Ben's Flying Flowers

K-Gr 3—As this story opens, three-year-old Ben and his seven-year-old sister, Emily, are running through a field of clover as Ben exclaims, "Look! Look! A flying flower." They watch some butterflies for a while but then Ben gets tired and has to rest. Emily recognizes this as a symptom of Ben's "serious illness." Over the next days and weeks, readers see him lose his strength and eventually go to the hospital after celebrating his fourth birthday. He does not return from the hospital, and Emily goes through a range of emotions as she grieves for him. She draws dark pictures and she cries. Over time, she manages to be less angry by snuggling with her parents, talking with caring adults, and playing with her friends. Whimsical illustrations keep this story from overarching sadness, and the combination of black and white with pops of color is quite effective. The back matter is likely the most important part of this work. Tips for explaining death to a child along with the stages of grief for siblings and coping techniques will be helpful for families going through the tragedy of losing a child. An asset to parenting sections.—Stacy Dillon, LREI, New York City