Author: Emmi Smid
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Publication Date in US: April 21, 2015
Date Started: February 26, 2015
Date Finished: February 26, 2015
Format: E-Book
Medium: Kindle Keyboard
Review:
Luna's Red Hat is one of the only picture books that I have read that tackles a tough subject with such grace and dignity that I feel it should also be a book placed in an adult section of a library. Not only does Smid address the means of how a child feels about suicide and the loss that comes with it, but she also addresses how a parent should speak with a child about difficult life situations.
The illustrations are beautiful. I enjoy how almost minimalistic and almost childlike the illustrations seem. They aren't a distraction from the message of the story but a companion that walk arm in arm with one another. The story is not dark so the pictures are not dark. The illustrations actually convey a sense of beauty using daffodils to remind the main character, Luna, that while her mother may be gone the memories they shared will always be around; all she has to do is look at her mother's favorite flowers.
One of my favorites part of Luna's Red Hat is towards the end there is a commentary from Dr. Riet Fiddelaers-Jaspers explaining to parents, grandparents, or any guardian of a child on how to handle speaking to a child on this very difficult subject. He also explains how a child sees and feels when something of this magnitude affects their life in a negative way. I enjoyed the research that went into this storybook as well. A reader will be able to tell Smid took the time to actually research the subject to properly give this subject the proper feeling it needs.
While I would not use this book during a storytime because of the nature of the subject, I would definitely have this in my library as a reference.
Luna's Red Hat is one of the only picture books that I have read that tackles a tough subject with such grace and dignity that I feel it should also be a book placed in an adult section of a library. Not only does Smid address the means of how a child feels about suicide and the loss that comes with it, but she also addresses how a parent should speak with a child about difficult life situations.
The illustrations are beautiful. I enjoy how almost minimalistic and almost childlike the illustrations seem. They aren't a distraction from the message of the story but a companion that walk arm in arm with one another. The story is not dark so the pictures are not dark. The illustrations actually convey a sense of beauty using daffodils to remind the main character, Luna, that while her mother may be gone the memories they shared will always be around; all she has to do is look at her mother's favorite flowers.
One of my favorites part of Luna's Red Hat is towards the end there is a commentary from Dr. Riet Fiddelaers-Jaspers explaining to parents, grandparents, or any guardian of a child on how to handle speaking to a child on this very difficult subject. He also explains how a child sees and feels when something of this magnitude affects their life in a negative way. I enjoyed the research that went into this storybook as well. A reader will be able to tell Smid took the time to actually research the subject to properly give this subject the proper feeling it needs.
While I would not use this book during a storytime because of the nature of the subject, I would definitely have this in my library as a reference.
Rating: 4/5
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