Connie-Jean Rough Draft

A Monster Calls

Theme: Dealing with Death

 

The anchor book I choose for this assignment was A Monster Calls. I choose to explore the theme of coping with the grief of losing a loved one. Death is a part of life and affects everyone, including children. The way each person copes with death is different and as teachers learning to help students deal with death is an essential part of their job. Certain children novels and stories can be helpful in explaining the concept of death. Literature can help make this topic easier for teachers to talk about and easier for children to understand.

 

Challenge

“H Is For Hawk” by Helen McDonald

  • “H is For Hawk” is a novel about a young girl losing her father. This novel fits perfectly into my theme because it is a story of one girl’s journey through the grief process. After losing her father, Helen adopts and trains a goshawk. In “A Monster Calls”  the reader watches Connor use the monster as his way of dealing with losing his mother to cancer.

 

“The Next Place” by Warren Hanson

  • This poetically written children’s book explores what it is like to deal with a loved one dying from an illness. In “A Monster Calls” the reader watches as the main character Connor deals with losing his mother to cancer. “The Next Place” is an illustration books that explains death, dying, and the chronic illness in a elevated, beautifully constructed way that makes this topic easier to talk about and understand for both adults and children.  

 

Just Right

“A Monster Calls”

“Invisible String”

  • This children’ book uses a metaphorical string to describe a connection between people and the loved ones they have lost. A story like this can give children a way of using imagination to deal with their grief and sadness.

 

Easy

“When Dinosaurs Die”

  • This children’s book helps children with the concept of death by explaining certain ideas and fascinations many children have regarding death. This book addresses feelings and emotions associated with death and explains that it is healthy for children to feel the way they do after losing a loved one.  

 

“Badger’s Parting Gifts”

  • “Badger’s Parting Gifts” is a story that follows a dying badger. In this book, children can see the badger’s other animal friends mourn his death by celebrating with gifts and memories.