The Many Forms of Grief

If you have ever had to navigate the death of a loved one with your children, you know it can be so difficult to find the right way to talk to them, to make them feel safe to make them feel comforted even when as adults we are also grieving.

Thankfully there are incredible authors who are writing some of the most beautiful books to help you navigate these difficult times. A Last Goodbye by Elin Kelsey and Soyeon Kim is a new, completely wonderful book to share with your family. Carefully researched, Elin Kelsey talked to scientists, watched videos and explored the many ways different animals grieve. From elephants to whales, and monkeys to humans, we all grieve in different and beautiful ways. This book is so heartfelt and wraps you in a cocoon of support. It’s gentle, lyrical and feels so safe and comforting.

I truly appreciated how she asks the question of how the bodies of those who die will nourish the ground and the environment around them. What a lovely way to think of a loved one after they are gone, as providing nourishment to the environment so that there is a beginning from an ending. 

We experienced the death of my uncle last year and since we had watched so many nature documentaries The Bear and The Bee were familiar with death and we have always talked about the circle of life so when Uncle Michael passed away their thoughts were of how he was going to help nature. We spoke about the beautiful flowers Uncle Michael would help to grow and the grass he would nourish and in turn helping the animals that live around the cemetery. It really provided them with concrete information about death and help them in their grieving process.

The illustrations by Soyeon Kim are otherworldly. So beautiful! Her diorama art has dimension and layers. There is so much to absorb on each page. You can feel leap off the pages just by looking at the illustrations. A Last Goodbye is a truly special book.