CHECK OUT: We Need to Talk About Death

Dear Friends,

“Death is an important part of life, yet it is one of the hardest things to talk about. In this frank and honest book by death expert Sarah Chavez you will find out what happens when we die, learn about grief, and discover the rituals people around the world use to honor the dead.”

That is a quote from the back of a book written for children called “We Need to Talk About Death - An Important Book About Grief, Celebrations and Love” written by Sarah Chavez and illustrated by Annika Le Large.  The book is recommended for older children, aged 10-14.

This book presents the reader with a diverse range of topics; what happens to a body after death, different kinds of burials, remembering pets, what happens at a funeral, death festivals around the world and many more interesting subjects.  The book includes a table of contents as well as an index at the back, making it very easy to find an answer to a particular question.

Even though the recommended age range is 10 - 14, I think because the illustrations are so engaging and the format of the book so well done, that children outside of this age range will find it interesting as well.  I believe I can also safely say that most adults will find information in it that is new to them, I know I did!

What I like most about this book is the way that death is “normalized”, as being part of life and the different cultural perspectives of death and grief are shown together.  There is no “one right way”.  Our curiosity is also normalized and it’s recognized that we all have questions and sometimes it’s hard to find easy answers, especially since people often find it a hard subject to discuss.

Children (and adults too) may have questions about what happens to their loved one after they die and alongside the different religious views is this quote which I think is lovely:

“In the end, the one afterlife we know about for certain is the one we create here on Earth, through our love and how we choose to remember someone.”  

There is a short overview of the book, so you can see if it is something you would want to possibly find at a library or bookstore, check out YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/shorts/OoYRvYIy8MY.