Summary from the publisher:
Henry and Bea are inseparable, but one day Henry
suddenly stops talking to his best friend. Bea knows there’s something Henry’s not
telling her, but what could it be?
Henry and Bea have always been inseparable…until
one day Henry suddenly stops talking to Bea. He won’t chat with her in class,
and he won’t sit with her at lunch. Bea can tell something’s going on, and
she’s determined to find out what it is.
When their teacher announces that the class is
taking a field trip to a farm, Bea hopes that this might be her chance to
reconnect with Henry. When Henry finds an old cat collar at the farm and starts
to cry, he finally reveals his secret to Bea: his cat Buddy died last week.
And even though it’s hard for them both, Bea knows
that she’ll be there for Henry, as his best friend, no matter what.
Henry and Bea was written and illustrated by Jessixa
Bagley. It was published in 2019 by Holiday House.
Opening:
It’s always lucky to find someone who understands you,
and that’s why Henry and Bea were the best of friends.
My Thoughts as a Writer:
This story about the loss of a pet was a little different in that it
showed how sadness affected the character during their everyday life. It was
really interesting how his friend tried to figure out what was wrong when he
didn’t feel like talking. A good example for writers for how to include some
interiority from a character.
The soft-toned illustrations capture a lovely, quiet mood for this
story. I enjoyed how the details on the clothing and the character expressions
make them seem so real.
My Thoughts as an Educator:
This is a quieter story about emotions and sadness. Although this story
is about dealing with the loss of a pet, it could be used for discussion about
any kind of loss or sadness.
Ages: 4-7
Grades: K – 2
Themes: sadness, loss, friendship
Activities:
Discuss: What is your favourite page
in the story? Explain why.
Draw & Write: What do you do when you feel sad? Draw a picture of
something you like to hold or a place you go to be by yourself. Write sentence:
I feel sad when…
Fun at home: With a grown-up, find a cookie recipe and bake some cookies!
[Baking is a great opportunity for learning about measuring.]
For more picture book reviews and activities, visit Susanna Leonard Hill's blog on Fridays.
When Henry finds the old cat collar on the farm and begins to cry, I could cry with him. This sounds like quite a touching story that deals with the tender topic of the loss of a pet -- something many children will, sadly, be able to relate to. When my library reopens, I'll make sure to look for a copy. Many thanks for sharing this book today.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet share today about a friend helping a sad friend deal with the loss of his dog -- sometimes the very first loss a child experiences. I remember holding funerals for dead wild birds and bunnies in the field behind our house as a kid. Dealing with grief is such an important topic for kids.
ReplyDeleteWhat an important book. It's often hard to know how to help a friend through their grief. This is an important book and I am looking forward to getting a good look at it, soon.
ReplyDeleteI love this book. Such a poignant and empathetic story. Thank you for featuring it for PPBF!
ReplyDelete