WILD CHILD: The Cycle of Life

We came across a dying squirrel at camp last summer, and it  reminded me of an old book by Margaret Wise Brown called The Dead Bird that was re-published last year with new illustrations by Christian Robinson.

It’s lovely, and might be a good book to have on hand for when baby birds fall out of nests, and for when we, inevitably, come across dead or dying creatures in the forest.

There are a number of excellent children’s books about the reality of life and death and about the many emotions surrounding grief, but most focus on people (Brain Pickings has a lovely round-up here). The Dead Bird strikes me as the most relevant to Wild Child.

Out of curiosity, I’ve placed a hold on I Found a Dead Bird: The Kids’ Guide to the Life & Death Cycle . It’s aimed at older kids, but may contain good fodder for discussions with younger ones.

Written by Sarah McCans, Wild Child Playgroup Leader