What do you say to young ones when someone close has passed away? How do you explain heaven? How do you explain death?
This book is a touching story of Maria Shriver explaining all of these things to her children when they lost their grandmother Rose Kennedy many years ago.
“Heaven isn’t a place you see,” she explained. “It’s somewhere you believe in.”
The story approaches topics like funerals and the death of pets and distinguishing between body and soul. These are great beginnings to further conversations with your own children. The explanation of heaven is lovely and delicate it isn’t over the top with descriptions of pearly gates and harps and golden statues. It delivers a vision of peace and comfort that a child may comprehend without fear.
This beautiful and touching book, What’s Heaven was written by Maria Shriver and illustrated by Sandra Speidel. I recommend it even if you haven’t lost anyone. I’m not sure what my reason was for buying this several years ago but it is going to be helpful today.
Death has put its hand on our family this week. My grandmother, Mom Mom passed away very suddenly yesterday afternoon so I will be scarce for a couple days as we handle some details and arrange services. We’ve explained her death to the children but this should be a little more comforting.
Here is my Uncle Mickey and my father (right) with Mom-Mom.
Here is Mom Mom holding Shae for the first time she’s less than 2 weeks old.
