Something Very Sad Happened: A Toddler's Guide to Understanding Death

PreS-K—No one likes to think about it, and even fewer plan for it, but explaining death to a toddler can be a difficult task. It is with this in mind, and from personal experience, that Zucker elected to write a book on death for this age set: two- and three-year-olds. She describes in simple terms what happens when someone dies. The author acknowledges that a book on death written just for little ones is a bit niche but emphasizes in the foreword the need to properly discuss this tough situation with young children. Proper names and pronouns within the story are written in red in order to be easily noticed and personalized when read aloud. The text is concise but heartfelt. Fleming's pencil and watercolor illustrations are done primarily in muted blues that set a melancholy tone and work well given the context. The narrative ends on a hopeful note ("Love cannot die") and is followed by tips and information about talking to kids about death.