A Shelter for Sadness

A Shelter for Sadness

By Author / Illustrator

Anne Booth, David Litchfield

Genre

Mental Health & Wellbeing

Age range(s)

5+

Publisher

Templar Publishing

ISBN

9781787417212

Format

Hardback

Published

21-01-2021

Synopsis

'Sadness has come to live with me and I am building it a shelter. I am building a shelter for my sadness and welcoming it inside.' A small boy creates a shelter for his sadness, a safe space where Sadness is welcome, where it can curl up small, or be as big as it can be, where it can be noisy or quiet, or anything in between. The boy can visit the shelter whenever he needs to, every day, sometimes every hour, and the two of them will cry and talk or just sit, saying nothing. And the boy knows that one day Sadness may come out of the shelter, and together they will look out at the world, and see how beautiful it is.

A poignant and heart-warming picture book exploring the importance of making space and time for our own griefs, small or large, sensitively visualized with David Litchfield's stunning illustration. Anne Booth was inspired to write this book by the words of Etty Hillesum, a Holocaust victim who wrote: 'Give your sorrow all the space and shelter in yourself that is its due, for if everyone bears grief honestly and courageously, the sorrow that now fills the world will abate. But if you do instead reserve most of the space inside you for hatred and thoughts of revenge-from which new sorrows will be born for others-then sorrow will never cease in this world. And if you have given sorrow the space it demands, then you may truly say: life is beautiful and so rich.' (Esther 'Etty' Hillesum (15 Jan 1914 - 30 Nov 1943)

Reviews

Kyle

With A Shelter for Sadness, Anne Booth has created a text which invites children to explore and accept sadness. With mental health a key agenda across all ages, this text can go a long way in providing younger children with a perspective of how to live with sadness.

The text centres around a young boy as he builds a shelter for his sadness; a safe place where his sadness is welcome to live and be without worrying about how big or small it is feeling each day. A space in which sadness can be loud or quiet, energetic or still......just a place where it is welcome.

The boy knows that there are days when Sadness will want to venture away from the safety of the shelter and explore the wider world with the boy...but there are also days when sadness will want to curl up and hide in the darker corners of the shelter. However sadness feels, it is OK because he and the boy can tackle the world together.

This book is the perfect introduction to younger children on how to make space and time for sadness in their lives. A chance to realise that sadness isn't an emotion to be ignored or hidden away but actually embraced and welcomed. In these uncertain times, it is maybe more important than ever for the younger generation to gain a deeper and more developed knowledge of their emotions and this book goes a long way to aiding that.

The guidance and words of Anne Booth are magnificently accompanied by the illustrations of the wonderful David Litchfield (The Bear and the Piano, Grandad's Secret Giant etc). David's style is one that draws your eye into the pictures and makes you feel at ease with the emotion of sadness. The combination of powerful words and powerful images is certainly clear for all to see in this text.

Overall, this would make the perfect addition to any PHSE school library at the best of times...but even more so in the current climate.

Picture book / Reviewed by Kyle Matravers, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 3+

Kyle

With A Shelter for Sadness, Anne Booth has created a text which invites children to explore and accept sadness. With mental health a key agenda across all ages, this text can go a long way in providing younger children with a perspective of how to live with sadness.

The text centres around a young boy as he builds a shelter for his sadness; a safe place where his sadness is welcome to live and be without worrying about how big or small it is feeling each day. A space in which sadness can be loud or quiet, energetic or still......just a place where it is welcome.

The boy knows that there are days when Sadness will want to venture away from the safety of the shelter and explore the wider world with the boy...but there are also days when sadness will want to curl up and hide in the darker corners of the shelter. However sadness feels, it is OK because he and the boy can tackle the world together.

This book is the perfect introduction to younger children on how to make space and time for sadness in their lives. A chance to realise that sadness isn't an emotion to be ignored or hidden away but actually embraced and welcomed. In these uncertain times, it is maybe more important than ever for the younger generation to gain a deeper and more developed knowledge of their emotions and this book goes a long way to aiding that.

The guidance and words of Anne Booth are magnificently accompanied by the illustrations of the wonderful David Litchfield (The Bear and the Piano, Grandad's Secret Giant etc). David's style is one that draws your eye into the pictures and makes you feel at ease with the emotion of sadness. The combination of powerful words and powerful images is certainly clear for all to see in this text.

Overall, this would make the perfect addition to any PHSE school library at the best of times...but even more so in the current climate.

Picture book / Ages 3+ / Reviewed by Kyle Matravers, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 3+

 

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