Wednesday 13 October 2021

BOOK REVIEW: Molly's Tree


TITLE: Molly's Tree
AUTHOR: Iain Lauchlan
PUBLISHED BYCherish Editions for Shaw Callaghan Limited

Molly's Tree is a beautifully illustrated and sensitively written children's book for a pre-school audience which is designed to help both children and adults deal with bereavement and loss.

The story uses the Mood Bears, designed and created by Joanna Proud, to encourage children to talk, listen and understand their feelings.  

In the story, one day, one of the Mood Bears, Sad Bear, feels a small cloud nudging him whilst he is gardening. It scoops up Sad Bear, who knew then that someone needed him, and takes him to Harry's house. Harry is very unhappy and is missing his dog, Molly who has sadly passed away. With Sad Bear's help, Harry soon feels better as Sad Bear teaches him how to cherish Molly’s memory by remembering all of the good times they had together and planting a tree in remembrance of her life.

Joanna Proud designed and created Mood Bears following her own mental health struggles and she had a vision of them helping children’s mental health in the form of a book, hence the creation of this story with author, Ian Lauchlan’s help.

The book is an ideal resource for parents and teachers using Mood Bears as a teaching tool to help and support children through challenging times thereby helping them become more resilient. Brightly coloured, eye-catching illustrations help navigate the story and deal with the subject of loss in a simplistic manner which young children will understand.

I particularly liked the length of the story which is just right for bedtime reading. It will help answer the many questions youngsters have about loss and death along with helping them to treasure and keep alive the memories they may have of those who they were close to who are no longer in their lives.

The book’s wipe-clean cover is a bonus, so important for parents who may be reading it to children with sticky fingers.

Molly's Tree is an engaging, emotive story which will help children understand and work through feelings of grief and loss.

Superbly Illustrated by Nik Afia

Reviewer - Anne Pritchard

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