The Dragonfly Story: Explaining the death of a loved one to children and families

This beautifully illustrated story is an adaptation of the fable of the transformation of the dragonfly. This fable has been long used to explain death and the hope of heaven. This version opens with two siblings talking about missing their sister and wondering where she had gone now that she had died. The mother then tells them the dragonfly story. Using the experience of the death of her eldest child, the author, Kelly Owen, has retold the fable in simple terms to encourage children and families to talk about death and what happens when we die. The book does not shy away from the subject of death, but aims to explain it in a real and loving way. The story starts in the family home as the siblings feel sad and confused about their sister's death, so the parents take them to the park where they discover a dragonfly. The dragonfly story is then told and they reflect on how that might explain their loss. It is a useful book to discuss death when you have experienced a loss in the family. The book is ideal for people of all beliefs and none. The Dragonfly Story offers hope and comfort to the bereaved.