What do you think?
Rate this book
A Garden of Creatures
A tender and deeply moving picture book about loss and the big questions it leaves behind from New York Times bestselling author Sheila Heti and acclaimed illustrator Esmé Shapiro.
Two bunnies and a cat live happily together in a beautiful garden. But when the big bunny passes away, the little bunny is unsure how to fill the void she left behind. A strange dream prompts her to begin asking questions: Why do the creatures we love have to die, and where do we go when we die? How come life works this way? With the wisdom of the cat to guide her, the little bunny learns that missing someone is a way of keeping them close. And together they discover that the big bunny is a part of everything around them — the grass, the air, the leaves — for the world is a garden of creatures.
With its meditative text, endearing illustrations and life-affirming message, A Garden of Creatures reveals how the interconnectedness of nature and the sweetness of friendship can be a warm embrace even in the darkest times.
Two bunnies and a cat live happily together in a beautiful garden. But when the big bunny passes away, the little bunny is unsure how to fill the void she left behind. A strange dream prompts her to begin asking questions: Why do the creatures we love have to die, and where do we go when we die? How come life works this way? With the wisdom of the cat to guide her, the little bunny learns that missing someone is a way of keeping them close. And together they discover that the big bunny is a part of everything around them — the grass, the air, the leaves — for the world is a garden of creatures.
With its meditative text, endearing illustrations and life-affirming message, A Garden of Creatures reveals how the interconnectedness of nature and the sweetness of friendship can be a warm embrace even in the darkest times.
40 pages, Hardcover
Published May 10, 2022
About the author
Sheila Heti
47 books1,940 followersSheila Heti is the author of ten books, including the novels Motherhood and How Should a Person Be? Her upcoming novel, Pure Colour, will be published on February 15, 2022.
Her second children’s book, A Garden of Creatures, illustrated by Esme Shapiro, will be published in May 2022.
She was named one of "The New Vanguard" by The New York Times; a list of fifteen writers from around the world who are "shaping the way we read and write fiction in the 21st century." Her books have been translated into twenty-three languages.
Motherhood was chosen by the book critics at the New York Times as one of the top books of 2018, and New York magazine chose it as the Best Book of the year. How Should a Person Be? was named one of the 12 “New Classics of the 21st century” by Vulture. It was a New York Times Notable Book, a best book of the year in The New Yorker, and was cited by Time as "one of the most talked-about books of the year.”
Women in Clothes, a collaboration with Leanne Shapton, Heidi Julavits, and 639 women from around the world, was a New York Times bestseller. She is also the author of a children’s book titled We Need a Horse, with art by Clare Rojas.
Her play, All Our Happy Days are Stupid, had sold-out runs at The Kitchen in New York and Videofag in Toronto.
She is the former Interviews Editor of The Believer magazine, and has conducted many long-form print interviews with writers and artists, including Joan Didion, Elena Ferrante, Agnes Varda, Sophie Calle, Dave Hickey and John Currin. Her fiction and criticism have appeared in The New Yorker, McSweeney’s, Bookforum, n+1, Granta, The London Review of Books, and elsewhere.
She has spoken at the Museum of Modern Art, the Tate Modern, the New Yorker Festival, the 92nd Street Y, the Hammer Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago, and at universities across North America, and festivals internationally. Her six-hour lecture on writing, delivered in the Spring of 2021, can be purchased through the Leslie Shipman agency.
She is the founder of the Trampoline Hall lecture series, and appeared in Margaux Williamson’s 2012 film Teenager Hamlet, and in Leanne Shapton’s book, Important Artifacts. She lives in Toronto.
Her second children’s book, A Garden of Creatures, illustrated by Esme Shapiro, will be published in May 2022.
She was named one of "The New Vanguard" by The New York Times; a list of fifteen writers from around the world who are "shaping the way we read and write fiction in the 21st century." Her books have been translated into twenty-three languages.
Motherhood was chosen by the book critics at the New York Times as one of the top books of 2018, and New York magazine chose it as the Best Book of the year. How Should a Person Be? was named one of the 12 “New Classics of the 21st century” by Vulture. It was a New York Times Notable Book, a best book of the year in The New Yorker, and was cited by Time as "one of the most talked-about books of the year.”
