts, a child psychologist, looks to the other end of a lifespan. Three children of different ethnicities, each with a recent death in their lives, appear in rotation, asking simple questions about dying, which Roberts answers in a gentle but straightforward manner: “Death means that a living thing is no longer alive. A tree full of leaves and blossoms is alive. An old tree that has fallen over in the forest is no longer alive. It is dead.” The conversation flows organically, in the same way that a parent’s dialogue with a child might, as Roberts touches on topics that include human death, funerals, the afterlife, and grief. Roberts tends to keep the answers general, allowing families to personalize discussions to their own traditions and beliefs. Revell’s smudgy, brightly colored illustrations provide a friendly, reassuring backdrop for the big questions being discussed. Ages 3–6. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"This helpful book...employs simple, yet truthful, responses that either immediately satisfy or give children additional tools for articulating more specific questions...An excellent choice for preschools as well as libraries."

Booklist

04/01/2016
PreS-Gr 2—This title about the hows and whys of death is a necessary addition to any children's collection. Roberts does a commendable job providing answers for the practical questions surrounding death ("What happens when someone dies?…. That person's body stops working") and the spiritual ("Where does that person go?…. Many cultures believe that a person is made up of both a body and a soul"). Roberts chooses to forgo a formal narrative style, instead opting for a question and answer format. This allows for the introduction of different and diverse families into the narrative. Colorful illustrations focus on the many emotions and traditions of grieving, giving young readers opportunities to make textual and visual connections. VERDICT Because of the lack of materials on death and grieving in many children's collections, this title is highly recommended for purchase.—Paige Mellinger, Gwinnett County Public Libraries, Lillburn, GA

School Library Journal

2016-01-20
A "just enough" introduction to the experience of death. Designed for adults to share with very young children, this gentle informational text begins with the part death plays in the natural world and goes on to answer the questions of children who lose grandparents. (Just who has died can be inferred from illustrations; it's not directly stated in the text.) The author, a child psychologist, explains why people die and talks about funerals, describing them as usual but not universal. Answering the question "What happens to the person who has died?" she introduces the idea of a soul, carefully prefacing it with the phrase, "Many cultures believe…." She uses the same kind of formulation for concepts of afterlife, heaven, and reincarnation. She reassures young listeners that it's normal to be sad and offers ways to cope with grief: a commemoration, writing and drawing, sharing memories and talking about the loss. Revell's digitally painted illustrations support the text. They're consciously multicultural, including images of a candle, casket and flowers, burning incense, and a mosque. A freckle-faced boy and dark-skinned curly-haired girl are the main characters, but some pages feature Asian families. She emphasizes the children's heads and eyes, making them very appealing. There are birds, butterflies, flowers, and even a rainbow. A boon for families with young children. (Informational picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews