This book is a valuable reference for adults trying to explain to a child, what happens during the calling hours and funeral ritual. It also is a good book for a child who has lost a grandparent to read as well. It hits many aspects of loss, to include the phases of grief as well as the some common funeral rituals. The trip to and from grandpa's home allowed reflection and reminiscing by the family. In doing that the child was able to learn more about grandma and to share her own times with her grandmother. . The story also shows, well , the different phases of grief among family members, ie the tears of the grandfather and the mother. There were tender moments. One such moment took place with the child and her grandfather when he spoke of his wife's love of fishing. The child was a comfort to her grandfather. The child at one point was given the choice to attend the funeral and her decision to attend was honored. This inclusion in the decision makes the funeral less scary for a child. The child was a part of the process and was able to experience the feelings of loss, as well as the ritual, the ability to reminisce and to celebrate the life of the person who passed. This book was written very simply and in a matter of fact manner. The illustrations were soft and non threatening. I have added this book to our Hospice library and feel that it will be a good resource for our community.

The day that grandma died we drove all night and all afternoon. On the way mom told stories about how grandma traped a ratcoon in the garbage can. She bought a new garbage can with a lid and fead that rascull scraps of food every day after supper.

This is a story of a little girl whose grandmother has died and she has to travel with her family for the funeral. It takes her through the stages of wondering what it is like to go to the funeral home and to see her parents and grandfather going through some of the grief. It is a very realistic approach to way Americans approach the process of grief. This includes the funeral home, the cemetery, and even a consolation breakfast.

This book allows the child to see death as a real part of life and allows for the discussion of death with children. They will see how even when people are sad they can still laugh, remember, and talk about the person who died. It helps the healing process.

Excellent book for young children.

Princess in the Pigpen is the best, I want to give it 5 stars. Elizabeth was really sick and Sukie first gave her a bath and dried her off and then put her in bed.
When she lay down in the bed, this light struck her in the face when Sukie opened the curtains. When she rolled over away from the light, she was in a different place. This man was standing by her.
He asked her "What are you doing here, miss?" in amazement. She started calling for her dog and Sukie but they didn't come. She tried so many times but they still didn't come. Than this woman came in and put her hand on her forehead. The lady said that she (Elizabeth) was ill so they took her to the doctor and she took a look at her. She took off Elizabeth's dress and gave her some medicine to make her feel better.
After they took her to the doctors, they took her to get their daughter. They hate each other at first, but after a little bit later, they become friends. They have a lot of fun together.
The girl goes into the barn to get Elizabeth back home to get some medicine for her mother. They do a lot to get back home. I know I left out a lot but I'm running out of time. Trust me, you'll love this book!!!!!!

this book details the story of a young princess from the 1600's who is transported into the future to the year 1988. the charming fairy tale of sorts follows her story as she befriends the family whose pigpen she has appeared in, manages to find her way back home, and saves her dying mother in the process. well written to be pleasurable reading, its the perfect choice for that special little girl in your life.

Do you like books that make you feel happy and sad at the same time?? If so then this book is great for you. It is about a boy whose dog that dies and he finds a new dog that is about to die. He cares for the dog and feeds it until it is healthy. Then one day something happens to the dog and the boy is very worried. What happened to the dog? If you want to know then read the book.

Cass Kennedy is used to the fast pace of Minneapolis. When his family moves the North Shore of Lake Superior, many transitions ensue. He no longer has the time he would like with his dad, all of his friends are far away, and the class leader/bully, Ansel, picks on him but never gets caught. A shared love for a secret hideaway and a crisis bring the two boys together. Cass and Ansel realize that they have more in common than they realized. This is a great story for children on the move. The transitions experienced are dealt with in a realistic manner. The boy's feelings of abandonment by his father and his subsequent hiding from his family is typical of how many children retreat into themselves during times of change and stress. Whether a read-a-loud or read-alone, this quality book is highly recommended for children 8-13, boys and girls alike. The timeless cycle of chaos, confusion, and lonliness during a move is realistically depicted in this book.

My favorite thing about this book is the wonderful illustrations. It is the first biography on Elizabeth that I have found with just about every single portrait of her ever made. It also has all of the popular paintings shown in color in this book, which makes buying the book worthwhile even if you do not read it!

If you are interested in learning about more about Elizabeth, this is the first book you should read. The author keeps the story simple and easy to read, it almost seems like you are reading a very interesting novel. She gives you a brief, but very complete coverage of Elizabeth's entire life, which will enable you to pick up the more complicated and detailed volumes written about Elizabeth and be able to follow them much more easily.

Another wonderful thing about this book, is she gives a brief description/background of all the important people from Henry VIII 's reign as well as Elizabeth's. She also gives a bibliography per chapter, giving you the names of books to look into if you want to read further on more specific periods of her life.

I saw the recent movies about Elizabeth and a couple of the older ones and I had sooo many questions. What was real? What was just cinematic license? This book is enjoyable to read, the facts are presented clearly and well-documented, and there's no glossing over the uncomfortable parts as happens in so many books written for children. Ms. Thomas obviously respects the intelligence of her readers. I think a lot of adults will find this book the best place to start when finding out more about Good Queen Bess . . . or trying to figure out the conflicting views of her from the movies. On top of which, the book is just plain gorgeous--great drawings and color paintings. Thanks, Ms. Thomas!

If you are interested in learning more about Elizabeth I, start with this book. While it is true that it targets an adolescent audience, it clears up much confusion and muddled facts surrounding the Virgin Queen's life. The story is presented in a clear, straightforward fashion and is an easy read (which DOES NOT mean that it is not worth reading!). I have read many biographies of "Good Queen Bess" and this remains one of my favorites.