I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a tough subject to broach with kids. I felt this was done in a gentle way. The pictures were nice, a little muted which I think fits with the story.

It's not easy to talk about death with children. This picture book introduces the concept of aging and death in a poetic way, without bringing tears or gloom, it's colorful as a butterfly, full of love and a bit of mystery because, who knows what happens after we die. I think it's a good book to start a dialogue with children, maybe before death strikes so that it is not as scary if/when it does.

This book is about explaining dying to children. The book is full of examples and possibilities of what happens when you die.

The book is designed for children age 5 and up. The concepts, with many ideas of what happens, are varied. It is difficult to read. The writing is clunky. Too many contrasting ideas are touched on but not explained.

I believe this book is good for children who are experiencing a loss to assist with their confusion. However, I have seen books that explain a concept or two in a better way. I tend to think this book is more confusing than satisfying. Others may love the book; it is just not for me.

I received an ARC from Clavis Publishing through NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book. I am voluntarily submitting this review.

A philosophical conversation about death from the author of I Give You My Heart "Are you going to die, Grandpa?"
"Someday, sweetheart. But I hope not too soon."

An important picture book that gives children free rein to express their questions, fears, thoughts, and ideas about death. For children ages 5 and up. Including an epilogue by the grief therapist Rebecca Dabekaussen, with tips on how to discuss this difficult but inevitable subject with children. (less)

From iphelia.com’s Editor’s Bookshelf review: One of the things I appreciate most about this book is that it teaches that different families and different people have different ideas about death and what comes next. It leaves room for everyone’s traditions and can help children (or adults, like myself) who are experiencing seemingly conflicting views of death either within or without.
This beautiful book belongs on every family’s bookshelf or library list. It can lead to deep, meaningful conversations about the death of people, pets, plants, and maybe even relationships, and how to honor them (Christopher lights a candle for Grandpa) when they’re gone.

What a beautiful book to help children understand about death. It can be a difficult subject to discuss, but it is, after all, a part of life. I love the conversation that Christopher and his Grandpa have about death. The ending is ever so bittersweet. Darling, young one, hold on, Dying is like becoming a butterfly. I would buy this book for families who are going through the loss of their loved one. It is a great tool to heal the children cope and heal.

I love this children's graphic book: the story is beautiful grandpa explains to his grandson about death and what happens after death. Grandpa presents more possibilities and also the fact that no one knows.

A unique look into how to answer a child's curious but honest questions about dying and what happens after you die. This also jugged my mind into that zone. It is a good thing to encourage a child’s curiosity about life and death. I believe it makes them more aware of the cycle of life. An interesting tale about a child’s innocent curiosity about death.

Maybe Dying is like Becoming a Butterfly is both a heartwarming and gutwrenching book in one. Dealing with death is never easy for children, but having books like this one make having a conversation with a child about death just a tiny bit easier.
Although I felt as if there could have been a little more to the story than just dialect, it seems easy to understand for a younger child. The letter at the end was beautiful, and the illustrations were clever and well done.
Overall, this book is a great resource to start up a conversation with a child that may otherwise be difficult to understand for them!

I loved this picture book. It does a great job of explaining death and the afterlife without being too religious or morbid for children.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. This book is a conversation between a young boy and his grandfather about death. May help kids understand death a little better.

An important book for a very important and mostly difficult topic. If you've ever had to explain death to a child or think there may come a time when you will (think goldfish or puppy, as well as grandparents), this would be a gentle way to approach the topic.

Beautifully illustrated and artfully told using an androgynous child and their grandfather to answer one of life's most puzzling (possibly THE most puzzling) question.

#MaybeDyingIsLikeBecomingAbutterfly #NetGalley

A great way to explore the topic of death with young ones. It breaks it down in easy to understand terms. Great for those hard to ask questions.