Women in Clothes, a collaboration with Leanne Shapton, Heidi Julavits, and 639 women from around the world, was a New York Times bestseller. She is also the author of a children’s book titled We Need a Horse, with art by Clare Rojas.
Her play, All Our Happy Days are Stupid, had sold-out runs at The Kitchen in New York and Videofag in Toronto.
She is the former Interviews Editor of The Believer magazine, and has conducted many long-form print interviews with writers and artists, including Joan Didion, Elena Ferrante, Agnes Varda, Sophie Calle, Dave Hickey and John Currin. Her fiction and criticism have appeared in The New Yorker, McSweeney’s, Bookforum, n+1, Granta, The London Review of Books, and elsewhere.
She has spoken at the Museum of Modern Art, the Tate Modern, the New Yorker Festival, the 92nd Street Y, the Hammer Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago, and at universities across North America, and festivals internationally. Her six-hour lecture on writing, delivered in the Spring of 2021, can be purchased through the Leslie Shipman agency.
She is the founder of the Trampoline Hall lecture series, and appeared in Margaux Williamson’s 2012 film Teenager Hamlet, and in Leanne Shapton’s book, Important Artifacts. She lives in Toronto.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
July 16, 2022
This is it folks, the perfect book written about death and dying without any bible/jesus/christian god BS.
Seriously, perfect. Recommend for kids AND adults.
Seriously, perfect. Recommend for kids AND adults.
November 9, 2022
I want to smuggle this into my father’s house and read it to my young, God fearing siblings!
January 18, 2023
This story is about two bunnies and a cat that live in a garden. When one bunny dies, the other struggles with the loss and misses the bunny. The cat helps the bunny realize that our loved ones are always with us. This book is a good tool for parents who want to talk to their kids about death or help their children deal with death.
The book is beautiful. It's sad and inspiring at the same time. It made me stop and think about my own view of death and loss. One of the beautiful parts is that the author reminds the reader that the act of reflecting on death is something we all have in common with each other and every creature. The author ends on a positive note that the people we love are always here, whether we can see them or not.
To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://www.momsdonthavetimetoreadboo...
The book is beautiful. It's sad and inspiring at the same time. It made me stop and think about my own view of death and loss. One of the beautiful parts is that the author reminds the reader that the act of reflecting on death is something we all have in common with each other and every creature. The author ends on a positive note that the people we love are always here, whether we can see them or not.
To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://www.momsdonthavetimetoreadboo...
November 18, 2023
Gorgeous art and a beautiful message ~
March 6, 2022
This was a very sweet and gorgeous way of expressing grief. The young bunny has questions and the cat doesn’t turn her away, and instead indulges the questions with her own thoughts and further questions. It’s so important for everyone, not just kids, to see that death and grief are a part of life and that there are so many ways to remember the one who was lost. I really like the line that says death doesn’t mean anyone did anything wrong. It’s a natural process for us all. Also this artwork is insanely beautiful to look at and it perfectly fits the theme and vibe of the novel.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 19, 2022
Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of A Garden of Creatures in exchange for an honest review.
Children's media that handles grief in an honest yet comforting way is so hard to come by. Love the intent here and hope it can help a lot of guardians and kiddos.
Children's media that handles grief in an honest yet comforting way is so hard to come by. Love the intent here and hope it can help a lot of guardians and kiddos.
Read
September 16, 2022“i think missing someone is a way of keeping them close” 😭
January 5, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Randomhouse Canada for a copy of A Garden of Creatures in exchange for my honest review!
A Garden of Creatures is a lovely children's picture book that guides a little bunny through what death is after experiencing the death of a friend. The illustrations of the animals and the gardens are beautiful with a very interesting style. While I wouldn't call them whimsical, they use pastel colors to illustrate vibrant gardens, which help ease young readers into the difficult material. I appreciated the approach to death not being focused on any specific religion. There is no mention of heaven, a better place, or reincarnation, but instead of being buried in the ground and memories keeping the person alive.
I did find the initial death to be very jarring. For young readers, I feel like more build up and softened language would be beneficial. The characters felt very disconnected in the story. I think this could be helped by naming them, instead of referring to them as "bunny" and "cat".
Overall, it is a cute book that deals with a difficult subject well.
