Tag the death of a friend

Is It Asleep?

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Is It Asleep?
Olivier Tallec
Gecko Press

If you’ve read Tallec’s A Better Best Friend, you will already be familiar with best friends Squirrel (the narrator) and talking mushroom Pock. One of the things they love to do is to sit and watch the birds flashing past but on this particular day. having grown tired of so doing, they’ve moved on to the meadow to listen to their favourite bird, the blackbird. However, after searching carefully, eventually they spot it lying motionless on the path; perhaps it’s deeply asleep. After waiting quietly for some time for it to wake up. they decide to try being noisy but this has no effect so they fetch Gunther the mouse. Gunther’s idea of launching the bird into the sky doesn’t work and that’s when Pock suggests that perhaps it’s dead.

After another long wait they all decide that indeed the blackbird has in fact, died.
Working together the three bury it under a large pile of the prettiest leaves they can find

and once this is complete Gunther reads a poem, after which they stand and Squirrel thinks about the beautiful songs the blackbird sang. Having thought about ways to remember the bird, they pay it tribute in the very best way possible and finally a different bird pours forth its beautiful song.

A poignant story that explores death simply and frankly and in so doing, offers possible starting points for adults in school or at home to discuss with young children what can be a very difficult topic. That the book’s creator has given the story an autumnal setting is especially appropriate: the warm red and gold hues of the scenes subtly convey sadness and the sense of an ending.

Goodbye Bear

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Goodbye Bear
Jane Chapman
Little Tiger

Beaver and Mole are heartbroken at the loss of their dear friend, Bear. They offer gentle support and comfort to one another as they experience a gamut of emotions including sadness, anger, numbness and sometimes think they can hear Bear’s voice.

The seasons change and with Spring almost upon them, Beaver and Mole decide to pay a visit to Bear’s treehouse. “ … The woods will be full of snowdrops. Bear loved snowdrops,” Mole says as they head off through the woods.

Once outside they discover Bear’s ladder and boxes of nails and decide to put up the ladder and go inside. “Bear loved us, Mole says, “and he wouldn’t mind in the slightest.” What they discover inside makes the two decide to finish the treehouse that Bear had started and invite all their friends to come and assist with the project.

As they work, the animals take turns to share their fond memories of Bear, finding joy in so doing, as well as in their joint project.

With the task nearing completion Mouse finds finds an old painting and then finally as they sit together celebrating Bear and sharing cake they find out that their friend had been planning an awesome surprise for them. It’s one they can always treasure, just like their memories.

This is such a beautiful, sensitively written and illustrated book. Jane’s illustrations chronicles the passage of time through the changing seasons, while also showing that although some of their feelings such as anger will dissipate over the months, their fond feelings remain constant. The sharing of grief helps ease the pain of loss and makes remembering so much more joyful.  

A wonderful story to read together as a family or with a KS1 class.