by Inger Maier, Maria Bogade
Emily introduces her younger brother, Ben, to butterflies, which he calls "flying flowers," and when his illness makes him too weak to go see them she draws him pictures, but after his death she no longer wants to draw happy things. Includes note to parents.
"I'm never drawing happy pictures again." Day after day Emily draws pictures of dark clouds with rain, and houses with tiny windows and doors. She misses Ben so much.
When Emily loses her brother after a long illness, she feels alone, angry, and very, very sad. With the understanding and support of her parents, Emily learns that it helps when she snuggles with her parents. It helps when she talks about her feelings and asks questions about Ben. And it helps when she does regular kid stuff, too. But mostly, she learns that remembering Ben and their happy life together builds healthy and helpful images that soothe her sad feelings and provide much comfort to her and her family.
"Flying flowers, flying flowers, white, yellow, or blue. When I see one, I'll remember the special times I had with you."
