Publication Date: 01 January 2020 (this edition, it was first published in English 2006)

The Blurb
One summer’s day we started a business called Funerals Ltd., to help all the poor dead animals in the world. Esther did the digging, I wrote the poems, and Esther’s little brother, Puttie, cried.

The Review

A warm and humourous picture book about death without any sentimentality. When the eldest of the children finds a dead bumblebee, it’s decided that it must be named and buried, and so begins a day of finding dead animals and burying them.

Talking through what happens at funerals as they play, the message that all things must die is presented very matter of factly within the breezy fun of their summer day. The three children all have very different reactions to death, showing children that it’s ok to respond differently to others.

The poetry is beautiful and thought-provoking admist the chirpy narrative, while the pastel illustrations reveal far more emotion than words ever could.

A great little book for exploring death that reminds us that for those doing the burying, life will go on…

Huge thanks to Laura and Gecko Press for sending me a copy.