Water Bugs and Dragonfiles: Explaining Death to Young Children (Looking Up)

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Customer reviews

review by: date: 2009-05-18 rating:
reassuring for adults as well as children
We were shown this book after the premature death of my mother, and it was very appropriate for explaining death and life afterwards to children in a lovely way,it enables them to think of the person who has died as living a better life afterwards that they cannot come back and tell us about. As a family we found it so helpful that the adults have also embraced the idea and we now think of mum as a dragonfly!I have recommended this book and told this story to many people in my role as a peer supporter for a breast cancer charity and it has been well received.

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review by: date: 2009-02-14 rating:
Sensitive and Simplistic View of Death.
I bought this book to use with young children. At first I noticed it was smaller than I had imagined, and in black and white and I was a little dubious whether it would appeal to them. The story is only 16 pages long with a picture on one side and narrative the other side. After reading it, the simplicity and sensitivity is what makes sense - especially to someone (whether child or adult) who is upset and does not want long drawn out explanations. Some children know death is final, it's just hard to accept and understand why that person/pet has gone. This is a lovely way to explain. The last 4 pages are Christian based with short prayers and there is also a guide for other helpful books. You do not have to use the prayer and I would be happy to buy this book whatever my faith or a child's. The important thing is in helping that child to deal with their loss. I am glad I have bought this. I also have Frog and the Birdsong by Max Velthuijs. This story is more colourful and is about Frog who comes across a dead bird. Both these books are very different in their apporach, but both very good.

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review by: date: 2008-10-17 rating:
good book
I was given this after my dad died i read it to my children it helped i have since given it to two sets of children and i think it helped them a little. I think it is a great book

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review by: icarus 247 date: 2008-04-23 rating:
Pond Life
The pamphlet is well written and illustrated. Good for sharing with a young child. However, it was not very useful to me. The analogy is misleading and obviously based on an 'afterlife'. May appeal to some but not for those looking for a more straightforward, rational approach.


review by: Taxanimal date: 2007-03-18 rating:
A lovely story, and a very useful analogy.
I'm reading this book to my 4-year old who's asking where Granddad has gone. It's a particularly useful analogy because of the 2 different environments lived in by the water bugs and the dragonfly, which explains why we can't go to see if Granddad is OK and neither can he come back to see us! It is a bit religious, but if you're OK with that, it's a great story.

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