A Shelter for Sadness is a beautiful book, by Anne Booth and David Litchfield. This book is about accepting sadness and sorrow and how it will help you to see the beauty of the world.
Inside the book, it explains Anne Booth was inspired to write this book by Etty Hillesum. She was a Jewish woman and victim of the Holocaust. Etty explained the importance of “Givi[ing} your sorrow all the space and shelter in yourself that its due.”
The child in the book builds a shelter for sadness because ” it has a right to be there.” Not only that but she gives it a garden where birds build their nests. The little boy also visits sadness, sometimes to talk but other times just to sit with it.
Would I recommend A Shelter for Sadness?
A Shelter for Sadness would be a great book to share with children who are uncomfortable with feeling sad. Or understanding their emotions. As in this book, sadness is not shown to be something to be afraid of but something to be embraced.
The illustrations in this book are absolutely stunning. There are vivid spring like scenes, which contrast to the dark and stormy pages. This book is great because of how sadness is accepted and treated. Therefore, showing children that sadness is not something to be feared. But something to be taken care of. As well as, it being approached with open arms.
Have you read this book? Please let me know what you thought of it if so!
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