That was a nice wee book. Very timely at this time. It would be very helpful to many parents with small children.

This is a fictional story of a conversation between a mother and her son, who has just lost his grandfather. Written at the start of the pandemic, it was meant to support those going through emotional grief and physical strain, especially those affected directly by Covid-19. Due to time constraints, pictures and illustrations were pulled in order to facilitate a quick completion of the book. As the author says, the book is not about grief or bereavement. It is written like a story to reach out to children and parents on how best to talk about Covid-19 and the meaning of death and dying.

It is never easy to talk to kids about "adult" topics such as death and dying. They are too young to understand what it means to leave this world. At the same time, death could impact anybody at any time. If we wait until it is too late, we would have missed out teaching moments or precious opportunities to show children early that life is not all play and fun. Life is hard and the earlier we prepare ourselves for it, the better. Covid-19 has impacted all parts of society. From the daily news updates about the pandemic to the continued wide media coverage about the coronavirus statistics, children in this generation would have heard of all these terms. Even if we try to avoid letting them know, they might be curious enough to ask and then to wonder about how it impacts them and their families. One of the best tried-and-tested methods is to use the power of stories. This way to communications help us be honest with our own feelings in an indirect manner. Stories give us words to share our thoughts and feelings in a non-threatening manner. They enable readers, and in this case, parents and their children to be on the same page as they openly discuss and talk about the meaning of loss. Some of the questions include:

Why couldn't I go and see him in the hospital, Mommy?
Why was the coffin already closed?
Do you miss him?
Mommy, why are you crying?
Was he afraid?
Where do you think he is now?
Am I going to die too, Mommy?
....
The questions could have been more, but the way the author puts it makes it simple enough for parents to raise additional questions with their children and easy enough for children to follow along. Parents would think: "Hey, I could do that too!" Children would be free to ask their own set of questions as well. As I ponder on this book, I am glad that someone has written something to address children and how the prolonged coronavirus pandemic would impact them one way or another, sooner or later, directly or indirectly.

A former actress and director, with a masters in clinical psychology, Marion Donon now devotes her energy to children’s literature, while raising two small children of her own. She divides her time between France and the United States.

Rating: 4 stars of 5.

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This book has been provided courtesy of Marion Donon and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

This is a short children’s story which tells the story of A mum & her son dealing with the loss of the son Gramps due to COVID 19.

This book is amazing it make me weep but also made me howl with laughter



With thanks to Netgalley & The Independent Book Publishers Association for the arc of this book in exchange for my review.

The story is beautiful and the dialogue is on point with the questions that children are asking right now. I would have liked to see illustrations to go along with the words. I know some images may be hard to reflect, like the grandpa in the hospital bed, but the words alone may not draw children to the book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Independent Book Publishers Association for the opportunity to read and rate this book.

The Loss of a Grandparent to COVID-19, Gramps by Marion Donon. What a beautiful story to read to a child. I loved reading the story.

A beautiful dialogue between a mother and child after the loss of their beloved, "Gramps." This story is sensitive and is a bridge to discussions about grief, loss, afterlife and allowing children to honour their own memories following the death of a loved one. I would recommend this to those struggling after the passing to begin a dialogue of their own with their children, it would help to have illustrations to accompany this important and necessary piece.

"My angel, everything that is born will die one day. It's the circle of life."

Simple but raw and emotional. A great book for anyone going through grief and loss.

3.5 stars. This short story would be a good conversation starter for families who are experiencing a similar situation. I think adding illustrations would really benefit the story since it's target audience is young children who don't really understand this horrible time that we're currently going through. I really liked the reassurance that Gramps knows he was loved and wasn't abandoned as I can imagine that that would definitely be something that kids would latch on to, however I wasn't a fan of the "willy" jokes. Adding a little lighthearted moment is great for difficult situations, but this one didn't really sit well with me.

Have you lost a family member to Coronavirus?
Yes? And do you have a child who cannot place his/her little head around the sudden death and all the baggage that comes with it?

If you have a tiny tot in your house whom you don't know how to explain why he/she couldn't say their last goodbye to their grandpa; and why couldn't they even see the face that was so dear to them for one last time, please read this book to those tiny hearts.

Slowly engulfing our lives like a python does to its prey, Coronavirus has made a too personal impact upon our lives. Many of us have lost our dear ones to it. And with kids with you, you might not know what to tell them.

It is difficult to answer all the whys your kids might be asking.
Just read them this book; they'll find a relatable story to connect with, and will try to accept the situation. They'll understand why they couldn't meet their gramps for the last time. They'll even learn about mortality, and about the cycle of life; all explained gently by a mother. The kids will also understand that love is never stopped by death.

Heartbreak. This is the one thing this book will give you. But you'll also learn acceptance. You and the kids will feel that there surely is a companion to share your sorrows with.

The book Gramps has been written especially for the kids who have lost a grandparent to COVID-19. The author aims to provide relief to the clueless and grief-ridden kids.

In 'the loss of a grandparent to COVID-19', we get an idea of how it is for children to lose their grandparents during the pandemic. I love the easy language. The story truly is for young children. It helps them understand about why their grandparent(s) died, also teaches them about getting older and what might happen.
It's a very short but clear story. However, it's written very plainly. This is for children, but I don't feel like many children would enjoy reading this book since it simple text. Also, reading it to a child might be boring because they have nothing to look at. This story would be great with some images or drawings to it. A picture book would be ideal.

Name: The Loss of a Grandparent to Covid-19
Author: Marion Donon
Genre: Children Fiction
Age: +6
Review:
"We both know that
beyond the mountain
the sea always meets the sky"
This book is a beautiful conversation between a boy and his mother, who had recently lost his grandfather due to Covid-19. It is a hopeful conversation which helps us cope in this time of crisis and makes us believe that "This too shall pass".
I really liked this book though it was very short.

There are many positives about "The Loss of a Grandparent to Covid-19, Gramps." Discussing death with little children is trying, and parents (and others) often are at a loss as to what to say. This book provides a script, especially for children who have lost a relative to COVID-19 -- explaining why they couldn't be with their loved one in the end, and even why they cannot see the body. The mother explains all of this tenderly to her child, while emphasizing that love doesn't die -- only people do. I also appreciated that this book promotes alternate ideas to what happens after death rather than the heaven/hell narrative.

There are a few things about this book that I question, such as the author's choice of the word "willy" rather than the actual body part -- or why that was even germane to the conversation. The author also plants the notion that all children grow up to have children of their own, which is not realistic. Moreover, the mother in this story tells her child that she will not die until her child is very, very old, which is something that we do often tell children, but as our world changes, we may want to think twice about that.

I applaud the author's rapid response to COVID19 and her effort to offer some type of explanation to children, at a time when they have more questions than we, as adults, can answer.

This is a lovely, heartwarming tear-jerker. In the midst of the pandemic, one of the most harrowing things is the distance we have to maintain from the already departed. Like the book says, it seems so unfair. I cried when I first realised how funerals are taking place. So I cried a bit reading the book too.
It is written very well, and poignantly.

I think this type of book is important, but there are a few things about this that as a parent, I struggled with. First, I know how important it is to explain death and especially death from COVID-19 to children. The first part of this book did a great job with explaining how Gramps understood that he was loved and why no one came to visit him in the hospital.
However, when the boy asks if he is going to die too, the answer is not until he's very, very old. I understand that is meant to be reassuring, but what happens when he sees someone young die? This just presents more confusion. I believe in being as honest as possible with children and the reality is that yes, they are going to die - everyone does, but no one knows when that will be. You can't promise a child that they'll live to be very old because no one knows.
Next, the boy asks if he is going to catch the virus and his mom says no. Again, she doesn't know this. While it is true that children are less likely to show symptoms and there are ways to try to be safe, unless this child is going to live in a bubble, she cannot guarantee that either. Again, I'd prefer an honest answer: "I hope not and we are doing everything we can to stay safe, including staying at our house and not going to play with lots of friends."
The last part that I didn't like is just unnecessary. The mom talks about how the boy will grow up, which is fine, but then she says "and you'll have black hairs on your willy." Really? Does that need to be in there at all? This is not the point of the book and just raises more questions from inquiring kids.
The sentiment of this book is good, but there are some flaws that would prevent me from reading it to my own children.

