What do you think?
A Shelter for Sadness
Sadness has come to live with me
and I am building it a shelter.
I am building a shelter for my sadness
and welcoming it inside.
A small boy creates a shelter for his sadness, a safe space where Sadness is welcome, where it can curl up small, or be as big as it can be, where it can be noisy or quiet, or anything in between. The boy can visit the shelter whenever he needs to, every day, sometimes every hour, and the two of them will cry and talk or just sit, saying nothing.
And the boy knows that one day Sadness may come out of the shelter, and together they will look out at the world, and see how beautiful it is.
A poignant and heart-warming picture book exploring the importance of making space and time for our own griefs, small or large, sensitively visualized with David Litchfield's stunning illustration.
Anne Booth was inspired to write this book by the words of Etty Hillesum, a Holocaust victim who wrote:
'Give your sorrow all the space and shelter in yourself that is its due, for if everyone bears grief honestly and courageously, the sorrow that now fills the world will abate. But if you do instead reserve most of the space inside you for hatred and thoughts of revenge-from which new sorrows will be born for others-then sorrow will never cease in this world. And if you have given sorrow the space it demands, then you may truly say: life is beautiful and so rich.' (Esther 'Etty' Hillesum (15 Jan 1914 - 30 Nov 1943)
and I am building it a shelter.
I am building a shelter for my sadness
and welcoming it inside.
A small boy creates a shelter for his sadness, a safe space where Sadness is welcome, where it can curl up small, or be as big as it can be, where it can be noisy or quiet, or anything in between. The boy can visit the shelter whenever he needs to, every day, sometimes every hour, and the two of them will cry and talk or just sit, saying nothing.
And the boy knows that one day Sadness may come out of the shelter, and together they will look out at the world, and see how beautiful it is.
A poignant and heart-warming picture book exploring the importance of making space and time for our own griefs, small or large, sensitively visualized with David Litchfield's stunning illustration.
Anne Booth was inspired to write this book by the words of Etty Hillesum, a Holocaust victim who wrote:
'Give your sorrow all the space and shelter in yourself that is its due, for if everyone bears grief honestly and courageously, the sorrow that now fills the world will abate. But if you do instead reserve most of the space inside you for hatred and thoughts of revenge-from which new sorrows will be born for others-then sorrow will never cease in this world. And if you have given sorrow the space it demands, then you may truly say: life is beautiful and so rich.' (Esther 'Etty' Hillesum (15 Jan 1914 - 30 Nov 1943)
Paperback
First published January 21, 2021
About the author
Anne Booth
49 books42 followersAnne Booth always wanted to be a children’s writer, but has also cleared tables in a restaurant, sold books, been a tour guide at a haunted medieval hospital, taught English in Italy, and organized arts and crafts in a nursing home, among other things. Anne Booth lives in Kent, England, with her husband, four children, two hens, and two dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
December 3, 2021
Have been reading books recommended as possible 2021 Caldecott nominees, and this is not one of them, but I always pick up one or two picture books when I am at the library. And I picked this one up because we have an eight-year-old neighbor who is very depressed, and of course there is more anxiety/depression/anger everywhere, O I am interested in advice, and I liked the cover, so I picked it up to share with my Caldecott reading group. The basic point is that you need to accept your depression, or sorrow, and to some extent make a place for it in your life. "Sadness has come to live with me, and I am building it a shelter."
R (retired librarian): (3 stars). Quite complicated for a child to understand on their own. A counselor may share this with a child. Illustrations 4 stars. Concept 2 stars.
T (electrician): (3.5 stars). Huh. I liked the drawings. Kind of odd. Nurturing sadness?
J (arts administrator/poet) (3 stars): I don't think so. Doesn't quite convince me, nor do I think it will make sense to a kid.
Dave (teacher) (4 stars): About accepting to some extent sadness in your life. You can't just wish it or medicate it away. I was reminded of George Saunders's Lincoln in the Bardo, where Saunders makes it clear that Lincoln's depression--and resulting empathy--over the grief of his son during the Civil War, almost surely made him a great president. Of course depression or grief can be crippling, but if you accept it as part of your life, if you can manage it, it's useful. I think a kid picking this up could not get this book at all, really. It's beautiful, but more for adults who work with depressed kids, to help them help the kids.
R (retired librarian): (3 stars). Quite complicated for a child to understand on their own. A counselor may share this with a child. Illustrations 4 stars. Concept 2 stars.
T (electrician): (3.5 stars). Huh. I liked the drawings. Kind of odd. Nurturing sadness?
