The Goodbye Book
By Darienne Stewart,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Comforting story about grief, loss, and finding joy again.
Add your rating
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this book.
Where to Read
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
A pet fish suddenly finds its tank mate gone. It feels sad, angry, and lots of other confusing emotions. Sometimes it doesn't feel like eating or sleeping or being with others. After a while, though, the fish starts revisiting memories of good times shared with its absent friend and starts to feel a little better. The fish still has ups and downs and dearly misses its friend but is comforted by loved ones who remain close by.
Is It Any Good?
Saying goodbye is hard, but this understanding, supportive book offers comfort and guidance to children dealing with the messy emotions of grief. Sadness, anger, confusion, loneliness -- it's OK to feel any of these or none, THE GOODBYE BOOK reassures.
Author-illustrator Todd Parr (We Belong Together: A Book About Adoption and Families) employs his trademark style -- bright colors, simple lines, and warm, straightforward prose -- to connect with very young children on their level. Parr offers assurance that it gets better, but he doesn't sugarcoat the difficulty of grief. He acknowledges that the pain of loss never completely goes away, but warm memories and love and support from those around you help you through it. This is a perfect choice for children struggling with any kind of loss or separation.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how they deal with loss. Which emotions do you feel? How do you take care of yourself?
How can you support loved ones who are struggling with grief?
What helps remind you of happy things about someone you miss?
Book Details
- Author: Todd Parr
- Illustrator: Todd Parr
- Genre: Emotions
- Topics: Friendship , Ocean Creatures
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
- Publication date: November 3, 2015
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 3 - 6
- Number of pages: 32
- Available on: Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: July 13, 2017
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Read
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate