A Little Blue Bottle

by Jennifer Grant

In this beautiful book for children, a child tells her story of losing a beloved neighbor and friend. A young girl remembers playing with her neighbor's cat, stories that her neighbor told her, and the special mementos her friend kept on a shelf above her kitchen sink, including a little blue bottle she kept to remind her of Psalm 56:8: "You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book." A Little Blue Bottle doesn't provide pat answers or heavy-handed messages about life or death, but allows the grieving child to articulate her loss and her love for the deceased friend, while wondering how God is near when we suffer. A gentle and insightful resource for children who are grieving, and for those who care for them.

40 pages, Hardcover

Published August 17, 2020

About the author

Jennifer Grant is a writer and editor in Chicago.

She worked as a health and family life columnist for the Chicago Tribune and Sun-Times Media newspapers for more than a decade. Grant has been published in magazines including Woman's Day and Chicago Parent.

She is the author of six works of nonfiction for adults, including "When Did Everybody Else Get So Old?" (Herald Press, 2017) and "Dimming the Day" (Broadleaf Books, 2021).

She has also written seven books for children, including the bestselling "Maybe God Is Like That Too" (Beaming Books, 2017) and the recent releases, "Finding Calm in Nature" (Beaming Books, 2023) and "What If I Can't Explain God?" (Beaming Books, 2023).

-

Find her online at jennifergrant.com
Instagram: @jennifergrantwriter

Reviews

[Adam Blackman · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a neighbor dies, a girl talks with her mom about it. That's the story. No big life lessons. No prescriptions to resolve sadness, nor even judgment that grief or sadness is something to be resolved. Jennifer Grant's spare text and first-time illustrator Gillian Whiting's somber paintings beautifully evoke loss, precisely by not overburdening it with excessive story details.

The power of this book, in its spareness, make me wish there wasn't back matter. Or that - since I understand why people from publishers to adults buying the book to assist grieving children - the back matter had been directed to the child and not to adult caregivers.

[Brock Eastman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful story, illustrating a Bible verse I often overlook, but with such a powerful message for us! Beautifully told for a child to understand and connect with.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

The picture book "A Little Blue Bottle" is a story about loss. It doesn't attempt to explain death, but it does recognize the confusion and sadness that often lingers behind in the hearts and minds of those missing a loved one that has passed away. The story comes from the simple and innocent perspective of a child, but it touches on the deep topic of faith through a little blue bottle.

The author uses the small blue bottle as a visual aid to tell readers that God cares about their sorrows, which is a creative coping tool to offer to readers. In my experience, knowing that someone (anyone) cares about what I am going through has been enough to help me get through a moment of crisis. I hope that this sweet & straightforward story will offer the same type of comfort to someone else in need.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a lovely, simple book about helping children grieve. It doesn't offer theology about where their loved one is now (there are other books for that) but the book is based on one simple passage from Psalm 56:8. The comfort is that God not only knows all of our sorrows, but keeps every single one of our tears in his bottle.

it is a children's book, but it is really for everyone -- the art is also amazing.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Little Blue Bottle is a marvelous book tackling the topic of grief in a way that will connect with children and adults alike. My very favorite thing about this book is that it does not try to "pretty" grief up. It allows the feelings to be what they are. This book is a gift.

[Roger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This tender book honors a child’s grief after an older neighbor dies. I was moved by the sensitivity and beautiful language that Grant uses in describing this special relationship and hard loss.

[Glenys Nellist · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are barely 300 words in this beautiful book, but it is patently obvious to me that Jennifer Grant chose each one with the utmost care. Her gentle, thoughtful words combine with debut illustrator Gillian Whiting's colorful, soothing illustrations to present a truly powerful story that will help children who are dealing with grief. A 'circle book' that begins in the same way as it ends, A Little Blue Bottle tells the poignant story of an elderly neighbor who dies, and a young girl who is trying to come to terms with her loss. Mama reminds her daughter about the little blue bottle that Mrs. Wednesday, the neighbor, kept on the shelf and how she would hold that bottle as she thought about her late husband, imagining that God was collecting all her tears in it. (Psalm 56:8) The book ends with a thoughtful section on Best Practices When a Child Is Grieving. But honestly, this book is not just for children; it is for all who are coping with loss. There is a wonderful 'space' in this book, to be stepped into on every page, a place where questions are not answered, and grief is not placated, but where there is room to allow the reader to simply grieve. This lovely book really does belong on every child's bookshelf, in every library and in every children's ministry space. And I might just have to purchase a little blue bottle myself, so that I can hold it when I'm grieving.

[Amy Houts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply lovely. Gorgeous illustrations by Gillian Whiting complement the spare text, which communicates beautifully how empty it feels when someone dies. How author Jennifer Grant can pack so much emotion into so few words is just one reason this book stands out. The author doesn’t explain it away, make too little of it, or talk down to the child, the (unnamed) main character in this book. She simply allows the grief to happen and to let the girl know that God cares. Isn’t that what we all need? The verse from Psalms gives this book a new dimension. While I read a digital copy to write this review, I will keep it in mind to purchase for a child who is grieving the loss of a loved one. The “Best Practices for When a Child is Grieving” is a valuable help to anyone, parent, friend, or extended family. It would help to open conversation and begin the healing process. Highly recommended.

[Lesa Engelthaler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book for our times. The words and illustrations lovingly crafted to comfort children and the grownups that read to them. Highly recommend.
"You keep track of all my sorrows.
You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
You have recorded each one in your book."
Psalm 56:8

[Traci Rhoades · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent resource for walking children through sadness, and the role God plays in getting us through difficult times.

[Nancy Wolfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely and simple description of grief and memories and what we all know is true: "...ever since then, nothing feels the same anymore."

[Traci · Rating 5 out of 5]

So well done. Perfect tool to help children cope with death and dying. Gorgeous illustrations. Gentle and reassuring voice.