Something Sad Happened: is the second book in a new series called Comfort For Children in Hard Times from New Growth Press. It is written by Darby Strickland who is a faculty member and counselor at the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF). Thaís Mesquita is the illustrater, and you can see her style here.
Death comes to us all at some point in our lives. For most children it is through a beloved pet, although sometimes it is through a parents, a relative, or a friend. In Something Sad Happened, the main character, a blue bird called Sunny, likes to sing all the time. Until one day when she doesn’t. She no longer makes a sound. Something sad had happened. We discover soon after that a bird named Wren had died. We don’t know who Wren is, but we can assume she was a friend. What we do know is that she was well loved by everyone.
Sunny is distraught over Wren’s death, and no one is sure why it had to happen, but fellow woodland neighbors help remind her of things they are sure of: God is always with us, he tucks us under his wings close to his heart, and he keeps track of our sorrows (Ps 56:8). She prays to Jesus (who is with her), but when she opens her eyes she sees all of her physical friends who are there with her to comfort her. While a future resurrection and life with God brings joy, Sunny doesn’t feel like she can sing a happy song yet, and that’s okay. She learns it is okay to be sad. After drawing a picture of things Wren loved, Sunny flies hopeful into the sky as she thinks about how she will one day be reunited with Wren in Jesus’ presence.
Recommended?
This book aims to help children lament well. Lamenting is biblical (Pss 6; 10; 13; 25; 42), and it is good! Kids shouldn’t bottle up their emotions; they need their parents to help them work through these difficult emotions. It is also important for parents to remember that these things take time for our children to work through. Strickland offers helpful wisdom on asking children questions about they feel, which leads us to teach them how to pray specific prayers about those feelings and what causes them. Then we remind them of God’s love for them in the different ways he shows that to us, most importantly through the death and resurrection of his Son (Rom 5:8).
Pair this with The Moon is Always Round, Goodbye to Goodbyes, and Henry Says Good-Bye.
Find it on Amazon and New Growth Press!
Lagniappe
- Series: Comfort for Children in Hard Times
- Editor: Darby Strickland
- Illustrator: Thaís Mesquita
- Hardcover: 32 pages
- Age Range: 5-11 years
- Publisher: New Growth Press (September 23, 2024)
Review Disclosure: I received this book free from New Growth Press. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html.
Amazon Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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