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I am not exactly
religious but I do have personal beliefs about the divine etc. I would suggest maybe finding a few books dealing with death geared to young kids that fit somewhat with your beliefs. There are tons on amazon. I found a couple books that I think are very helpful to young children as far as the physical cycle of nature and the concept of "lifetimes" that could work for both traditional religious, simply spiritual but not religious, or secular (for lack of a better word) folks. They are:
1)Lifetimes
by BRYAN MELLONIE
excerpts from a few reviews follow
This is a book about the rhythm of life and death for all creatures, for everything that is born. One of the best parts of the book is its emphasis on what a lifetime is, and how it is framed by birth and death, and that inbetween those "markers" is what is important. It explains that different creatures have different life spans, and that this aspect of nature is neither fair nor unfair. It simply is.
My daughter, age 4, had a lot of questions about death. She was most especially interested in finding out when her "dying day" would be. This book seemed to help her understand that everyone's lifetime is special to them. I wanted her to understand that because someone else died it doesn't mean her death is imminent. A common fear among the young.
An exquisitely illustrated and plainly written book, it speaks clearly to the children about a complicated subject. I highly recommend it for all home and school libraries for ages three and up. It should be used as part of a comprehensive set of books on biological and familial concepts as it is not meant to answer all of a child's questions on life cycles, grief, death or dying.
2)The Fall of Freddie the Leaf: 20th Aniversary Edition
by Leo Buscaglia "
Originally published in the fall of 1982, the wonderfully wise and strikingly simple story of a leaf named Freddie has become one of the most popular books of our times. How Freddie and his companion leaves change with the passing seasons, finally falling to the ground with a winter's snow, is an inspiring allegory illustrating the delicate balance between life and death.
After offering solace for a generation of adults and children alike, The Fall of Freddie the Leaf arrives in a classic edition with a beautiful new package that will appeal to today's readers at a time when stories of comfort and inspiration have become more important than ever.
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