The Pond

by Nicola Davies, Cathy Fisher (Illustrator)

Overview

A touching picture book for children about a young boy and his family overcoming the loss of his father. This colorful, emotional book is filled with natural imagery, centering on a small pond in the garden, and will teach children not only about death and loss, but the importance of the natural world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781912050703
Publisher:	Graffeg
Publication date:	11/01/2017
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.75(w) x 9.75(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	6 - 10 Years

About the Author

Nicola Davies is an award-winning author whose many books for children include Animal Surprises, Into the Blue, and The Word Bird. Her book The Promise was declared one of the best picture books of the year by the New York Times. Cathy Fisher illustrated Lion Teen Tracks and, with Nicola Davies, Perfect.

Editorial Reviews

"An emotionally vivid, hopeful illustration of unpredictability, disappointment, and acceptance—recommended for children and parents alike." —Kirkus Reviews on Perfect

"Recommended for collections looking to generate discussion about expectations, differences, and acceptance." —School Library Journal on Perfect

“Heart-wrenching, powerful, and beautifully realized.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“[A] gentle expression of coping with love and loss.”  —Foreword Reviews

“The artwork, in pastel crayon and mixed-media, is glorious.” —Booklist

“The book is extraordinary in its beauty and honesty.” —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

★ 2017-08-02
Dad plans a pond in the backyard and speaks of all the wonderful things that it will hold. But it is a promise left unfulfilled.When Dad dies, the uncompleted pond becomes a large part of the family's grieving. The young narrator wants to see the pond completed, but for now they all see only "the muddy, messy hole that filled our hearts." When the narrator fills the hole with water it makes the mess worse. Mother and older brother let out their anger, and the child retreats, screaming at Dad for dying. The family goes through the motions of their lives, and eventually the rebuilding of the pond brings them together. Then there is vegetation, insects, tadpoles, and dragonflies, just as Dad had envisioned, and they celebrate each sign of life. In time they are able to move on and start anew. Davies avoids sentimentality and pity in expressing the young narrator's raw and painful emotions, as the survivors experience all the stages of grief, separately and together. Fisher's dark-toned illustrations place the family deeply in shadow, encased in their pain. Only the pond has a degree of light, growing a bit stronger as time passes. The family emerges from the shadows emotionally, and finally, the image is bathed in misty light as they leave. Dad is white, and Mum appears to be Asian. Heart-wrenching, powerful, and beautifully realized. (Picture book. 6-10)

Kirkus Reviews