The Goodbye Book

September 28, 2015
With this deceptively simple look at coping with loss, featuring a fish in a fishbowl whose companion disappears, Parr adds to the list of universal issues he has explored, including family, thankfulness, love, the environment, and peace. Parr speaks to children in their own language, pairing easily interpreted pictures with empathic text that leaves ample room for interpretation and personalization—this is a book that could easily be used as a lead-in to discussions about death, a family move, or less dramatic separations. Acknowledging that “It’s hard to say goodbye to someone,” the direct and supportive narrative traces the fish’s initial reactions to the other fish’s disappearance (including sadness, anger, confusion, and denial), which give way to a gradual recovery as time passes (“You’ll remember all the fun you had”). The reassuring message that “there will always be someone to love you and hold you tight,” reinforced by a picture of a boy holding the fishbowl, drives home the idea that, while goodbyes are often difficult, they aren’t insurmountable. Ages 3–6. Agent: Liz Stahler, Suppertime Entertainment.

September 15, 2015
Bestselling author Parr turns his trademark combination of boldly colored, simple illustrations and matter-of-fact, streamlined text to the topic of loss. Without ever mentioning the word death, Parr presents a story in his illustrations of a goldfish who is missing his green fish friend; a redheaded child and a black-and-white dog are also looking sad, and a photo of the missing fish is framed on the table. The text speaks directly to readers, moving from the opening sentence, "It's hard to say goodbye to someone," to an exploration of some of the varied feelings readers might have and how they play out in behaviors. The book manages to address many of the aspects of grief: you may not feel like eating or sleeping, or you may pretend it never happened. But eventually, you'll start to remember all the good times you shared with the one you are missing, though not all your days will be good. The goldfish is a good guide on the journey, with just enough anthropomorphization for kids to identify with it but leaving some ambiguity so children going through many types of loss can relate-perhaps the fish friend just moved to a new home? With very few props, a line mouth, and a dot eye, Parr manages to give his fish a wide range of emotions and behaviors. An excellent guide to grief for a multitude of situations. (Picture book. 3-8)

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August 1, 2015

PreS-Gr 2-This picture book shows young children that even when goodbyes bring sadness and unfamiliar emotions, those feelings will ease with the help of time, remembrance, and support. The Goodbye Book addresses the range of emotions someone might feel after a loss, including anger, sadness, lack of joy, and denial, as well as the desire to stop eating or sleeping. Parr explains that even when a person starts to feel better, there could be moments of grief or confusion, but at the end of the day, another person will always be available to provide love and comfort. The colorful illustrations, in an naive, childlike style and outlined in black, feature a goldfish that experiences the emotions discussed throughout the book. Young readers can infer what the goldfish is feeling by looking at the picture, and the imaginative representation gives the book a soothing tone. The Goodbye Book never specifies what the exact scenario is, making it an appropriate choice whether a child is dealing with death or another difficult situation. VERDICT An honest but gentle look at the grief that comes with saying goodbye. An essential purchase for all early childhood collections.-Liz Anderson, D.C. Public Library

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