Corey's Rock

by Sita Brahmachari, Jane E. Ray (Illustrator)

'Time to say goodbye,' Mum says.
She hands me petals, and more to Dad
We raise our hands to scatter them across the sea.
The rose that's supposed to mean we say goodbye to Corey.
My brother.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Poetry, Death

96 pages, Hardcover

Published September 6, 2018

About the author

Sita was born in Derby in 1966, to an Indian doctor from Kolkata and an English nurse from the Lake District. She has a BA in English Literature and an MA in Arts Education. Her many projects and writing commissions have been produced in theatres, universities, schools and community groups throughout Britain and America. ARTICHOKE HEARTS is her first novel for young people. Sita lives and works in North London with her husband, three children and a temperamental cat.

Reviews

[Christina Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picked this up from my local library, entirely based on the author and the illustrator - what a team!
This is a deceptively-simple, heartbreaking, yet hopeful story about a family struggling with the loss of their youngest member, 5-year-old Corey and the aftermath of his death. I loved how Celtic and Yoruban mythology were interwoven, the biracial family and the luminous illustrations which both supported and added to the text,
Simple, beautiful and important!

[UWE Primary English Team · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dan: What a beautiful book - this really is a special one. I loved the imagery throughout and how the book captured the painful sadness in such a gentle way. I also really liked the small steps each character took towards acceptance and the hopeful ending. It really is special and I highly recommend it!

[Ryan B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picked it for my son purely by the familiar name in the title, but ended up reading it myself. What an emotional 😭, beautiful story of grief.

[Katie Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a sweet book. Written in verse, it was such a nice story about a family coping with the grief of losing a family member. I have read another one of Sita Brahmachari's books before and it didn't disappoint either. This may be a children's book, but it made me cry and smile and hopefully will help children, who have lost someone close to them, deal with their greif in their own way. Beautiful illustrations throughout and just a beautiful story too.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The illustrations and the verses telling the story are beautiful and a perfect combination together. It encapsulates the family's grief so well and elegantly. I am eager to read more of this author's work.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is no plot, but what there is is a gentle and compassionate exploration of grief and the long, slow process of 'healing' and recovery.
There is hope at the end, but still grief.
The grief and compassion extends beyond the family, and shows the impact a death can have on a tight community.