#AGardenofCreatures #NetGalley
A Garden of Creatures is a lovely children's picture book that guides a little bunny through what death is after experiencing the death of a friend. The illustrations of the animals and the gardens are beautiful with a very interesting style. While I wouldn't call them whimsical, they use pastel colors to illustrate vibrant gardens, which help ease young readers into the difficult material. I appreciated the approach to death not being focused on any specific religion. There is no mention of heaven, a better place, or reincarnation, but instead of being buried in the ground and memories keeping the person alive.
I did find the initial death to be very jarring. For young readers, I feel like more build up and softened language would be beneficial. The characters felt very disconnected in the story. I think this could be helped by naming them, instead of referring to them as "bunny" and "cat".
Overall, it is a cute book that deals with a difficult subject well.
#AGardenofCreatures #NetGalley
January 9, 2022
This book is visually stunning. I absolutely love the art style!! The story was really sweet and heartwarming. like other reviews have said, I agree that the death that the story surrounds was very sudden without much of a backstory/set up of characters. But still, I really love the discussion that the cat and bunny have about what happens after life!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a review!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a review!
May 28, 2022
This is the kind of picture book where you can open it at random and encounter sentences like: "Death is not a punishment," the toast-colored bunny said.
What a beautiful, sad, weird story about grief and loss. Esme Shapiro has finally found a story and an author worthy of her artistic talents. I have to say, I didn't expect that author to be Sheila Heti!
What a beautiful, sad, weird story about grief and loss. Esme Shapiro has finally found a story and an author worthy of her artistic talents. I have to say, I didn't expect that author to be Sheila Heti!
Read
January 21, 2022Whimsical children's book approaching the topic of death without observing God. Sweet writing, beautiful illustrations. My only complaint is that the magnolia tree mentioned in the text is not the type of tree that appears illustrated.
ARC provided by publisher thru NetGalley, thank you.
ARC provided by publisher thru NetGalley, thank you.
January 11, 2022
A Garden of Creatures is a story which takes on the topic of death and what happens when someone dies. In the story, a bunny got sick and dies pretty quickly. The bunny is buried by the child who loved it, but the animals had questions about what happens to the bunny now. The book is very direct with the death itself and does not use any euphemisms to describe the death. This can be beneficial for some children, especially a child with special needs who may not understand what that type of language means. The answers to the really tough questions that many people have about death and what happens afterwards are not really answered because no one knows what really happens when someone dies. The book explains that every creature that lives must die and it’s okay to miss those who die. The book also explains that death is not a punishment, which could be meaningful for children who think that people die because they did something wrong. If you are looking for a book on the afterlife or that follows a particular religious or spiritual belief system, this is not the book for you. There is no mention of heaven or a better place. It is about the acceptance that death is a natural part of life, that it is okay to miss someone who dies, and that every being leaves a trace of itself behind on earth. The heart keeps forever what it once loved. I believe this would be an excellent resource for a school counselor, children’s social worker, children’s counselor, etc because it deals with death without imposing a particular spiritual belief.
May 19, 2022
Beautiful book about death and grief for children. I love the sweet illustrations.
June 27, 2022
I knew that this was a beautifully illustrated book- but I didn't realize it was about death and dying. Once I switched tracks, I thought this was a really beautiful explanation of grief, uncertainty, and acceptance. And gorgeous illustrations. I wouldn't pick it out for a random storytime, but for the right kid (or adult!) this is just the thing they might need to read.
January 23, 2023
I find myself torn in two directions this time of year. One of joy with the holidays approaching and wanting to make so many memories with my children and family. The other of sadness, for having to have said goodbye to so many loved ones over the years (four anniversaries between now and Christmas). I often find it difficult to explain to my children the highs and lows their father and I feel over this time….
📖 I stumbled upon this book A Garden of Creatures and it may be one of my favorites for this year. It had me in tears for how beautifully well it addressed this difficult topic.
📖 Three creatures, two bunnies and a cat live happily in a beautiful garden together. Their lives suddenly change when one of the little bunnies passes away. Sad and confused, the soft little bunny awakes from a dream and questions what happens when a loved one passes away. Thus starts a sweet and comforting conversation between two friends about love, life, and where we go from here.
📖 A must have in every library, this story is beautiful. Death is such a hard thing to talk about but I have now found my favorite book to help have the conversation with my children
📖 I stumbled upon this book A Garden of Creatures and it may be one of my favorites for this year. It had me in tears for how beautifully well it addressed this difficult topic.