This is a very emotional book with a very serious subject. I decided to read this one as a family and speak to the kids about loss in general (since we recently lost a great/grandparent). It has been hard, but I think this book explained it fairly well for children to be able to understand. The approach of having the child ask questions, similar to the ones most little ones would ask, made it easy for them to understand. I think this book was too long for the audience? My daughters weren't a fan of the length of this book, but took away a new understanding. I wish this was more of a picture book since the child that the mother is speaking to seems fairly young?

This book answers a need parents will have during the COVID-19 epidemic. I enjoyed the honest dialogue between the mother and her son as they grieve the loss of Gramps to the virus. I read this story on my Kindle and was wishing for some type of illustrations/graphics to go along with the story since it is written for children.

*Readers Warning*
In the story, the mother is telling the son that he will not die; that he will continue growing big and strong--

"You're going to grow up. Then, you'll become a man. You'll have a beard like Daddy and black hairs on your willy . . . And you'll be so old that your beard will be all white. Even the hairs on your willy."
Son: "All white?"
Mom: "Yes!"
Son: "Hahahaha!"

While the mention of the boy's "willy" helps make light out of such a heavy topic, it was shocking and might limit readers and not really necessary for this title.

In our changing world, these events might be hard for children to apprehend. This little book can be a great conversation starter. Relevant to our world today. I enjoyed reading it. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC. I will be recommending this one to others to buy when it’s published.

As of this writing, the United States is losing 15,000 lives EVERY SINGLE WEEK — most of them someone’s grandparent. Young children — always upset by death — are bound to be even more disturbed by a silent killer that strikes so quickly and lethally. They need a book that can help them deal with the grief and — let’s call it what it is — terror. And Marion Donlon has provided it. For free!

In this short story, a mother explains the inexplicable to her young son: how they could not visit Gramps at his death, why the coffin was closed at the funeral, why the family couldn’t gather at the hospital, or even later, the fear of death. Parents will find almost as much solace in this gentle, touching book as will its young target audience.

This slender book for children aged 5 and older is also available in French, Spanish, Italian and Chinese.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) in exchange for an honest review.

Publishers Synopsis:

“I wasn’t able to tell him that I loved him!” “Did he think we had abandoned him?” “Am I going to die too, Mommy?” “Where do you think he is now?” “What about you, Mommy, what do you remember about him?”

Gramps is a short story for children, in the form of a dialogue between a mother and her son, that tenderly and lovingly deals with the loss of a grandfather to Covid-19.
For 5 years+. (also available in French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese)
FREE

Review:

A beautiful story of a mother and son grieving the death of “Gramps” due to the COVID-19 virus of 2020. Although there is no illustrations, and the storyline is a little indirect, the book presents a great way to navigate the discussion of a loved one due to COVID-19 and could serve as a useful guide for parents, particularly those unsure of how to discuss this with their children.

The story is beautiful, and my heart goes out to anybody who has lost a loved one due to this horrible virus, but this story is missing a lot of things. Also, never in any way did I expect to read the words “black hairs on your willy” in a book about COVID-19. I know what the intention was there but I think it was just a bit unnecessary. But still a wonderful book.

My sincerest thanks to Netgalley and the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) for a copy of this book in exchange for my review.

3/5 stars

I thought this was a beautiful story however it would not have been suitable for my 6 year old due to referring to willy. I just didnt think it was appropriate but other than that it was well told and relateable for a child on their loss