Saturday, June 20, 2015

Book Review: My Yellow Balloon by Tiffany Papageorge


There has been a lot of sadness in the news, from devastating natural disasters to violent protests and much more. It’s no secret that our children are directly or indirectly exposed to and aware of life’s most difficult occurrences, and in their true curious nature, they may have questions.

Whether your child has observed a loss or dealt with one of their own (death, divorce, moving away, deployment, etc.), helping them understand it all can be challenging. Tiffany Papageorge, sought-after speaker and author, addresses this difficult topic with her inspirational new picture book, My Yellow Balloon.

Breathtakingly illustrated by a Dreamworks artist, My Yellow Balloon tells the simple, powerful, and heartfelt story of a young boy who gets a yellow balloon while visiting a fair with his parents. He loves the balloon dearly until it accidentally slips from his hands. Without his yellow balloon, all of the color drains from the boy’s world, until one day when the boy sees the yellow balloon reflected in the sun and knows it will always be with him, even if it’s not in his hands anymore.

Providing comfort and clarity, My Yellow Balloon can help parents begin a difficult conversation with their children. Loss is very real, but doesn’t have to be so scary.


Age Level: 4 - 8 | Grade Level: P - 3
It all started at the carnival…That’s where Joey makes a new friend: a bright yellow balloon. Joey and his beloved balloon do everything together, until the balloon accidentally slips off Joey’s wrist and flies far, far away. What will Joey do without his special friend?

Tiffany Papageorge has crafted a poignant tale of love, loss, and letting go that will serve as a comforting guide to children who are navigating the complicated emotions of grief. Rich, luminous illustrations by Erwin Madrid perfectly capture these timeless themes, making them accessible to even the youngest reader.
Honest, unflinching, and ultimately reassuring, My Yellow Balloon will resonate with anyone who has endured the darkness of grief, while offering hope for brighter days ahead.

My Review

This was such a good book and my daughter really enjoyed it. There was a lot of emotion in this story and I think it's relatable for most children. Losing something, even a balloon is hard on a child. They don't fully understand why things are lost and not able to come back. The deeper meaning in this book is about losing a loved one, but the author words it in a way for children to understand and relate to.

I found the writing to be good and my daughter who is a reader, didn't have any issues pronouncing words or following along with the story and understanding it.

The illustrations in this book are beautiful and really help capture the reader as they find their way through this story. I personally feel like this is a book that all parents should have, because at some point during a child's life, they are going to have to deal with a loss that they just don't understand, and this story is helpful during that time.







26 comments:

VickieC said...

i love this ,,my grandkids would enjoy this a lot

slehan said...

Yes, looks like a good book for parents to have in their library for when they need it.

slehan at juno dot com

Melissa Storms said...

This sounds like a great book to give to a child struggling with the huge emotion of grief.

Fee Roberts said...

My daughter and the father of my granddaughter recently split up. My granddaughter hasn't brought it up and I don't want to ask the wrong question and have her get upset. She sees her Daddy quite often. She'll be five in a few weeks, but she doesn't act five. She's still on the baby side. She hasn't changed her behavior, so I don't want to initiate anything that might get her upset. I don't think she really understands what's happened. I'm wondering if this book would help with my granddaughter's situation.

Carol L. said...

Sounds like a must have for parents.. I have several grandchildren in this age group and I think it describes a beautiful way to deal with those feelings of grief & loss. Thank you for the post
Carol L
Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com

Unknown said...

This is a nice site. Very Informative.

lisa said...

This sounds like a really good book. For kids and adults.

freddie said...

This sounds like a wonderful book to share with my grandchildren to help them understand loss in their life.

thisisliferemix said...

Thanks for sharing I think my daughter would like it too.

Athena Emmanouilidis said...

It's a great way to start talking to children about loss

Unknown said...

this does look good for parents

Terri. said...

My nieces and nephew would love this!!! Thank you for sharing!

Sandra Watts said...

It sounds like a really touching book. Thanks for your great review.

Unknown said...

This sounds like a great book, definitely something I would love to purchase. Thank you for sharing this review.

Carolyn Massey said...

This book review is great. I remember when I had to tell my daughter that her grand daddy had passed. She just turned 9 at the time. I wished I had this book to give to her. I think I explained death to her but sure was hard. Thank you.

Unknown said...

What a wonderful gift i could leave my two grandbabies due in September

Unknown said...

What a wonderful gift i could leave my two grandbabies due in September

Toni said...

This book seems like something every child should read.

burgerlady said...

This would be good for any child going through grief of any kind, divorce, death of a loved one, death of a pet, etc.

Kelly O said...

I have been looking for a book just like this. I am thankful that your review came across my path. Looks like I will be shopping.

Denise Low said...

This would be a wonderful book to read

Unknown said...

Unfortunately, everyone suffers loss... Kids DO, in fact, need to read this book.. sounds eye-opening.

Karen Propes said...

Sounds like a great book. Our family had 4 deaths within 2 week period. After that we had 2 more deaths. It's hard to explain this to kids. So glad there are books out there to help them understand.

Jerry Marquardt said...

It looks like a very nice book. I am looking forward to reading this.

Jasmine P said...

This sounds like a wonderful book!

Shakeia Rieux said...

This sounds like a great book for parents to have, and would be very helpful in many situations.