My eldest son was only three years old when his great-granddad died. We tried to break the news gently, but that little boy was devastated. He pulled the bed covers high over his head and hid from us. And no matter how much we tried to talk to him, or comfort him, he wouldn’t come out.

I was a young, inexperienced mom, with another toddler to cope with and pregnant with a third. It was our first family experience of death. I didn’t know what to do. So I let him be.

If only I could have read a wonderful book called The Memory Box with him! My creative son would have made his own little memory box straight away, and we would have filled it with photographs and mementos of him and his great-granddad as they walked by the seaside, or caught crabs, or ate a cream tea together. That way, we would have ensured that his beloved great-granddad would never be forgotten. And in the making of that box, and in the returning to it, we would have shared memories, and conversation, and laughter, and tears.

This is the wonderful idea behind The Memory Box, a beautiful book written by Joanna Rowland to help a young child cope with the loss of a loved one. Read on for a peek inside and a chance to win your own copy.

The narrator of The Memory Box is a young girl who is grieving the loss of someone she loves. The story begins:

I lost my balloon once. I tried so hard to hold on tight, to never let it go… I watched it fly higher than the trees, above the clouds, past where I couldn’t see. I was sad. 

But not as sad as I am now. I can always get another balloon. But I can never have another you.

I miss you.

In the process of remembering and grieving, the little girl creates a memory box to hold written notes and mementos to remind her of her loved one. Included in the back of the book are suggestions for making your own memory box. What a beautiful idea to help young children retain memories and deal with all the varying emotions that accompany loss!

The review from Publishers Weekly highlights the gentle illustrations by Thea Baker:

“Baker’s mixed-media collages integrate bits of fabric and softly textured papers, creating a homey atmosphere that dovetails nicely with the girl’s homemade box.”

Parents, grandparents, educators, grief counselors and children’s ministers will also find a useful guide, written from a Christian perspective, about how to help young children cope with loss.

Not surprisingly, The Memory Box was the worthy recipient of a 2017 Moonbeam Children’s Book Award. Would you like to win a copy for your home, church or ministry? The publishers, Beaming Books, have graciously agreed to give two copies away to two lucky winners.

To be entered in the drawing, simply share this post on your favorite social media site and tag me, Glenys Nellist.

The winners will be announced in the comments here on Monday July 30th. For an extra chance to win, leave a comment on this post on my website.

Glenys