Final Project
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EVERYBODY POOPS, EVERYBODY DIES: PICTURE BOOKS AND DEATH By LAURA INGLIS-EICKMEIER Integrated Studies Project submitted to Dr. Robert Runté in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts – Integrated Studies Athabasca, Alberta September, 2013 Abstract That every living thing dies is an unavoidable part of the life cycle. But when children inquire about or encounter death, the adults in their lives frequently struggle with how best to handle the subject. Providing guidance to struggling parents, teachers and caregivers is the goal of this work. Bibliotherapy is commonly used by counsellors and therapists, however the scholarly work in this field is not readily accessible to parents, teachers and caregivers. These adults do, however, frequently use picture books to help children understand a wide variety of topics. Everybody Poops, Everybody Dies argues for the use of picture books dealing with death in discussions about death with children. The author developed a web-based (Pinterest), searchable social media resource of picture books dealing with death. This annotated bibliography is categorized by the type of loss experienced (for example, “Death of a Grandparent”, “Death of a Friend”, “Death of a Pet”) or by theme (for example, “Religion”, “It’s Okay to Cry”, “Funerals”, Starting the Conversation”). This categorization will help adults to customize their search and choose books which are specific to the situation the child in their care is facing. The weblink to this resource is included in the paper. Textual analysis was performed, investigating the use of the first and third person in the texts, gender in children’s books about death, and the use of anthropomorphic animals. Suggestions for further research and fiction writing are included. 2 Table of Contents Title Page!!!!!!!!!!1 Abstract!!!!!!!!!!2 Table of Contents!!!!!!!!!3 Appendix !!!!!!!!!!28 References!!!!!!!!!!42 3 Asking “Do you have a grandma?” !Such a simple question, but, when uttered by my three year old daughter, one that filled me with terror. “Yes”, I answered, hesitantly. !The inevitable response, “Where is she?”. !I paused, “She died and now she is in heaven.” !A few weeks later, my daughter was in the running stroller as I worked my way up a hill. “Why is that raccoon sleeping there?” she asked, pointing to the side of the road. !“I guess he got tired and needed a nap”, I responded breathlessly. !I often replay these conversations in my mind. In both cases, I failed my daughter. I took the easy way, the fast way, the painless way out. I have a pillow that says “Parenting: Not for the Faint of Heart”, which sits neatly on my sofa. In these instances, however, I chose cowardice, instead of parenting. I realized that I needed to learn to be brave and started to investigate how to teach young children about death. ! Reading !As a teacher, I have relied on picture books and literature to teach children about the world outside and within themselves for years. Teaching through text is so thoroughly ingrained that it less a pedagogical technique and more a fundamental approach. Because of this, there is limited research supporting the practice itself. Many experts in literacy do, however, confirm and encourage it. In their broadly- adopted text, Critical Literacy: Enhancing Students’ Comprehension of Text, 4 McLaughing and Devoogd (2004) state that “texts can . combine pictures and words in ways that encourage readers to understand the text on several different levels”(55). The use of the picture book as the insertion point allows children to bring their own backgrounds, experiences and emotions to the reading and to further develop their own schema on the topic as their understanding develops. Harvey and Goudvis (2007) in Strategies that Work: Teaching Comprehension for Understanding and Engagement also support the use of picture books for teaching, noting, !Picture books offer certain unique advantages when we deliver instruction . !We believe that interest is essential to comprehension. If we read material that !doesn’t engage us, we probably won’t remember much. Engagement leads to !remembering what is read, acquiring knowledge and enhancing !understanding(66). Particularly when read aloud, picture books are able to engage us visually, aurally and emotionally. This multi-sensorial approach increases the possibility for engagement and interest in the material, which improves knowledge and understanding. !Although broader society views picture books as a medium for children’s enjoyment, in schools we frequently use picture books across the grade levels to introduce difficult topics or alternative viewpoints. In my experience, they offer a starting point for discussions and an opportunity to broaden perspectives beyond students’ lived experiences. Harvey and Goudvis (2007) concur, noting both that “sometimes a thoughtful picture book may be the best way to launch a discussion