Anyone who has school aged children likely knows the pain of inevitably having to explain loss to them. Our own children suffered the loss of one of our cats, then Grandpa and Grandma, followed by a dear Uncle and their only remaining Grandma. And even since then we have had more pets pass away. My kids are now 11 and 13, but when they were younger and we knew that one Grandma was not likely to win her battle with cancer we started preparing the older child with books. Books about complex social issues can be a really great window into their lives and a jumping off point for discussions about subjects that they might not yet have words for. Charlotte’s Web and Robert Munsch’s The Lighthouse were favourites of ours back then.
This past month I was introduced to a new children’s picture book about grief. My Yellow Balloon takes an interesting topic and makes it extremely accessible to many by making a tangible object the item that’s lost. The yellow balloon becomes a metaphor for loss and grief. My Yellow Balloon by Tiffany Papageorge is the story of a child gifted a yellow balloon at the carnival. Joey and his balloon do everything together until one day the balloon escapes into the sky and flies away. The balloon raises the subject of grief, love and loss as Joey tries to cope with the loss of an object that was dear to him. Complex emotions arise, as they would in any child experiencing a loss, and the colour vanishes from Joey’s world as he processes sadness and anxiety and all the other big emotions. By using an object, and not a human being, the author gives a complex subject a bit of distance. I enjoyed that actually. It has the effect of gently easing into the topic of grief and death and loss.
My Yellow Balloon is written by author and speaker Tiffany Papageorge. It is beautifully illustrated by Erwin Madrid and has already won many awards. My Yellow Balloon is a great addition to any library. My Yellow Balloon by Minoan Moon publishing has bright and cheery illustrations and is really a keepsake kind of book. It sells for $18.99 US.
As you know, unfortunately my kids have had to deal with loss since they were very young in the loss of their (triplet) brother. They seem to have grief all figured out, it’s me that wants to make sure that I’m supporting them. This book seems like another way for me to do that.
A few years ago, Artemis had a red balloon and she lost it. As she watched it float up into the sky and sobbed, I thanked her for sharing it with her brother. She immediately stopped crying. That was the ticket for her. To this day, she regularly talks about the balloon.
Besos Sarah
Journeys of The Zoo
Sarah: That is a beautiful story. I am so glad to hear that she related to something so simple as the balloon. It’s heartbreaking the amount of loss some kids have to deal with.