📖 Three creatures, two bunnies and a cat live happily in a beautiful garden together. Their lives suddenly change when one of the little bunnies passes away. Sad and confused, the soft little bunny awakes from a dream and questions what happens when a loved one passes away. Thus starts a sweet and comforting conversation between two friends about love, life, and where we go from here.
📖 A must have in every library, this story is beautiful. Death is such a hard thing to talk about but I have now found my favorite book to help have the conversation with my children
January 18, 2022
I need to first touch on what drew me to the book- THE ART. I think this is one of my favorite picture books in terms of aesthetics I have ever read. I loved the art style, the colors, and just thought it all was beautiful.
As for the story- I honestly struggled with it a little. I feel like the death of the bunny was very abrupt and done without time to really be introduced to the characters, the story, or their relationships. I think that the story was a bit rushed and it took away from the story as a whole.
I also am not too sure what age range I would think this book is for. As someone who recently lost a family member, I think that it might be helpful for an age range on the older side of the spectrum as I think the concept might be too confusing for a younger age.
While I thought the theme was interesting, I cant help but wish that this story had the same characters and art but with a different concept than loss.
As for the story- I honestly struggled with it a little. I feel like the death of the bunny was very abrupt and done without time to really be introduced to the characters, the story, or their relationships. I think that the story was a bit rushed and it took away from the story as a whole.
I also am not too sure what age range I would think this book is for. As someone who recently lost a family member, I think that it might be helpful for an age range on the older side of the spectrum as I think the concept might be too confusing for a younger age.
While I thought the theme was interesting, I cant help but wish that this story had the same characters and art but with a different concept than loss.
January 25, 2022
Thank you Netgalley for the eARC! I definitely should have read the synopsis before I requested this, but I was so intrigued by the cover so I requested it based off that. I was surprised when the bunny dies on the second page of the story and then I realized this was going to be a story about dealing with death. I thought the story handled the topic of death very well, especially if this is a book that’ll be read to children. This book says something like when someone dies, they don’t really leave because they leave traces of themselves on the Earth. So the world is just a garden full of creatures who came before you. I thought the art style of the book was quite beautiful and I loved all the sweeping lines and wispyness of it all. The cat’s design was a bit wonky with how fluffy it was especially around the eye area, but the white bunny was so adorable. Overall, I think this was a really nice story!
4.5/5 Stars
4.5/5 Stars
March 17, 2022
Thanks to the publisher for the eARC of this book. It made me sad (in a good way.)
I love picture books that deal with emotions, especially grief. Sometimes children need help learning to process complicated emotions. Sometimes adults do, too. My dog passed away early in the morning of March 8th, so my grief is still very fresh. The idea posed in this book, that our loved ones become a part of the world we live in, is such a beautiful and heartwarming sentiment. I want to imagine Sidney as the flowers blooming outside of my house, nestled in next to my other dogs Precious and Jewel. I think this is a very smart and gentle way to explain death and help children learn to process grief. The art is gorgeous as well, so readers will enjoy the visual storytelling as well.
Painfully spot-on timing for my reading, but much appreciated in my own grief.
I love picture books that deal with emotions, especially grief. Sometimes children need help learning to process complicated emotions. Sometimes adults do, too. My dog passed away early in the morning of March 8th, so my grief is still very fresh. The idea posed in this book, that our loved ones become a part of the world we live in, is such a beautiful and heartwarming sentiment. I want to imagine Sidney as the flowers blooming outside of my house, nestled in next to my other dogs Precious and Jewel. I think this is a very smart and gentle way to explain death and help children learn to process grief. The art is gorgeous as well, so readers will enjoy the visual storytelling as well.
Painfully spot-on timing for my reading, but much appreciated in my own grief.
April 19, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for allowing me an early galley of this book.
It feels serendipitous that I read this book today, with people close to me losing loved ones who are close to them. This book is stunning.
The illustrations are GORGEOUS. When I say I have never seen illustrations so impressive, I mean it. And I have read a lot of picture books in my time.
But the simplicity and the clarity of the writing. The open-endedness of the philosophy, theology and beliefs of it all— the entire book is gentle, is soft, is clear but also willing to let you have some room to make your own choices about what things mean.
