What, if any, memorable or special book have you ever gotten as a present? Birthday or otherwise. What made it so notable? The person who gave it? The book itself? The “gift aura?”
I don't know if this particular book was a present, a just because, or what. The book that first came to mind when I read this question was The Fall of Freddie the Leaf. I actually dug it out last night because of another post. I hadn't even realized that the book is about loss. It's written by a PhD (Leo Buscaglia) and is meant to help children understand death. There is even a series of videos.
Anyway, I don't remember it making me feel sad. I always felt hopeful at the end of the book (which ends with The Beginning instead of the usual The End). Freddie learns lessons about life from one of the other leaves, named Daniel. Daniel teaches Freddie about Spring and Summer, the people that come to their park, that everyone and everything has a purpose in life. I ends with the first snowfall and Freddie letting go of his branch and falling to a snowbank and seeing 'the big picture' (aka the whole tree), feeling peaceful and going to sleep. The author then reminds us that Freddie will then breakdown with the snow as the winter turns to spring again and help nourish the tree for new leaves. It's a really great book. I read it for hours in our 3rd floor attic; I could see nothing but treetops out of one window. I always have a happy/light feeling when I come to The Beginning of The Fall of Freddie the Leaf.
I've never heard of the Freddie book. I like your story and I'm glad to have this book in the back of my mind. Good to know there's a good children's book for a difficult topic.
ReplyDeleteSounds like an interesting book. I like that it ends with The Beginning. Very hopeful!
ReplyDeleteIt gives me "the warm fuzzies".
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