Wilcox explores multiple aspects of death, an approach not often taken in kid's books. She at science, religion, and social convention. And by starting even the religious exploration from a scientific standpoint, it becomes a dispassionate discussion. There is no moralizing or prejudice, no sensationalism. It might have been nice to get a little more of the religious exploration, more of the why of our death rituals to give the "what' some context.

I began reading this book the day my beloved cat of 10 years went in to the vet for a routine check up to figure out why he wasn't eating. I finished it the night before we had to put him to sleep.

My review may be a little biased because of those facts, but I can tell you this book it was a comfort to me and my loved ones during this painful experience. Thinking of my cat being made of stardust and his atoms being recycled back into the cosmos ("...The ancient atoms of which [a body] was made will continue the cycle of life on earth.") helped me cope better with the loss. The 8 of grief concept has made my boyfriend and I realize that whatever we're experiencing is normal and it's OK if we have ups and downs instead of progressing in a straight line. Including a page on "When Pets Die" let us know that our grief is valid.

After Life: Ways We Think About Death covers a difficult subject with intelligence, comprehension, and compassion. Highly recommended.

I received a digital ARC from the publisher via Netgalley.

This is a very straightforward look at death, which is actually fun to read. Yes, death is inevitable, but what a fascinating way to explain it. The book is divided up into sections on how death is treated, from the mythology of what happens after death, to have the survivors deal with death. We learn about festivals to honor the dead that happen every year, such as the Day of the Dead, in Mexico, or the Oban festival in Japan.

We learn how we are all made of stardust, and how atoms are recycled from being to being, as we die and are born.

And we learn about how death is treated around the world, and thoughout history.

Excellent book to have in classrooms, as it teaches about more than death, but teaches about life with death.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

Wow! After Life completely blew me away!

It's not like I'm expecting a light read when I pick up a book whose sole topic is discussing death. But the tone of this book is not nearly as dark nor dreary as I'd been anticipating. Using a matter of fact (yet never unfeeling) voice, Merrie-Ellen Wilcox covers an array of topics to do with death.

I am really impressed with the breadth of the material presented in this book, and how it flows seamlessly between facts and science and discussing culture and feelings. There are sections on the nitty gritty details of what death is, what happens to a body when someone dies, historical beliefs, and the customs and rituals surrounding death.

I also really appreciate that the author does not avoid tackling some of the more delicate areas, like suicide, hospice care and grief. A wide range of cultural and religious beliefs are covered in this book, and all are treated with an equal tone. There are clear definitions throughout this book and a glossary to compile all the terms at the back. Most pages also include sidebars or photos with informative blurbs.

I strongly recommend this book for anyone from about age 8 or 9 and up. We live in a world that has sanitized death and the customs surrounding grief to the point that some people (especially children) don't know what to do when they are suddenly faced with the death of someone they know. Reading this book is the first step to getting more comfortable with the one universal truth: we will all die one day.

5 whole-hearted stars for After Life. I'll be making sure a copy of this makes it into the hands of a couple of kids I know.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orca Book Publishers for providing me with a DRC of this book.