THE LOSS OF A GRANDPARENT TO COVID-19, Gramps.
A short story to read to your children to help them through this difficult moment
by Marion Donon
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Pub Date 30 Mar 2020 | Archive Date 31 Aug 2020
Give me a hug Collection | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles
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Description
"I wasn’t able to tell him that I loved him!" "Did he think we had abandoned him?" "Am I going to die too, Mommy?" "Where do you think he is now?" "What about you, Mommy, what do you remember about him?"
Gramps is a short story for children, in the form of a dialogue between a mother and her son, that tenderly and lovingly deals with the loss of a grandfather to Covid-19.
For 5 years+. (also available in French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese)
FREE
A Note From the Publisher
Note to the readers:
This book was written on March 25, 2020 at the very beginning of the global pandemic, to support bereaved children (and their parents) of covid-19 as quickly as possible and especially free of charge.
This book is not a book about bereavement in general. It was created to respond to a specific pain and is really being experienced in a context of unprecedented upheaval of funeral rites and the lockdown. Consequently, the author made the voluntary choice of a hopefulness that neither the mother nor the child in the story take for granted, but who like to dream about it together.
Of course everyone is free to read this text, bereaved or not, but please keep in mind that this text is not a book about bereavement in general, and please put it into the context for which it was written.
This book was intended to be a picture book. Unfortunately, the illustration of an entire book usually takes 3 months to do. In March 2020, the painful choice was made to dispense with illustrations to still allow free publication.
Last important information: in this book, the word "willy" is written. Indeed, the mother of the story, to make her child laugh while evoking the passage of time and death that will come to her child when he’ll be at the end of the road, tells him that he will have "white hairs on his willy" .
If as a parent, for cultural or religious reasons, you do not use this term with your young children, we invite you not to read this book. Our intention is not to shock the reader but to help families.
Advance Praise
Reviews by Health Professionals
"This story, profound and pertinent, helps the reader to deal with key elements relating to the concepts of grief and death: sadness, loneliness, memories, our own mortality etc.
It is a useful educational tool for a bereaved child, but also for parents who are looking for support when faced with their children's questions and emotions."
--Barbara Bienias
, Clinical Psychologist,
Pediatric Hematology Oncology Service France
"
How to grieve when your world is turned upside down? This story deals with the questions of a young boy, faced with the death of his grandfather due to coronavirus, with sincerity and tenderness. For young and old, Marion Donon has successfully written a story to help remember the happy moments, to help to pull through the present difficulties and to imagine a future beyond the grieving of a loved one.
"
--Chouchane Kieusseian,
Clinical Psychologist - SESSAD - France
"
Congratulations for this book, a must-have tool for young and old, which demystifies death and gives it meaning with perspectives of the future and joy, which are necessities in life. It answers this existential question in a simple and concrete way, allowing all to accept their emotions without guilt, to grieve. Recommended in all unfortunate circumstances.
"
--Lucie Chédot, Doctor - France
"
A touching and sincere story of a conversation between a little boy and his mother, who are affected by death and grief in this so specific and painful situation that we are currently going through. It remind us of the cycle of life with accuracy, honesty and emotion. As a children’s psychomotor therapist, I recommended it to any family who find themselves in this situation. This book is a must-have in your personal and professional library."
--
Anne-Sophie Jaouen, Psychomotor Therapist - France
Available Editions
| EDITION | Ebook |
| ISBN | 9782957240999 |
| PRICE | US$0.00 (USD) |
Links
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Mallory Anne-Marie H, Reviewer
Be prepared to weep copiously. A mother and her small son grieve for the beloved grandpa lost to Covid-19, especially [for the child] because of the quarantine preventing the family's presence. As they both recall verbally their favorite memories of Gramps, a little peace begins to settle in.
Abdel R. A, Reviewer
How warm is that book! How emotional is that book! I loved it very much.
It will make you cry, however, it will make you laugh too.
It is short story in the form of a dialogue between a son, who had lost his gramp for COVID-19, and his parents, mostly his mother, trying to explain to him the meaning of death and how he is not going to see his gramp anymore.
You can read it to your children these days especially who had lost their beloved ones.
Jillian B, Educator
I so appreciate this resource in a time when I have been looking for exactly this—a book to help children understand and cope with the loss of a grandparent due to covid19, I am a therapist in New York, at the epicenter of this outbreak. This is unfortunately very needed right now. This book is simply written and helps children understand, answering some of the questions they might be afraid to ask through the conversation form of the book. Thank you for writing/publishing this in such a timely manner. Truly. Thank you.
Educator 674871
Short story in the form of a dialogue between mother and son that deals with the loss of a grandfather to Covid-19. So touching and since, brought tears to my eyes.
Kerry-Louise J, Reviewer
It made me smile, it made me weep, what a short but powerful punch it packs! This is the perfect book to help explain loss of a loved one and to help understand grief.
Rogene C, Educator
A very heartwarming and interesting dialogue between a mother and son over a grandparent that just died. The only strange thing was the talk about pubic hair...it was a little laughable and not really necessary or informative for the story.
Educator 679564
During these unprecedented times, it is the job of writers to put pen to paper to describe the world around them. That is just what this author did in a very heartfelt, emotional way. The title and story so bluntly paint a very real story of grief. I wonder exactly what age group this is tailored to as I am sure many children are confused by the losses of loved ones around them.
joyce l, Reviewer
This is a beautiful, sad but wonderful book. I think that it would be best to read it aloud or together with a child. This title honestly and movingly conveys what it means to lose a cherished family member. The story is about the loss of a young boy's grandfather. It is clear that this grandfather will be deeply missed and the boy is given plenty of opportunity to reminisce and hear stories about his family. In addition, the book explains why a child could not visit a relative with Covid and allows for different beliefs about what happens when someone dies. The boy is assured that his grandfather will be honored and remembered. The boy, himself, is reassured that he will live for many years.
Of course it is deeply sad to need a book like this. I think though that it will be a welcome resource for families who don't know what to say or how to explain death to young children.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review. Highly recommenced!
Reviewer 231578
This is a lovely, heartwarming tear-jerker. In the midst of the pandemic, one of the most harrowing things is the distance we have to maintain from the already departed. Like the book says, it seems so unfair. I cried when I first realised how funerals are taking place. So I cried a bit reading the book too.
It is written very well, and poignantly.
Dana W, Reviewer
The Loss of a Grandparent to COVID-19, Gramps by Marion Donon. What a beautiful story to read to a child. I loved reading the story.
Educator 706146
It was amazing how this story could be so simple, but also be very descriptive at the same time. It is also very relevant to now, and I could see this book being an important piece of historical children's literature in the future. I think that this story can help children of all ages (and even adults) go through grief of a lost one due to COVID-19 and/or other severe illnesses. I could see this book being translated in many languages as well, and being an international best seller. I look forward to sharing this with my high school students either in my advisory class or in my foreign languages classes, and with my own children in the future.
Reviewer 695077
This is a short children’s story which tells the story of A mum & her son dealing with the loss of the son Gramps due to COVID 19.
This book is amazing it make me weep but also made me howl with laughter
With thanks to Netgalley & The Independent Book Publishers Association for the arc of this book in exchange for my review.
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