Categories: Death & Bereavement, Depression in Family, Sadness

Michael Rosen’s Sad Book

An honest and realistic description of the pain of grief (and the healing process that follows it)

Author: Michael Rosen
Illustrator: Quentin Blake
Publisher: Walker Books Ltd

From the publisher: A heartbreakingly honest account of a father’s grief for his son from the illustrious pairing of a current and a former Children’s Laureate.
What makes Michael Rosen most sad is thinking about his son, Eddie, who died. In this jacketed hardback book he writes about his sadness, how it affects him and some of the things he does to try and cope with it. Whether or not you have known what it’s like to feel really deeply sad, its truth will surely touch you.

This video link is provided to help an adult assess the book's suitability for a child's situation before purchasing it. It has been filmed by a third party and hosted on YouTube and is not made by Little Parachutes. More info

Things we liked:

A refreshingly honest account of a father's grief, Michael Rosen's skilful description of his darkest emotions are perfectly reflected in Quentin Blake's illustrations. If as a parent or carer you want to provide a child with an honest and realistic description of the pain of grief (and the healing process that follows it), you can do no better than choose this ground-breaking book.

Worth noting:

Some may find the stark truth within this book difficult to come to terms with, and may feel it is only suitable for older children.