Review - A Last Goodbye

A Last Goodbye
by Elin Kelsey
illustrated by Soyeon Kim
Date: 2020
Publisher: Owlkids Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book non-fiction
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

How do we say goodbye to a loved one after they die? This book broaches a difficult topic in a heartfelt way by exploring the beauty in how animals mourn. From elephants to whales, parrots to bonobos, and lemurs to humans, we all have rituals to commemorate our loved ones and to lift each other up in difficult times.

New from the award-winning team behind You Are Stardust, Wild Ideas, and You Are Never Alone, this book gently recognizes death as a natural part of life for humans and all animals. Written in spare, poetic language and illustrated with stunning dioramas, it draws out our similarities with other animals as it honors the universal experience of mourning. The touching and uplifting book ends on a hopeful note, showing how we live on both in memories and on the planet, our bodies nourishing new life in the Earth and the oceans.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This series of books by Elin Kelsey and Soyeon Kim is so different and interesting! All of the ones I've read so far have been gentle reminders about our place in this interconnected universe. A Last Goodbye, which shows how various animals love and grieve, is no different. It reminds us that, though we might look different from a whale or a dog, we all share rich emotional lives. We love our friends and family, and we grieve when we have to say goodbye.

I didn't love the pictures here quite as much as I did in You Are Stardust and You Are Never Alone. They're still lovely, but they're not quite as interesting (and they're a lot sadder). However, they complement the gentle rhythm of the text perfectly, and the whole book works as a result.

This would be a nice book for children who have suffered a loss, or for anyone who is interested in how some animals grieve.

Thank you to NetGalley and Owlkids Books for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 5/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 5/5

Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall: 4.67 out of 5