It does so in a way that I feel like a kid who hadn't lost anyone wouldn't pick up on it (There's no funeral or tears or sickness) but that a kid who had experience a loss might find resonance in the story. A beautiful story containing a metaphor for death which may not be entirely obvious to younger children. My interpretation of the island was that it was a metaphor for 'heaven' and it's all about the boy having to let go of his grandfather but knowing he'll always be loved and thought of. After the phenomenal success of The Storm Whale and On Sudden Hill, this new book by Benji Davies deals with the emotional topic of losing a grandparent. Praise for Grandad's Island: 'Davies's elegantly rough illustrations, evoking a child's paintings, tap into the imagination of death with little fuss, and his story declines to offer kids instruction on how to feel.

I think this shows that it could simply be taken as an interesting story for younger readers but also it has layers!Recommended (with the caveat that it might not really work for everyone) to those looking for picture-books addressing the loss of a grandparent. This picture book deals excellently with a tricky topic about family members leaving which can be difficult to explain to young children. I would love to explore this message with children and see what they think the letter at the end might say. This book, along with its fantastic illustrations, tackles the difficult subject of losing a grandparent in a sensitive and subtle way.

In Grandad’s Island, Syd knows that his Grandad will always be with him in his heart and in his imagination. Num momento tão dramático como aquele em que atravessamos, em que tantas crianças se veem impedidas de despedir daqueles que partem, este livro pode ser uma forma de abordar o assunto com os mais novos. A very thought-provoking book which could be used to expand KS2 students thinking regarding the realism of the story and coping with grief. Sure to provide comfort to young children struggling to understand loss, Benji Davies's tale is a sensitive and beautiful reminder that our loved ones live on in our memories long after they're gone.

Benji Davies is the illustrator of the Bizzy Bear books, Bizzy Bear: Let’s Go and Play and Bizzy Bear: Fun on the Farm. Proficient readers bring a lot of assumptions to text, that young children need to be taught explicitly or else learn implicitly though wide reading and life experience. Benji Daviesin "Vaarin saari" (Karisto, 2016) on kaunis kuvakirja, jossa käsitellään vertauskuvallisesti isoisän kuolemaa, ilman minkäänlaista uskonnollista leimaa tai painolastia.

A touching and comforting book that could be used to deal with the loss of a grandparent, as well as a good every day read. Each page is worthy of time and discussion as they lead us to understand the changing emotions that accompany the final adventure Grandad and Syd have together. Publishers Weekly 'This book is innovative and useful as a way to talk about the idea of loss-without ever referring to actual death.My 4 year old has recently started questioning a lot of the normal day to day things and losing a loved one or even knowing that she could at some point die, it was an emotional thing for her understand and she would keep getting upset and asking more and more questions. Com linguagem simples e desenhos de uma ternura inigualável, vemos o quanto pode ser doloroso despedirmo-nos de alguém de quem gostamos muito. He’s illustrated for several major publishers and is pleased to be working on Nosy Crow’s start-up list.

I'd have really liked this book to support me when I lost my first grandparent in primary school and I will definitely have this book in my class.

The immense and heavy subject of death is handled so honestly and blatantly for children in this book, that it almost become less of a sadness and more of a beautiful fact of life.