about a pressing issue like racism or an unfamiliar topic”(63) and “the power of well-written picture books cannot be overestimated. Traditionally viewed as a genre reserved solely for younger children, picture books lend themselves to ... guided discussion at every grade level”(66). Death, grief and mourning are highly emotional, challenging topics for both 5 young and old. A picture book can be a non-personal, safe starting place for a conversation that is difficult for all concerned. !Experiencing a loss can be overwhelming to anyone, adult or child. It often precipitates changes in day to day routines and environments. When combined with the loss of the person, this can lead to a sense that life ‘as we know it’ cannot go on. In his work on pet loss in death-related literature, Corr (2003) speaks to the idea that death literature reassures children that, notwithstanding the importance of the losses, life can and does go on (409). Corr also notes that death-related literature can be useful for both bereaved children and those who have not yet experienced a loss in their lives. Death-related literature can guide, educate and support both adults and/or children as they work through the concept or experience of death in their lives (412). !PIcture books not only help us to develop a deeper understanding, but they can also give us exposure to life experiences and paradigms outside of our own. In Critical Literacy: Enhancing Students’ Comprehension of Text, McLaughing and Devoogd (2004) state that “learners make sense of their world by connecting their prior knowledge with what they are learning”(21). As educators, parents and concerned adults, it is our job to ensure that the children under our care have the prior knowledge necessary to help them make sense of the what they experience in the world. Despite our desire to protect them, children will inevitably experience death, grief and loss. Picture books and storytelling are one way to help them gain the knowledge they need to process this difficult event. In Strategies that Work: Teaching Comprehension for Understanding and Engagement , Harvey and Goudvis (2007) state that “stories close to children’s own lives and experiences are helpful for introducing new ways of 6 thinking. Readers naturally make connections between books and their own lives”(92). Making these connections draws them further into the story, and into the act of meaning-making in their own lives. Harvey and Goudvis go on to note, “Human beings are driven to find answers and make sense of the world”(109). By providing rich texts that deal with challenging issues, we help children work through this job of meaning-making and come to an understanding of death and loss. In Conversations: Strategies for Teaching, Learning and Evaluating , (2000) Regie Routman states !I read about others lives so I can make sense of my own. It’s not just reading for !pleasure and information. It’s a way out of my own life and into others’ lives and !cultures.... It’s a connection to humanity outside of my narrow world. Perhaps, !most important, it’s inspiration and sustenance for my imagination, my heart and !my soul. Connecting with literature has the power to humanize us - to help us !understand the viewpoints, perspectives, hopes, sufferings, and longing of !others(172). I suggest that by allowing us to understand these in others, it also helps us to understand them in ourselves. In Helping Children Cope with Death, Wass and Corr (1984) note that “it is obvious that books can have an important value for children. All printed materials, but especially imaginative literature of the best kind, can stimulate a child’s creative tendencies, enlarge horizons, confirm human solidarity in the face of difficulties and foster critical assessment”(69). !In The Power of Retelling: Developmental Steps for Building Comprehension, Benson and Cummins (2000) state that “children who have been read to at home may have heard hundreds of stories and learned to anticipate certain aspects of a story. They come to know that fairy tales usually have kings and queens and that good usually triumphs over evil.... This sense of story helps children anticipate what might happen as they listen to or read a story themselves. Instead of the story being a lot of unrelated 7 pieces, the pieces fit within a preconceived cognitive structure, which allows the child to construct meaning by interacting with the story”(55) Experiencing the pattern of the story allows children to learn how stories unfold and helps them to take meaning from texts. By including literature about death in our reading, we give children exposure to the ‘pattern’ of death and therefore, some of the tools to help them to comprehend it in their own life experiences. !Without prompting, children may be unwilling to share their thoughts, worries or experiences with death. A picture book dealing with death, grief and loss can be an excellent introduction to discussion about the topic.