J (arts administrator/poet) (3 stars): I don't think so. Doesn't quite convince me, nor do I think it will make sense to a kid.
Dave (teacher) (4 stars): About accepting to some extent sadness in your life. You can't just wish it or medicate it away. I was reminded of George Saunders's Lincoln in the Bardo, where Saunders makes it clear that Lincoln's depression--and resulting empathy--over the grief of his son during the Civil War, almost surely made him a great president. Of course depression or grief can be crippling, but if you accept it as part of your life, if you can manage it, it's useful. I think a kid picking this up could not get this book at all, really. It's beautiful, but more for adults who work with depressed kids, to help them help the kids.
May 26, 2024
این سومین کتاب کودکیه که امشب میخونم!
انقدر تصاویر جذابی دارن که واقعا برای این حال بدی که باعث بیخوابی شده معجزه میکنن.
کاش بتونیم برای غممون پناهگاه بسازیم، کاش یاد بگیریم بشنویمش، کاش حتی بتونیم دوستش داشته باشیم شاید اون موقع همه چیز درست بشه.
انقدر تصاویر جذابی دارن که واقعا برای این حال بدی که باعث بیخوابی شده معجزه میکنن.
کاش بتونیم برای غممون پناهگاه بسازیم، کاش یاد بگیریم بشنویمش، کاش حتی بتونیم دوستش داشته باشیم شاید اون موقع همه چیز درست بشه.
April 30, 2022
UN RIFUGIO DENTRO DI ME è una storia illustrata intensa e commovente per capire che ogni nostra emozione, anche la tristezza, merita di essere accettata e vissuta a pieno. Ispirata alle parole di Etty Hillesum, una donna vittima dell'Olocausto. Da 4 anni ❤ https://ilmondodichri.com/un-rifugio-...
#unrifugiodentrodime #sassijunior #tristezza
#unrifugiodentrodime #sassijunior #tristezza
December 19, 2021
I've been thinking about this book for awhile now before reviewing it. It's a deep subject. And I love this book. I think it is an important book.
In case you don't want to read my other thoughts, let me talk about the book. The illustrations are lovely. Even in the dark, there is color and beauty. There is such a feeling of love and acceptance for life and all it brings in this book. And the last line is the big idea that eludes a lot of people: "And we will look out at the world and discover how beautiful it is. Together." That is you and your sadness it's talking about. I think this book can be an important part of a child's learning to experience sadness/grief/sorrow in a healthy way. As opposed to common teachings that are now recognized as toxic positivity.
On to my ramblings.
I was going to say 'in today's culture', but I think this belief has existed for a long time, that you need to combat any sadness with happiness, put a smile on your face, 'fake it 'til you make it' in the happiness arena. And that is just so counter productive and often actually harmful. Again, we now call this terrible thinking toxic positivity.
I've seen two recent comments by women that state so eloquently the importance of honoring your sadness/sorrow/grief and honoring that of another person. One has terminal cancer and some people tell her she shouldn't be sad, even though she is the most positive person I have ever seen, living with what she calls "rebellious hope," but still sometimes feeling the weight of her mortality and feeling sad. Emotions are not 'good' or 'bad', they just are and are an important part of our life. The more we honor our emotions, the richer our life. Yes, we can get stuck in emotions and that can cause some problems, but in general, acknowledging and honoring them lessens the probability of getting stuck. Emotions that are shoved down don't stay down and often wreck some havoc in trying to get back out. You need to live/work through them and discover the beauty that every emotion has.
The recent movie, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings had this lovely quote: "Stop hiding...it only prolongs the pain." And that is the truth about resisting the emotions that we feel, whatever they are.
The Disney/Pixar 2015 movie Inside Out is an absolutely beautiful movie dealing with these ideas.
In case you don't want to read my other thoughts, let me talk about the book. The illustrations are lovely. Even in the dark, there is color and beauty. There is such a feeling of love and acceptance for life and all it brings in this book. And the last line is the big idea that eludes a lot of people: "And we will look out at the world and discover how beautiful it is. Together." That is you and your sadness it's talking about. I think this book can be an important part of a child's learning to experience sadness/grief/sorrow in a healthy way. As opposed to common teachings that are now recognized as toxic positivity.
On to my ramblings.
I was going to say 'in today's culture', but I think this belief has existed for a long time, that you need to combat any sadness with happiness, put a smile on your face, 'fake it 'til you make it' in the happiness arena. And that is just so counter productive and often actually harmful. Again, we now call this terrible thinking toxic positivity.
I've seen two recent comments by women that state so eloquently the importance of honoring your sadness/sorrow/grief and honoring that of another person. One has terminal cancer and some people tell her she shouldn't be sad, even though she is the most positive person I have ever seen, living with what she calls "rebellious hope," but still sometimes feeling the weight of her mortality and feeling sad. Emotions are not 'good' or 'bad', they just are and are an important part of our life. The more we honor our emotions, the richer our life. Yes, we can get stuck in emotions and that can cause some problems, but in general, acknowledging and honoring them lessens the probability of getting stuck. Emotions that are shoved down don't stay down and often wreck some havoc in trying to get back out. You need to live/work through them and discover the beauty that every emotion has.
The recent movie, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings had this lovely quote: "Stop hiding...it only prolongs the pain." And that is the truth about resisting the emotions that we feel, whatever they are.
The Disney/Pixar 2015 movie Inside Out is an absolutely beautiful movie dealing with these ideas.
October 16, 2021
Festlich gekleidet in Oberhemd und Pullunder begrüßt das Kind eine große, gekritzelte Figur mit langen, dünnen Beinen – seine Traurigkeit. Wie einen willkommenen Gast nimmt der Junge die Traurigkeit auf. Er gibt der Figur „eine Wohnung“, in der sie alles tun darf, was ihr guttut – liegen, stehen, sich zusammenrollen oder „sehr, sehr laut sein“. Die Wohnung muss in allen Jahreszeiten Schutz bieten und steht zugleich für die Hoffnung, dass die Traurigkeit sich aus der Nähe zum betroffenen Kind wieder nach außen wendet und eines Tages nicht mehr so viel Beachtung und Empathie benötigt wie gerade. Erst dann kann auch der kleine Junge die Isolation seiner eigenen Trauer verlassen.
Die abstrakte Wohnung für die Traurigkeit kann für Verständnis und Toleranz stehen, aber auch für die Bedürfnisse des Jungen selbst, wenn die Traurigkeit bei ihm zu Gast ist.
Nach einem Zitat von Etty Hillesum (Gib deiner Traurigkeit den ganzen Raum ...) haben Anne Booth und ihr Team ein zeitloses Bilderbuch geschaffen, das für Kinder ab 5 wie Erwachsene Trauer, Traurigkeit und das Erinnern in bewegende Bilder umsetzt.
Die abstrakte Wohnung für die Traurigkeit kann für Verständnis und Toleranz stehen, aber auch für die Bedürfnisse des Jungen selbst, wenn die Traurigkeit bei ihm zu Gast ist.
Nach einem Zitat von Etty Hillesum (Gib deiner Traurigkeit den ganzen Raum ...) haben Anne Booth und ihr Team ein zeitloses Bilderbuch geschaffen, das für Kinder ab 5 wie Erwachsene Trauer, Traurigkeit und das Erinnern in bewegende Bilder umsetzt.
November 23, 2021
A well written book for kids to understand depression and self care. Sadness is a character that can express itself in many different ways and each way is accepted. Beautiful artwork as well!
April 20, 2022
An important story about sadness with gorgeous illustrations.
June 28, 2021
Based upon the writings of Etty Hillesum, a Jewish woman and victim of the Holocaust, this story invites readers to explore the sadness within themselves and to never ignore it but rather tend to it in whatever way feels right.
In order to explore this complex concept, Booth and Litchfield work together to create a written and visual metaphor of Sadness and the home that a young boy makes for it. The shelter itself sits on the edge of the boy's home and has an opening, a window, drawings from memory and imagination and sadness itself. Cloud-like in shape with long thin arms and legs and a heart set within its translucent form.
The first person narrative shows a boy who displays a growing understanding and acceptance over his sadness; he cannot control it but he attempts to live with it through compassion and care. He recognises that it often needs its own space to choose whether it wishes to bathe in light or sit shrouded in the shadows. Together, he and his Sadness navigate this complex landscape of emotions and there is much here to invite young readers to interpret and to bring their own stories. Powerful stuff.
In order to explore this complex concept, Booth and Litchfield work together to create a written and visual metaphor of Sadness and the home that a young boy makes for it. The shelter itself sits on the edge of the boy's home and has an opening, a window, drawings from memory and imagination and sadness itself. Cloud-like in shape with long thin arms and legs and a heart set within its translucent form.
The first person narrative shows a boy who displays a growing understanding and acceptance over his sadness; he cannot control it but he attempts to live with it through compassion and care. He recognises that it often needs its own space to choose whether it wishes to bathe in light or sit shrouded in the shadows. Together, he and his Sadness navigate this complex landscape of emotions and there is much here to invite young readers to interpret and to bring their own stories. Powerful stuff.
March 6, 2021
This was an utterly gorgeous book. It is a beautiful way to explore the feeling of sadness and how it can feel different to everyone and how many different ways it can be coped with. The illustrations are stunning and it’s a great message conveyed very effectively.
December 31, 2023
actual rating: 4,5
I think its too complicated for children to understand the meaning by their own. but as adult I find it captivating to have a shelter for sadness to grow, having time & space, and enjoying life when it's ready. it kinda remind me about Inside Out movie.
I think its too complicated for children to understand the meaning by their own. but as adult I find it captivating to have a shelter for sadness to grow, having time & space, and enjoying life when it's ready. it kinda remind me about Inside Out movie.
February 28, 2024
‘Sadness has come to live with me, and I am building it a shelter.’
I’ve been living with depression since childhood; this book is a beautiful piece for readers (big & little) to be reminded that you are still whole even when you have sadness/depression/sorrow in your life.
This is a children’s book I must purchase for my own bookshelf & future rereads❤️
I’ve been living with depression since childhood; this book is a beautiful piece for readers (big & little) to be reminded that you are still whole even when you have sadness/depression/sorrow in your life.
This is a children’s book I must purchase for my own bookshelf & future rereads❤️
June 4, 2026
My six year old was asking a lot of questions about building a shelter of happiness and how can sadness be a person? Interesting concept about giving space for sadness and letting it be.
June 29, 2026
sometimes we just need to validate our sadness, just sit there and understand. sadness is part of our lives, we can't live without it, it's always there
June 16, 2022
Uşaq ədəbiyyatını nadir hallarda oxuyuram... Bu da nadir hallardan biri idi... yəqin adındaki melanxolik ab-havaya qapıldığıma görə seçmişəm...
İllüstrasiyaları ayrı bir dünya idi... oxuma, sədəcə vərəqləyib tamaşa elə... lap özündən hekayə uydur... mətni də toplasan, bir A4 ya olar, ya olmaz...
Düzü lap dərin bir hekayə gözləyirdim... amma əldə elədiyim dərin hekayə oldu... Uşaqlarla birlikdə oxuduq... mən oxudum onlar dinlədi... Kədərlə dost olmağın yollarını öyrənməyə çalışdıq... Mən çoxdan öyrənmişəm... ya da öyrəndiyimə inanıram... indi sıra onlardadır...
Oğlanın bir kədəri var... onun ürəyi də var... bunu ilüstrasaiyalardan öyrənirik... Oğlan kədərini qovmağa, ondan qurtulmağa çalışmır... əksinə ona bir çadır düzəldir... onu oraya məskunlaşdırır... ona tez-tez baş çəkir... birlikdə pəncərədən baxır... fəsillərə tamaşa edirlər... Kədər orada sərsbəstdir... istədiyini edir... gah qışqırır... gah qaçır... gah yatır... və s. eynən həyatdaki kimi... mehriban "düşmən" kimi... "ayrılsaq da birlikdəyik" kimi....
Qızım deyir ki, ata bu kitabı yenə oxuyaq...
İllüstrasiyaları ayrı bir dünya idi... oxuma, sədəcə vərəqləyib tamaşa elə... lap özündən hekayə uydur... mətni də toplasan, bir A4 ya olar, ya olmaz...
Düzü lap dərin bir hekayə gözləyirdim... amma əldə elədiyim dərin hekayə oldu... Uşaqlarla birlikdə oxuduq... mən oxudum onlar dinlədi... Kədərlə dost olmağın yollarını öyrənməyə çalışdıq... Mən çoxdan öyrənmişəm... ya da öyrəndiyimə inanıram... indi sıra onlardadır...
Oğlanın bir kədəri var... onun ürəyi də var... bunu ilüstrasaiyalardan öyrənirik... Oğlan kədərini qovmağa, ondan qurtulmağa çalışmır... əksinə ona bir çadır düzəldir... onu oraya məskunlaşdırır... ona tez-tez baş çəkir... birlikdə pəncərədən baxır... fəsillərə tamaşa edirlər... Kədər orada sərsbəstdir... istədiyini edir... gah qışqırır... gah qaçır... gah yatır... və s. eynən həyatdaki kimi... mehriban "düşmən" kimi... "ayrılsaq da birlikdəyik" kimi....
