HealthyBooks will continue to be online and available to users, although not updated. Read more…
Talking to My Gran About Dying: My School Project ISBN: 9781898576174
Jordan, Philip and Levete, Gina
Published by Jessica Kingsley, 2014
In the form of a school project, this book gives us five conversations that Will, who is 10, has with his Gran Tam, who is 70. The questions are: Why do people have to die? Where do people go when they die? Why do people have to die when they are not old? Is it okay to forget people and pets who have died? Is is a good idea to talk about death and dying? Tam, who is a bit of a philosopher, is a good person to talk to as she has lots of good ideas to share. Set in the context of a normal, loving family (even though Will's parents are divorced), the questions and their many possible answers have a resonance that will appeal to children who will have thought these things but not spoken about them. Will comes over as a likeable football-mad boy who has begun to mull over life's important issues, and his gran finds their shared talks illuminating too. The black and white illustrations, which are part of the 'project', are amusing and relevant, as are the questions at the end of each chapter. Two pages of advice for adults using the book with children are to be found at the end of the book, as are lists of books and helpful organisations. This is a practical, accessible production that will provide excellent useful discussion on a topic that is not often discussed. Available from good book shops, from Amazon or from the publisher at www.jkp.com.
Age: 8+