| Coloring Pages to print and color |
| Wishes for One More Day Written by Melanie Pastor Illustrated by Jacqui Grantford |
The smell of pancakes in the morning usually signals a special day. Well,
today is special, but not at all happy, because dear Poppy has passed away.
When Anna and her little brother hear the sad news, they wonder how
Poppy could have died before they had a chance to say goodbye. If they
only had one more day.
They begin to think about the joyful, exciting things they would do if they did
have one more day together with Poppy. Setting to work on a list, Anna
writes and Joey draws the many ways they would spend one more day. They
smile thinking about Poppy’s crazy birthday hat, they giggle remembering the
silly songs Poppy plunked out on the piano, and they laugh out loud at the
chicken soup game they played weekly at the deli.
Anna and Joey’s list grow into a pile, and the pile becomes a book – a book
of wishes for one more day with Poppy – or, as their mother explains, a
book of memories of the love and fun they shared with him. Death is
never easy for young children to understand or cope with, especially the
death of a close, beloved relative. Creating a book of wishes provides Anna
and her brother, and any child who has experienced loss, with a comforting
outlet for their feelings, helping them understand that their loved one is still
with them in their memories and hearts.
today is special, but not at all happy, because dear Poppy has passed away.
When Anna and her little brother hear the sad news, they wonder how
Poppy could have died before they had a chance to say goodbye. If they
only had one more day.
They begin to think about the joyful, exciting things they would do if they did
have one more day together with Poppy. Setting to work on a list, Anna
writes and Joey draws the many ways they would spend one more day. They
smile thinking about Poppy’s crazy birthday hat, they giggle remembering the
silly songs Poppy plunked out on the piano, and they laugh out loud at the
chicken soup game they played weekly at the deli.
Anna and Joey’s list grow into a pile, and the pile becomes a book – a book
of wishes for one more day with Poppy – or, as their mother explains, a
book of memories of the love and fun they shared with him. Death is
never easy for young children to understand or cope with, especially the
death of a close, beloved relative. Creating a book of wishes provides Anna
and her brother, and any child who has experienced loss, with a comforting
outlet for their feelings, helping them understand that their loved one is still
with them in their memories and hearts.
Hardcover, 32 full color pages, ages 4-8
Fall 2006, ISBN 9780972922579
Fall 2006, ISBN 9780972922579
Available at your favorite
bookseller or through:
bookseller or through:
Review Highlights
"a heartfelt response to a sad but inevitable part of life but the illustrations are light and full of
warmth...There will be many children who will relate to this book and it is one that can and should be
shared with all." - Reading Time, The Children's Book Council of Australia's quarterly journal
"...[a] tribute to a dearly loved grandfather.... It is important to see how gently both parents go about
discussing Poppy's death.... Parents and care givers will find this book very useful in helping children
cope with the loss of a grandparent…and maybe find a bit of solace for themselves, as well." - Sheilah
Egan, Children's Literature (featured on the list of books for Grandparents' Day, Sept. 10, 2006)
"This book is highly recommended for the grief/death collection of all libraries. It deals with death in a
realistic manner (a grandparent died, not a turtle or hamster) and provides an active suggestion for
coping with the loss. Wishes for One More Day is sad, because poppy has died, yet it is consoling
because of the memories of special times spent with him."- The AJL Newsletter
"...Pastor goes beyond simply modelling the process [of working through grief]; she approaches it with
depth, inventiveness, and sensitivity. She... tells the story and delivers the lesson with tenderness and
attention, without lapsing into cliché or sentimentality... This beautiful book will be useful in
classrooms, daycare centers, and church groups, to help children understand each other’s grief. It will
be invaluable to any child who has lost a loved one." - Karen McCarthy, Foreword Magazine
"...this picture story book is a reassuring method of introducing the subject of death to younger
children. For those already touched by such a tragedy, it offers children with an empowering method of
dealing with their loss." Anna Dogole, Large Print Reviews.com
"Share this book with your family to initiate conversations about loss and grief and to help establish the
importance of the everyday joy of life." Beverly J. Rowe, My Shelf.com
"Wishes for One More Day... is a sensitive story of the loss of a grandparent. ...there are no easy
answers here, but a very lovely marking of the endless special moments these children shared with their
grandfather... Wishes for One More Day is a very strong addition to books available on loss, tenderly
articulating the "wishes" we all have." Esty Schachter, Ithaca Child, The Paper for Parents
"Readers will enjoy the cover picture of Poppy wearing his silly birthday hat with a cardboard candle
sticking out of the top of it... This would be very helpful and comforting to use with children who have
lost a grandparent or other loved one. They will be encouraged to think of their own memories of those
dear to them, and will realize that they will always have those memories in their heart." Andrea
Davidson, Jewish Book World
"I found the book delightful because, for me, it really isn't about death. It is about the celebration of a
human being and his relationships, as well as about the things that are possible with such a strong
connection. This is a compelling book with insight and value for all ages." - Christine Hohlbaum, The
Reading Tub
"...powerful and touching... This book serves as a great reminder of how the simple things are often the
most important." - Christine Louise Hohlbaum, author of SAHM I Am: Tales of a Stay-at-Home Mom in
Europe
"...an excellent book that will resonate with many children who experience the death of someone they
loved... It addresses the unpredictable and various range of emotions, the different perspectives of
adult and child, and the idea of how memories can be comforting. ...This book would be a welcome
addition to the children's section of our resource library." -- Dr. Patti Homan, Program Director,
PATHways Center for Grief & Loss
"With its magnificently soothing, portrait-quality illustrations by Jacqui Grantford, this touching story
normalizes a child’s reactions to loss with the added bonus of a built-in strategy for helping children
cope at this difficult time. It will undoubtedly be a wonderful addition to your collection." - Barbara
Gruener, certified trainer for Character Counts!
