Timothy Duck: The Story of the Death of a Friend (revised edition) by Lynn Bennett Blackburn

Illustrated by D. L. Godfrey. 24 p., Centering Corp., 1999.

Timothy is a special duck because he wonders about the reasons for lots of things. He makes friends with John, a boy who also wonders a great deal, and who talks to Timothy and feeds him special treats. As time goes on, John becomes less active, and Timothy's mother explains that John may be sick. Timothy feels angry and scared, wondering whether children can die. Eventually, John's mother and sister come to the pond without John, and Timothy realizes that he has died. Timothy says goodbye to John at his burial. He expresses feelings of confusion, anger, and vulnerability. He is afraid to love because he risks the death of the one he loves, yet he realizes that he would feel even more empty if he didn't love anyone. A talk with a duck friend, who has endured the death of her sister, helps. A year later, he remembers the emptiness he'd felt when John died, but realizes that he will always have his memories of John, and that he can survive grief. This story offers children empathy with complex feelings, along with gentle reassurance that they, too, can tolerate grief.

Ages: 6-9
Cultural Context: non-human