Maybe Dying is like Becoming a Butterfly is a sweet conversation between a boy and his beloved grandpa. It's a little hard to keep up with who is speaking throughout the book, but that definitely does not take away from the message. I appreciate that Christopher's grandpa allows him to come up with his own answers to the tough questions that are addressed, and Christopher's final theory at the end of the book made my heart so happy! The illustrations are breathtaking. This is definitely not something I would read just for fun with kids, but it's a great tool when dealing with grief!
*Thank you to Netgalley and Clavis Publishing for the ARC of this book. This was a voluntary review.*

Un nonno, un nipote, la morte. E sopratutto la vita.

In un dialogo pieno di delicata saggezza, privo di certezze assolute ma che offre al piccolo la possibilità di farsi lui stesso un'opinione della morte e di quello che ci sarà dopo, vengono esplorati i temi della perdita.

O forse, semplicemente, del cambiamento.

Da parecchio cercavo un libro che potesse aiutarmi a introdurre l'argomento con l'Infanta: la cagnolina di mia madre ha una certa età, e temo si avvicini il momento.

Ha avuto una vita lunga e bella, e se ne andrà circondata di affetto; ma sarà necessario comunque discutere con la Nanerottola.

Questo libro è meraviglioso; a parte le illustrazioni suggestive e i dialoghi, che già da soli forniscono ottimi spunti, è corredato dai consigli pratici di una specialista nella gestione del dolore nei più piccoli.

Un volume prezioso, che mi ha dato esattamente quello che cercavo in vista di un momento difficile.

A wonderful book about a subject many parents don’t know how to talk about! I wouldn’t read this book just because but I think it’s a great book for a child dealing with the loss of a loved one. I enjoyed that the grandpa allows Jonathan to talk his way through what he believes happens after someone dies. It’s a wonderful perspective of what a child thinks about death. I would recommend this to anyone having to deal with a loss of someone special

A big thank you to NetGalley and Clavis Publishing for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. This is probably a book you would only but in a certain circumstance. while the sentiment is a good one, I had some difficulty with the translation. More than once, I didn't know who was speaking. The drawings were.nice. It's about a boy Christopher talking to his grandfather. It needs a bit of clarification in some of the dialogue. Probably an easy fix. Not something I would buy on a whim but a nice first step of someone is dying in the family to help prepare them. Th he letter from Christopher at the end is a wonderful sentiment. 3 stars of they fix the.issues of goes up

The intention behind this book is good. I can't deny that. Unfortunately, the technical aspects of the writing just aren't strong enough to make this a book I could enjoy or recommend.

This is basically a conversation between a boy named Christopher and his grandfather, in which they share their thoughts about death. The grandfather cleverly asks the child repeatedly what he thinks, never forcing any one way of thinking. Heaven, reincarnation, and even a more materialist point of view are covered as the two muse about what might come after death.

The problem is the way the story is written. It's mostly dialogue, but it lacks speech attributions for much of the book. (And, in one place where they were included, the verb tense was switched!) I couldn't figure out who was talking at quite a few points in the story. A few more dialogue tags could've easily cleared this problem up.

The illustrations are cute and show the duo imagining various things about death. The pictures complement the story well.

For me, I think the best part of the book is Christopher's letter to his grandfather at the end. It's probably the most profound thought in the story. (It's also where the title comes from.) That page alone probably would've been sufficient for me! It's a very astute observation, and a nice thing to think about.

Overall, this was just an average book for me. While I like the premise and the illustrations, I think the writing really lets it down. I don't know how much of that is a translation issue; in any case, the text needs some work for clarity.

Maybe Dying is like Becoming a Butterfly by Pimm van Hest deals with the difficult, yet inevitable, topic of death in a way that is accessible to children, with beautiful illustrations and a titular analogy that immediately peaked my interest. While the text and illustrations are age appropriate for younger children, I found the afterword by grief therapist Rebecca Dabehaussen to be particularly beneficial in suggesting effective ways in which adults might handle difficult questions about the reality of death. This is an important book that should be on every young child's shelf.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Clavis Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC.

While I liked the concept of this book, I do not see it completely appropriate for children as young as five years old. I honestly can't place my finger on what I don't love, there is just something I don't love. I think it may be the fact that I do not what to picture a time where my grandfather dies and this book makes me think about it. However, if a child has recently lost someone, it is a great book to explain that death is inevitable.