Badger's Parting Gifts: A picture book to help children deal with death

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That night Mole cries himself to sleep while it snows outside. The following day his friends gather and wonder what they should do as they try to console themselves with the fact that Badger had told them not to be unhappy. But they find it difficult not to be.

Badger’s Parting Gifts provides young children with a means to understand grief’ CHILD BEREAVEMENT UK One warm spring day Mole is walking on the hillside where he had last seen Badger and he wants to thank him for his gift. 'Thank you, Badger,' he says and he believes that Badger will hear him ... and somehow, Badger did.First published in 1984, Badger’s Parting Gifts tells the story of a dying badger and his wonderful friends that he would leave behind. When I saw the title and the book cover, I was led into thinking that the book is about a badger literally handing out gifts before he dies. It turned out that no actual gift giving took place. This is a heart warming story that introduces grief, loss and the subject of death in a gentle way. Badger realises he is getting old and he sees his friends playing on the hill and he wishes he could join them. He is aware that he is approaching death and he hopes his friends won’t be too sad when he is gone. Badger has left his friends with some parting gifts which are fond memories that he hopes will bring them through their grief. The story describes the feelings of Badger’s friends now that Badger is no longer with them. Their grief seems endless to them and never ending, until they begin to remember all the great memories they have of their time with Badger. These memories have the ability to cheer Badger’s friends up and now when they remember Badger, they remember the good times and can’t help but to smile. I further feel that it’s a brilliant book to read to young children as it continually encourages them to think about the happy and positive aspects behind dealing with death. Initially Badgers friends are extremely upset and distraught by his loss but as time passes by they realise that it���s better to focus on the happy memories that they shared together. I think this is a key area of the book to explore with children when breaching this subject. A gentle book about loss and grief and the importance sharing memories. It is often used to help bereaved children talk about how they are feeling.

There is so much to love about Susan Varley’s picture book. Her pen and ink, and watercolor illustrations are wonderful and teeming with affection. Badger’s Parting Gifts not only shows us that our deceased loved ones live on through warm and loving memories of them but also when we share with others the things they’ve taught us when they were still alive. It is a sad beginning in that Badger, a dependable, reliable type, always ready to lend a helping paw, is very old and he knows that he will soon die. But he isn't afraid of death, his only concern is how his friends will feel when he is gone. He tries to ease their burden by telling them that someday soon he will be going down the Long Tunnel, as he euphemistically calls it, and he doesn't want them to be sad. This is a poignant and touching story about a Badger who is very old and has accepted that he will soon die. His only worry is the effect it will have on his friends. The time arrives and his friends are, as badger feared, desperately upset. However in time they remember the valuable moments they spent with Badger and the pain begins to be surpassed by fond memories.The second part of the book is about Badgers friends and the things he taught them to do. Each of them have a special memory of Badger as he taught them different things to do such as skate and they see it as a parting gift or treasure. At the end one of his friends goes to the hill and says hello to badger and hopes that he can hear him. Celebrating the 35th anniversary of this quintessential and multi award-winning picture book about losing a loved one. Features a helpful reading guide from Child Bereavement UK that provides tips for reading Badger’s Parting Gifts with children and helping them better understand grief. Within the context of Religious Education being taught to younger children I think Badgers Parting Gifts is a good book to explore with them and to use as a stimulus. Once the story has been read to a group of children this would then enable the themes to be explored as a vehicle for questioning, communication and discussion. Using a story within Religious Education is very common within the younger years of primary education as numerous children’s books explore a message or moral which is an important area of this subject. This is without a doubt apparent within this piece of literature.