I did not expect this much from this book, lemme tell ya. That'll teach me.
Absolutely stunning, and will 110% make sure my nieces own this book when it comes out.
It feels serendipitous that I read this book today, with people close to me losing loved ones who are close to them. This book is stunning.
The illustrations are GORGEOUS. When I say I have never seen illustrations so impressive, I mean it. And I have read a lot of picture books in my time.
But the simplicity and the clarity of the writing. The open-endedness of the philosophy, theology and beliefs of it all— the entire book is gentle, is soft, is clear but also willing to let you have some room to make your own choices about what things mean.
I did not expect this much from this book, lemme tell ya. That'll teach me.
Absolutely stunning, and will 110% make sure my nieces own this book when it comes out.
May 17, 2022
In the garden there are three animals in the garden.. there is a small white bunny, a bunny of toast color and a
buttercream cat. The toast color bunny dies. The white bunny asks questions that the cat tries to answer. . The little white bunny comes to the conclusion that when a friend has died, they have become the garden we live in. The toast bunny is there with them though they cannot see him.
The lovely pastel illustrations reveals at the end how they are still all together. It is difficult to find an alternative way at looking at death and grief. The author has done a superb job of doing that.
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
buttercream cat. The toast color bunny dies. The white bunny asks questions that the cat tries to answer. . The little white bunny comes to the conclusion that when a friend has died, they have become the garden we live in. The toast bunny is there with them though they cannot see him.
The lovely pastel illustrations reveals at the end how they are still all together. It is difficult to find an alternative way at looking at death and grief. The author has done a superb job of doing that.
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
September 14, 2022
"A friend who dies hasn't left, like a creature leaving a garden. They become the garden, and we live in them."
With Heti's calm and pensive narrative and Shapiro's wispy drawings, A Garden of Creatures offers a soothing look into grief and how to process it. After the toast-colored bunny dies, the soft bunny and the rose-and-buttercream-colored cat are left behind. When the remaining bunny starts wondering what death is like, the cat can do nothing but try to explain what it might be like. And even though we don't know what it will be like, there is one thing that binds every single person everywhere: we all wonder what happens after we pass.
Also taking an eco-friendly look into death, one in which we become the earth, and what fruits after our death is in part thanks to us, this book continues the theme that is the circle of life.
With Heti's calm and pensive narrative and Shapiro's wispy drawings, A Garden of Creatures offers a soothing look into grief and how to process it. After the toast-colored bunny dies, the soft bunny and the rose-and-buttercream-colored cat are left behind. When the remaining bunny starts wondering what death is like, the cat can do nothing but try to explain what it might be like. And even though we don't know what it will be like, there is one thing that binds every single person everywhere: we all wonder what happens after we pass.
Also taking an eco-friendly look into death, one in which we become the earth, and what fruits after our death is in part thanks to us, this book continues the theme that is the circle of life.
Read
January 12, 2022My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the gift of a complimentary digital copy in exchange for my thoughts.
Two bunnies and a cat are the main three characters. When one of the bunnies becomes sick and dies, the friends find themselves wondering where their friend has gone and what happens next. The cat delicately suggests that the bunny is still with them in the garden, a part of their hearts and so a part of their lives forever.
This elegantly illustrated children's book tackles the topics of grief and loss. Such enigmatic concepts are hard for adults to understand and explain to themselves, so how do we go about answering a child's questions? A Garden of Creatures goes about it in a straightforward and sensitive way.
Two bunnies and a cat are the main three characters. When one of the bunnies becomes sick and dies, the friends find themselves wondering where their friend has gone and what happens next. The cat delicately suggests that the bunny is still with them in the garden, a part of their hearts and so a part of their lives forever.
This elegantly illustrated children's book tackles the topics of grief and loss. Such enigmatic concepts are hard for adults to understand and explain to themselves, so how do we go about answering a child's questions? A Garden of Creatures goes about it in a straightforward and sensitive way.
April 25, 2022
Poor toast-colored bunny. He's no sooner introduced than he passes away from a mystery illness. But his dear friends who lived with him in a most gorgeously whimsical garden, they remember him. Little bunny, in particular, wonders where her friend has gone. She asks her older, wiser friend, the rose-and-buttercream-colored cat, why every creature who lives must die. Together the friends work it out, allowing little bunny and the cat to navigate grief and comfort one another. The illustrations are incredibly sweet in this picture book that deals with death in a forthright manner, no mention of religion.
