Are You Sad, Little Bear?: A book about learning how to say goodbye

by Rachel Rivett, Rachel Rivett

Grandmother Bear has gone for ever, and Little Bear is feeling sad. His mother wisely suggests that perhaps asking his woodland companions what saying goodbye means to them will help him understand his loss. Little Bear's day of exploring and asking questions brings him comfort and hope. For the swallows, saying goodbye means flying to warmer lands; for the leaves of the trees it is a chance to be free, leaving the tree at her most beautiful; for the moon it is to return to be with the Sun; and for the Sun it is to rise in another sky and just because Little Bear can't see him doesn't mean he isn't there. This charmingly illustrated picture book will help young children in times of bereavement, loss or change, gently exploring the reasons for saying goodbye and giving reassurance that goodbye doesn't mean the end of things.

Genres: Animals, Picture Books, Family, Childrens, Grief, Emotion

32 pages, Paperback

First published March 20, 2009

About the author

Picture book author and aspiring young adult novelist, Rachel Rivett trained in Drama at Bretton Hall in Yorkshire. Her books have been published in 9 languages.

She worked as a youth worker, ran a young people's touring drama group and worked in schools with children at risk of exclusion. She was awarded a distinction for her MA in Writing for Children at Winchester University and was shortlisted for SCBWIs Undiscovered Voices 2014 with her young adult novel, Traitor Girl. She happily home educates her four children believing that the best learning happens when people are encouraged to follow their hearts.

Reviews

[Capn · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I didn't choose this. We aren't in mourning at the moment!)
It's actually quite a nice story, surprisingly! Grandmother Bear kicks it in the first sentence ("walked away forever, as old bears do"), and Mother Bear asks Baby Bear if he is sad. "Why can't things stay the same forever?" A contemplative walk through the woods brings answers and wonder about the cycles of life, and how not seeing someone doesn't equate with them not existing (somewhere, "in the Great Heart that holds everything for always"). Baby bear ends up "still sad", but also "full of wonder".
Surprisingly good - didn't suck nearly as much as anticipated. It's always a crapshoot when they pick their own library books...!

[Laura]

This is a comforting book that shows that goodbyes and changes do not always need to be sad. This would be an excellent book to help children come to terms with either losing a loved one, or a close friend moving away.
It also inspires a true sense of wonder about the natural world, covering the water cycle, and the movements of the solar system, so could be use as a resource for science topics.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A metaphorical and spiritual look at death, and moving into another realm.

[Little Seesaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so tender about the little bear losing his grandmother. He finds answers to help him through his sadness as he talks to he different animals and nature about change. Very sweet.

[Sylvia Shults · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a comforting, reassuring book! Beats the heck out of The Fall of Freddie the Leaf. The subject matter is the same: how do we explain death to a child -- or for that matter, to ourselves? The answers this book gives happen to fit perfectly with my personal philosophy, that death isn't something to be feared, it's just a change. And I loved the line about the sun -- that just because you can't see the sun shining all the time, that doesn't mean it isn't there. I LOVED this book.

[Ivy Howey]

When Little Bear's grandmother is gone forever, little bear begins a day of exploring that leaves him feeling better about what it means to say goodbye. Grades K-3 by Rivett, R. (2009) Lion Children's

This book would be a great recommendation for a child who is dealing with the loss of a grandparent or other loved one.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Bear deals with feelings of melancholy after his grandmother "walked away forever, as old bears do." He finds a new perspective after visiting with nature. Warm text is complemented by sweet illustrations. Lovely.