"This is a dear, sweet book that focuses on the issue of death without making it beyond the
understanding of 5-9 year olds." - Sybil Kaplan, The National Jewish Post & Opinion
See all reviews...
warmth...There will be many children who will relate to this book and it is one that can and should be
shared with all." - Reading Time, The Children's Book Council of Australia's quarterly journal
"...[a] tribute to a dearly loved grandfather.... It is important to see how gently both parents go about
discussing Poppy's death.... Parents and care givers will find this book very useful in helping children
cope with the loss of a grandparent…and maybe find a bit of solace for themselves, as well." - Sheilah
Egan, Children's Literature (featured on the list of books for Grandparents' Day, Sept. 10, 2006)
"This book is highly recommended for the grief/death collection of all libraries. It deals with death in a
realistic manner (a grandparent died, not a turtle or hamster) and provides an active suggestion for
coping with the loss. Wishes for One More Day is sad, because poppy has died, yet it is consoling
because of the memories of special times spent with him."- The AJL Newsletter
"...Pastor goes beyond simply modelling the process [of working through grief]; she approaches it with
depth, inventiveness, and sensitivity. She... tells the story and delivers the lesson with tenderness and
attention, without lapsing into cliché or sentimentality... This beautiful book will be useful in
classrooms, daycare centers, and church groups, to help children understand each other’s grief. It will
be invaluable to any child who has lost a loved one." - Karen McCarthy, Foreword Magazine
"...this picture story book is a reassuring method of introducing the subject of death to younger
children. For those already touched by such a tragedy, it offers children with an empowering method of
dealing with their loss." Anna Dogole, Large Print Reviews.com
"Share this book with your family to initiate conversations about loss and grief and to help establish the
importance of the everyday joy of life." Beverly J. Rowe, My Shelf.com
"Wishes for One More Day... is a sensitive story of the loss of a grandparent. ...there are no easy
answers here, but a very lovely marking of the endless special moments these children shared with their
grandfather... Wishes for One More Day is a very strong addition to books available on loss, tenderly
articulating the "wishes" we all have." Esty Schachter, Ithaca Child, The Paper for Parents
"Readers will enjoy the cover picture of Poppy wearing his silly birthday hat with a cardboard candle
sticking out of the top of it... This would be very helpful and comforting to use with children who have
lost a grandparent or other loved one. They will be encouraged to think of their own memories of those
dear to them, and will realize that they will always have those memories in their heart." Andrea
Davidson, Jewish Book World
"I found the book delightful because, for me, it really isn't about death. It is about the celebration of a
human being and his relationships, as well as about the things that are possible with such a strong
connection. This is a compelling book with insight and value for all ages." - Christine Hohlbaum, The
Reading Tub
"...powerful and touching... This book serves as a great reminder of how the simple things are often the
most important." - Christine Louise Hohlbaum, author of SAHM I Am: Tales of a Stay-at-Home Mom in
Europe
"...an excellent book that will resonate with many children who experience the death of someone they
loved... It addresses the unpredictable and various range of emotions, the different perspectives of
adult and child, and the idea of how memories can be comforting. ...This book would be a welcome
addition to the children's section of our resource library." -- Dr. Patti Homan, Program Director,
PATHways Center for Grief & Loss
"With its magnificently soothing, portrait-quality illustrations by Jacqui Grantford, this touching story
normalizes a child’s reactions to loss with the added bonus of a built-in strategy for helping children
cope at this difficult time. It will undoubtedly be a wonderful addition to your collection." - Barbara
Gruener, certified trainer for Character Counts!
"This is a dear, sweet book that focuses on the issue of death without making it beyond the
understanding of 5-9 year olds." - Sybil Kaplan, The National Jewish Post & Opinion
See all reviews...
Fiona Avent, Nicki
Lee, and Cameron
Avent, who posed for
artist Jacqui
Grantford (seated),
and served as
models for the
characters in Wishes
for One More Day.
Lee, and Cameron
Avent, who posed for
artist Jacqui
Grantford (seated),
and served as
models for the
characters in Wishes
for One More Day.
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