Bereavement books – The Scar

Bereavement Books: There are lots of books available to read to a child who has lost someone. I recently read ‘The Scar’ by Charlotte Moundlic, illustrated by Olivier Tallec.

A beautiful book that gets straight to the point which is really important to do with children. The little boy in the story is desperate to make sure he always remembers his mum. There is a range of emotions in the book which includes anger, sadness, tiredness, responsibility and worry. He worries that he will forget her smell so closes all the windows. He worries he will forget her voice so he plugs his ears and shuts his eyes to try and remember her.

When he hurts himself he hears his mum’s voice and this is where the title of the story comes in. A scab forms and he scratches it to keep it bleeding. He tells himself that as long as there is blood then he will hear his mum’s voice. In the end it is grandma that helps by suggesting that mum is in his heart. This brings him comfort. His scab heals and he is left with a scar.

There are lots of things to discuss in this book with a bereaved child.

How did they feel when they heard their parent had died?

Where were they when they heard?

Who told them?

What was it like in the first few days?

What did their other parent do?

Did they feel responsible for their other parent?

Who visited the house?

How did they say goodbye to their parent?

What was it like at the funeral (if they attended)?

What sort of things did they worry about?

Did they get angry?

Do they have tummy aches? or does something else hurt on their body?

What….

• sort of things do they remember about their parent, and what did they do with them?
• happy memories do they have?
• is life like now without their parent? Who lives in their house now?
• could they do to remember their parent?