Auntie Anne

A selection of my reviews of books for older children. Most of these are focussed on death and grief.

HAZEL AND THE SNAILS

Written by Nan Blanchard.

Illustrated by Giselle Clarkson.

A gentle, solemn chapter book for readers gaining in confidence.

Hazel is six-years-old and her father is dying. She is trying to make sense of her changing world.

COREY’S ROCK

Written by Sita Brahmachari.

Illustrated by Jane E. Ray.

Another gentle, compassionate, exploration of the long-lasting — and wide-spreading — nature of grief.

The book ends in hope, but with grief still there. As it is, in real life.

THE SPACE WE’RE IN

Written by Katya Balen.

I read this because the subject headings said it was about death and grief. Which it is. But is so much more.

The first third, or so, of the book sets up the family dynamic.

You meet the first-person narrator: Frank and his family. Mum, Dad, Granny M, and Max — his younger brother.

Max is autistic, and Franks is sometimes ashamed. Impatient. Resentful.

But then… Mum dies.

And the family falls apart.

How rare it is, to be shown this level of not-coping. Really, really, not coping.

Dad doesn’t make a pretense of trying. He is just incapable.

Until Frank loses it. Unable to carry the burden of adulting any longer.

All the minor characters have character. They are all people. All individuals.

This is a magical book.

One that will stay with you.

View on goodreads.com

A selection of my reviews of books for adults, focussing on books about death and grief, and children’s literature-related books.

IT’S OK THAT YOU’RE NOT OK: MEETING GRIEF AND LOSS IN A CULTURE THAT DOESN’T UNDERSTAND

By Megan Devine.

If I was asked what one book to read, to help someone who was grieving — this is the book.

If I was asked what one book to read, to help understand your own grief — this is the book.

Written by someone who lives with her grief, as we all do. It never goes away, we just carry it differently.

PORTABLE MAGIC: THE HISTORY OF OUR LOVE AFFAIR WITH BOOKS

By Professor Emma Smith.

A fascinating look at books as objects and their history. Told in thematic chapters, with some chronological order.

ALL THAT REMAINS: A LIFE IN DEATH

By Sue Black, Baroness Black of Strome.

I first learnt of Sue Black, then Professor Black, in a podcast. She seemed wonderful, and her science was fascinating (forensics! Anatomy!)

Having heard her speak, you can hear her voice in this book. (For added oomph, I highly recommend listening to the audio book version, as narrated by herself.)

Part autobiography, part science text, part history – all engrossing.

Her no-nonsense. upfront, and scientific approach to death – both as a daughter, and a scientist – is one I appreciate.

It is so fascinating, I read bits out to my elderly mother – and that’s why I ended up finding out how to donate your body to medical schools.

PICTUREBOOK MAKERS

Edited by Sam McCullen, from the Picturebook Makers blog.

This is a fascinating glimpse into the making of picturebooks, from creators both famous and beginning their craft.

The book has makers from non-English speaking countries, which is great – to find more creators to add to my bulging to-be-read pile.

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO THE END: PRACTICAL ADVICE FOR LIVING LIFE AND FACING DEATH

By B. J. Miller and Shoshana Berger.

Grief is a shape-shifter and varies in intensity and form as it winds its way through a person.

This book is written for, and aimed at, those facing the prospect of their own death.

Some of the advice is very UK-specific.

There are a couple of chapters which may help when working with children:

Chapter 16: How to talk to kids

Chapter 21: Grief.

THE FAIRY TELLERS: A JOURNEY INTO THE SECRET HISTORY OF FAIRY TALES

By Nicholas Jubber.

Christmas songs have invaded my brain, so can you guess which song I started singing, based on this review?

You know the Grimms and Andersen and Perrault.

d’Aulnoy and Lang and Zipes.

But do you know…

Giambattista?

Hanna Dyâb?

Dortchen Wild?

Ivan Khudiakov?

Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot Gallon de Villeneuve?

History and biography weave their way through these tales of tellers.

About the name of this section:

‘And stuff’ is a useful descriptor, when all else fails.

It’s also not recent.

Years ago, when studying Old English for my MA, for days in a row I was the one who ended up translating — aloud — lists of things from Ælfric’s Colloquy.

The fisherman, for example, when asked what he caught:

Hærincgas ond leaxas, mereswyn ond stirian, ostran ond crabban, muslan, winewinclan, sæcoccas, fagc ond floc ond lopystran ond fela swylces.

herrings and salmon, dolphins and sturgeons, oysters and crabs, mussels, periwinkles, shellfish, plaice and flounder, and lobsters and many things like that. 

Or, the merchant, when asked about what he imported:

Pællas ond sidan, deorwyrþe gymmas ond gold, selcuþe reaf ond wyrtgemangc, win ond ele, ylpesban ond mæstlingc, ær ond tin, swefel ond glæs, on þylces fela.

Purple and silk, precious stones and gold, various sorts of clothing, pigments, wine and oil, ivory, copper, brass and tin, sulphur and glass, and the like. 

So… this is my ‘and the like / stuff’ section. Things that don’t quite fit in the style of the other spots.