I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY'RE GONE

An astute bear helps some mice handle their grief over a loved one who has died in this picture book about accepting feelings.

A mouse family is dazed. None of the family members wants to accept that someone they love has died, but they all respond differently. As they struggle with their emotions, they turn to Wise Old Bear for advice. Mumma wishes to know why she is so sad; Papa doesn’t understand why he feels so flat. Big mouse expresses anger; Small deals with guilt; and Tiny just feels numb. During a series of visits, Bear offers understanding as well as a repeated phrase: “You know…emotions aren’t good or bad, or right or wrong—they just are.” As the mice talk to Bear and gather to share their memories, they start to feel better. Bear’s patient words are full of kindness, and each visit helps show how sorrow can take on different forms in various mourners. The actions of the mice are diverse, which offers insights into how people cope with their own big feelings. Brough’s depictions of grief ring true, and the variations she delivers show, as Bear says, that there’s not a right or wrong way to feel. Kariyawasam’s gentle illustrations, a mix of ink and watercolor with anthropomorphized animals in human clothing, capture both the somber tone and the vivid colors of celebrating life.

An encouraging and comforting tale about loss that may help readers process their own emotions.