Loss takes many forms, each with its own difficulties. Sudden, unexplained loss is one of the most brutal to endure ... especially for a young child, who may not have any framework to understand what happened.
This rhyming story by prolific author and poet John Dougherty draws us into the joyful friendship of Bertle the Turtle and Hertle the Hare, who are always together, "friends to the end!" But the end comes without warning when Hertle simply disappears, leaving Bertle with nothing except "a hole in the air where a hare ought to be." Illustrator Thomas Docherty depicts this hole like a hare-shaped shadow that appears everywhere Bertle expects Hertle to be, "a constant reminder / that Hertle had gone, and that no one could find her."
Bertle goes through stages of grief — denial, anger, bargaining, despair — all without the benefit of his dear friend Hertle to help him. It's only when a kindly bear waits until he's ready, holds him while he cries, and then shares wisdom born of her own loss that Bertle learns he can speak his fun and happy memories into the hole: "Let the emptiness know that you're grateful and proud." Pictures show rainbow colors and stars begin to fill the empty space.
Readers ages three to five can enjoy this book simply as an engaging tale that has a happy (albeit wistful) ending, but most likely at the same time they will be soaking up empathy and understanding for anyone they meet who has suffered loss. And if they don't already need ways of coping with sudden grief, they will be gently storing up guidance for future use.
