How do you explain to a young child that Grandpa is not going to be visiting anymore?

By Pepper Parr

January 24^th, 2026

BURLINGTON, ON

How do you explain to a young child that Grandpa is not going to be visiting anymore?

Death is not something young children understand.   They experience the loss, but comprehending what has happened is not easily explained.

Esther Maloney

Esther Maloney is a writer, filmmaker and educator who currently works for the National Film Board of Canada. She has taught courses at George Brown College, Humber College and at the University of Toronto, Scarborough.

She has written a wonderful little book that helps parents deal with situations where a grandparent or close family friend pass away that young children miss terribly and don’t understand why they are gone.

Maloney blends in the death of a person with the releasing of an injured bird from a cage once they have healed.  The book explores the bigger questions and emotions around life and death, loss and connections.

A child’s Father explains:”Everyone has their own beliefs about what happens after death, but you can think of it like a bird being freed from it’s cage.”

“Really? How? asked the child.

That is a tough question to answer without getting tied up in different religious ideologies.

“We human beings”, explains the Father “have two parts.  One is our body, which only lasts for a little while in this world.  The other part is our soul, which lasts forever.  Our bodies are like cages that keep our souls connected to this world for a time.  But eventually our souls are set free.”

The book is beautifully illustrated by  Elaheh Bos.

Efforts are being made to have a copy of the book in every Burlington Library branch.  We will let you know when it’s on the shelves.