[Thanks to Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for an opportunity to read an advanced reader copy of this book.]
[Thanks to Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for an opportunity to read an advanced reader copy of this book.]
Read
October 18, 2022After the loss of a friend, a tiny white bunny asks many questions of the large cat. Some of these were questions we recently addressed after the loss of Lucy, our dog. Trying to explain to a six-year old about what happens in death is no small feat, especially when trying to be both accurate and compassionate. This book would have been handy. There is no specific religion discussed, just topics like where do we go when we die, that we all wonder these things, the dark and empty mystery of the time before birth and after death, the feeling of missing someone, that death is not a punishment but is something we all experience, and that those we love and lose live around us after they are gone.
October 12, 2023
A gem of a book about dying and where we go upon death. This lovely Canadian children’s book has gorgeous illustrations that feel calming. While sometimes sad they are overall loving in the end.
An amazing book to gift any child (or even adult) who has experienced loss recently and is having trouble coping. Or, I would suggest, as a way to prepare children for the idea of death.
I really wish our society was more open about death and my hope is that this lovely gem of a story can help.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
An amazing book to gift any child (or even adult) who has experienced loss recently and is having trouble coping. Or, I would suggest, as a way to prepare children for the idea of death.
I really wish our society was more open about death and my hope is that this lovely gem of a story can help.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
January 5, 2022
This is a beautiful children’s book that goes through the grieving process after two creatures lose their friend. The little bunny is very sad and the rose and buttercream colored cat helps them through their feelings and answers all their questions about death the best they can. The illustrations are absolutely stunning and whimsical. The art style is just beautiful. I give this book a 4/5 star rating, I only knocked a star off because I think they jumped straight into the story too quickly and didn’t give much of a back story. All around beautiful book though!
April 25, 2022
Kind, sweet, and gentle words with wispy, subtle yet colorful drawings pulled me right into the world of “a soft little bunny, “a bunny the color of toast,” “and a rose and buttercream-colored cat.” This is a wonderful children’s book dealing with hard questions about life and death, and about relationships. The precious critters are pondering all of this in comforting, sweet, and gentle ways.
The illustrations are done in watercolors, gouache, colored pencil, and collage. Each art-filled page deserves pondering while navigating the meanings and depth of this story.
Age Range: 4-8 years
The illustrations are done in watercolors, gouache, colored pencil, and collage. Each art-filled page deserves pondering while navigating the meanings and depth of this story.
Age Range: 4-8 years
July 29, 2022
I just read this at my library desk and cried as I did so (and got questionable looks from a few patrons as I subtly tried to wipe my eyes). I was not prepared to get this emotional and philosophical and accepting. It might go over the heads of younger readers that haven't experienced/interacted/asked about death (whether it be a pet, animal, family member, etc.) but woof, what a thoughtful, gentle way to introduce a heavy concept to younger kids. It's very direct and doesn't shy away from deep, often confusing emotions. Whoa.
October 4, 2023
This is probably the best book about death and grief for kids that I've read. Simple and straightforward without any religious references. I wish the characters had names, though. That's my only complaint. Names would establish a more emotional connection than just a generic cat or bunny.
I loved the artwork, even though it is dark at times, and strangely suitable for the mood and theme of the book. The last illustration is so beautiful.
I read it with my daughter and we both thought about it for a long time.
I loved the artwork, even though it is dark at times, and strangely suitable for the mood and theme of the book. The last illustration is so beautiful.
I read it with my daughter and we both thought about it for a long time.
August 30, 2021
Thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC of this book.
A Garden of Creatures is a beautifully gentle book about grief and death. The language used is simple but profound, that all ages will benefit from reading this book. The artwork is unique and dreamlike. It does give me some soft Moomin vibes for some reason, which is nice. However, I wish there were discussion questions at the end for parents, educators, and general readers—overall a fantastic book.
A Garden of Creatures is a beautifully gentle book about grief and death. The language used is simple but profound, that all ages will benefit from reading this book. The artwork is unique and dreamlike. It does give me some soft Moomin vibes for some reason, which is nice. However, I wish there were discussion questions at the end for parents, educators, and general readers—overall a fantastic book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews