Grandma's Gone to Live in the Stars

A wonderful, beautiful book that is suitable for preschool age children, even if they don't seem to understand at the time. Here's my story: The day after my mother died, I read this book to my 3.5 year old son and told him that the grandma in the book is like Grandma Bertha. He was very quiet afterwards and did not ask any questions. Two weeks later, we were reading a book about outer space, and my son pointed to a picture of deep space outside of our solar system and said, "there's where Granma is." So even if you think your preschooler is too young to understand, this book does a lot to help them cope with the death of a grandmother.

...When my mother-in-law goes to live in the stars soon, I will read this to my precious 3 year old Sofia without reservation. Thanks Max .. such a beautiful book.

Some years ago, during a meeting of a Children's Book Illustrators' Guild, Max Haynes passed around the storyboards for this wonderful book. It was so touching that many of us had a hard time holding back tears. I remember he was concerned that the topic of death might make it hard to find a publisher for this book. 8 or 9 years later, it has finally seen print. No surprise to me it's been so well rated. I'll be buying a few copies for family and friends. Thanks, Max... this book will give words to a lot of families who don't know what to say to young kids after the death of a loved one, and is going to be a treasured favorite for many. I'm so glad you kept with this book and saw that it was published. I've been watching for it for a long time.

This is an excellent book to share with children who are dealing with grief, whether it's for a grandparent, any friend or member of their family, or even a pet. Haynes' simple yet evocative text, and his soft drawings, present a gentle, moving story of a grandmother who takes time to say goodbye to everything she loves after she has died and before she goes to live in the stars. Librarians and teachers will welcome this book, recommending it to families with young children who are trying to cope with a death in their family.

It's very difficult to talk with young children about death, but Haynes' book approaches the subject in a gentle, loving way that will help children understand and give families a way to start talking. The author's illustrations, particularly the ethereal Grandma, are perfect for this book.