Warning: Because I Already Loved You by Andrée-Anne Cyr and Bérengère Delaporte is a story about stillbirth. Please take care if you or a loved one has experienced a loss and know that this story is an honest look at the feelings of excitement and devastation when there is a stillbirth or pregnancy loss.

Told in the voice of a big sibling waiting for a younger sibling, Because I Already Loved You shows the excitement and anticipation of waiting for a new sibling and the feelings of confusion and sadness when that little sibling doesn’t come home. Perfect for families, immediate and extended, who have experienced such a loss as a way to talk about the feelings of sadness and how we can remember the family member that was lost.

I truly appreciate Andrée-Anne Cyr’s honesty throughout the story. She uses straightforward language with readers so as not to confuse. She reminds readers that sadness is a feeling we all have a right to feel and that sometimes it takes time to find our smiles again. It’s definitely a niche story for those who experience the loss of a child and one that will help adults have conversations with young children about what happened and why everyone is sad. 

Bérengère Delaporte’s illustrations are childlike. Colourful during the happy times of waiting and the hazy grey during the times after the child is stillborn. The watercolour and pencil combination feels very children’s art-esque and helps young readers to enter the story on their own terms.