A Last Goodbye

When my beloved Gracie died unexpectedly when we were out walking, a friend had recommended this book and I was so touched by it's universal story of showing the common connection that all animals grieve... and reminded me that the circle of life is ever flowing and to cherish each moment with those animals we love (including the human ones.) A book of grace and healing.

'A Last Goodbye' beautifully broaches the topic of death in a way children can relate and understand. Each page beautifully illustrates the way animals have their own ritual and way of dealing with losses. It is naturally sad. But, if you are looking for this type of book you won't go wrong here.I am giving it five stars because the illustrations are heartbreaking and emotional, the topic is fragile and difficult, and it was overall done very well. If I were to ding it on any point it would be the words. They are all fine but I felt it lacked a bit of lyrical cadence that would have enhanced the experience.Thank you @Netgalley and @owlkids for early access to this ARC in return for an unbiased and voluntary review.

A sensitive book that explores death for young children. It is illustrated with pictures of animal mothers talking to their child about death. I thinks it lets a child know that death is not bad. It lets the young know it is okay to be sad and missed the one that has died.Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.

A Last Goodbye is a beautifully written, and illustrated, story about animal behavior when a loved one dies. There is sadness, but eventually memories bring joy.The language is informative and simple, yet engaging. The illustrations are soft and inviting. I would recommend this book for a child who has lost a family member or a beloved pet. As loss is a part of life, this book I can be a comfort throughout life.Thank you to OwlKids Books and NetGalley for the electronic ARC to review.

Stunning, moving children's book about dying and death. 'A Last Goodbye' encourages caring and empathy and how we can honor our family members. The illustrations are gorgeous and show great tenderness. This is a perfect book to explain death and the cycle of life to children.Thank you NetGalley and OwlKids Books for providing this ARC.

This book is so lovely to share with any child to discuss death. Beautifully and simply dealt with. Deals with how animals take care of each other when they die. Lovely illustrations. It will provide comfort.

I am so grateful for books when life becomes difficult. They are such a blessing when it's time to explain those difficult things to children. This book is beautiful and gentle and has gorgeous illustrations.

Children maintain a certain innocence about them that shields them from the more difficult trials and tribulations that we as adults deal with. Children are not meant to deal with the things adults deal with. They do not have the mental, physical or emotional capacity to handle certain things, and they do not understand and handle them the same as an adult might. Death is one of those things that can be especially difficult for children. They do not understand the concept, they do not understand the how or the why. This is why death can be more difficult for children to grasp and work through.A Last Goodbye presents the idea of death in a child-friendly manner that is both clever, informational, and pleasant. Death is unpleasant, and losing someone is painful. Trying to make death relatable for children to understand and comprehend is not easy feat. Kelsey's book explain death in pre- and post-mortem. It looks at death in the sense that it will happen, and help the child to prepare for it, and it also provides comfort to the child when the inevitable does happen.This book uses stunning visual art in multiple mediums in such a way that is jumps off the page. The artistic immersion makes the words that accompany it easier to stomach. It is both a distraction and a complement to the unpleasantness that is death. The clever use of animals is also a wonderful method of communication. All the animals depicted in the book actually maintain a sort of ritual when it comes to death and/or goodbyes. Not only is this informational but it helps to give goodbye a deeper meaning across more species than just humans. This helps children to see that goodbye happens all around them and it is nothing to be afraid of, and that there is no one way to grieve. Death is scary. Especially to a child who doesn't understand it. A Last Goodbye helps children to understand what death means for them, and helps them to see what will happen once someone is gone. This view of the afterlife helps to make death seem less scary, less uncertain, and reassures the child that death is not the end. I truly appreciate this book's ultimate goal and that is to help children to grieve and get through this terrible tragic moment of their life.

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