Qızım deyir ki, ata bu kitabı yenə oxuyaq...
April 27, 2022
Gosh this was good. It opened up a really meaningful conversation with my kids about sadness, and how it’s okay and it can come and go. My kids have seen me struggle with sadness after the loss of their sister and they see me have good days and bad and I felt like this was a really tangible and accessible explanation that they can see in my life and use to describe their experiences too.
I feel like overall this is one of the best childrens books I’ve come across that can explain what grief is like. I will probably buy a copy for us because I loved it so much.
I feel like overall this is one of the best childrens books I’ve come across that can explain what grief is like. I will probably buy a copy for us because I loved it so much.
July 2, 2023
çizimleri, verdiği mesaj, dili... her şeyi çok güzeldi. evimize gelen çocuklara, kuzenlerime hediye ettim hep. o kadar çok sevdim yani. duygular hakkında okumayı çok seven biri olarak çocuklara kötü hislerini nasıl karşılayacaklarını böyle bir kitapla öğretebilmek benim için harika bir fikir oldu.
April 25, 2021
A picture book exploring the place of sadness in a life, letting sadness have a place - showing that sadness is legitimate and normal.
November 28, 2021
Huh. Kind of odd. Nurturing sadness?
December 15, 2021
Incredibly beautiful images and such a sweet book about accepting one's own feeling of sadness
May 24, 2022
What an awesome book with a powerful message.
December 9, 2025
Bir çocuk kitabı olsa da daha çok yetişkinlere hitap ettiğini, bir yetişkin aracılığı ile çocuklara açıklayıcı aktarımlarla paylaşılabilecek nitelikte olduğunu düşünüyorum. Duyguların varlığının deneyimine kabul verebilmeyi, korkmadan onları yaşamayı (kitapta beslemek olarak aktarıldığını düşünüyorum), duygularla bilinçli bir bağ kurmayı, hayatımızda bir yeri olduğunu naif ve hayalci bir yaklaşım ile anlatmış. Görseller ve kurgu çok etkileyici ve canlı çok beğendim ancak bir çocuk için açıklayıcı olduğundan emin değilim. Yetişkin olarak 5 puan çocuğa yönelik olarak ele alındığında 3 puan verilebilir.
June 13, 2026
A small boy who builds a safe shelter for his Sadness. The Sadness in this book is shown as a living being. He can act and do everything like human. The boy also treats Sadness as a friend of his, visiting him and even spend time with him. I feel like he’s visiting the sadness in his mind when he is sad. Just the imagination that will teach kids.
I this so much. It teaches the kids and me the reader about sadness and how to deal with it. So emotion but in a good way. LOVE THIS!!!
I this so much. It teaches the kids and me the reader about sadness and how to deal with it. So emotion but in a good way. LOVE THIS!!!
July 27, 2026
Ein Buch über die Traurigkeit eines kleinen Jungen, der ihr einen festen Ort gibt, ihr eine Wohnung baut und der sich um sie sie kümmert.
Berührend erzählt mit ausdrucksstarken, sanften Bildern. Für Kinder ab 5, aber ebenso für Grundschulkids und auch Erwachsene.
Berührend erzählt mit ausdrucksstarken, sanften Bildern. Für Kinder ab 5, aber ebenso für Grundschulkids und auch Erwachsene.
October 2, 2021
a wise approach to dealing with sadness - honouring it rather than stuffing it
August 26, 2023
I can't talk right now, my eyes are sweating a bit.....
May 5, 2026
Ame demasiado este libro espero pronto tenerlo biblioteca, me hizo sentir que podía tener un refugio para la tristeza y poder abrazar cada parte de lo que es sentirla, las ilustraciones son demasiado lindas y trasmiten muchas cosas.
March 3, 2023
If you working with grieving children, teens and families, this books needs to be of your collection. Beautifully illustrated with a lovely story to match.
May 15, 2023
really beautiful and thought provoking. as i grow older, im learning how to build a shelter for my sadness too
February 1, 2024
Wunderschöne Grafik und schöne Grundidee, aber die Grundaussage ist mir am Ende nicht vollkommen klar geworden... .-.
November 27, 2024
One of the best books I’ve read this year!
As someone who suffers from depression this book came to me like a sunset…. The light within it grows and grows. I just felt so safe and warm as I read each page… the pictures are gorgeous. Thank you to the author for writing it.
As someone who suffers from depression this book came to me like a sunset…. The light within it grows and grows. I just felt so safe and warm as I read each page… the pictures are gorgeous. Thank you to the author for writing it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews