Every night, a giant pit sucked and slurped up everything... And every night, it slurped me up, too...
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For one young child, nothing has been the same since losing their father. Words won’t fit together. Playing soccer is no longer fun. And every night brings the same terrible dream... a black, slurping pit that looks just like the period their father taught about as a grammar teacher. Periods mean something has ended, forever.
After receiving the gift of their father’s old grammar book, other symbols appear in the dream. The comma that carries one idea to another might keep the child from being slurped up for a while, but to escape their nightmare for good, the child must make a startling discovery – one that will reach beyond dreams to help heal their grief and teach them the meaning of their father’s favourite symbol of all. Written by Britt Sayler and illustrated by Dorota Rewerenda, The Semicolon is a compelling, sensitive picture book that gives voice to the experience of childhood depression. Inspired by the use of the semicolon by mental health advocates around the world, this story will help parents and educators begin conversations with children about big feelings, finding hope and building resilience. |
About the Book
Specifications: 36 pages, full color. Available in hardcover, softcover and e-book editions.
Intended audience: The Semicolon is an upper-level picture book that deals with difficult themes, including grief, mental health and depression. It is intended to be read and discussed *with* children ages 5+. It may also be used in counseling sessions through facilitated conversations and/or bibliotherapy activities by trained mental health professionals. Visit the Reader Guide section to learn how this book might work for you.
Note: Some of the book's dynamic layout may create challenges for readers with dyslexia.
Specifications: 36 pages, full color. Available in hardcover, softcover and e-book editions.
Intended audience: The Semicolon is an upper-level picture book that deals with difficult themes, including grief, mental health and depression. It is intended to be read and discussed *with* children ages 5+. It may also be used in counseling sessions through facilitated conversations and/or bibliotherapy activities by trained mental health professionals. Visit the Reader Guide section to learn how this book might work for you.
Note: Some of the book's dynamic layout may create challenges for readers with dyslexia.
What Readers are Saying...
“[T]he book offers a great way to encourage young people with grief and depression to open up. It also shows that not having the words to describe one’s feelings is a common part of life and that there are always ways to carry on... A heartfelt story of navigating emptiness and finding hope for the future."
- Kirkus Reviews
"With its poignant and metaphorical take on grief, The Semicolon is a powerful picture book about finding hope after loss... While a period is a black hole that signifies a definite end, a comma is a lifeboat that carries the child over the tumultuous sea of sorrow. Their discovery of the semicolon ties the emotional threads together, symbolizing healing and the fact that life goes on after loss."
- Foreword Clarion Reviews, 5 star review
“WHAT. A. POWERFUL. BOOK." |
"Objectively, the most beautiful and most important children's book I've ever read." |
"So beautiful, powerful, important and necessary." |
"Thank you for writing this book." |
"Brilliantly illustrated and delicately written, The Semicolon is hauntingly beautiful in both picture
and prose... As a children’s yoga teacher, The Semicolon will be an irreplaceable teaching tool. A wonderful book to help start conversation about deep emotions while providing comfort and hope to
those experiencing them."
- Trisha Keesmaat, yoga instructor & children's book author
"I love this book. I love, love, love how it weaves depression and punctuation - two topics that no one talks about enough - into such a compelling and touching story. It's got depth. It's a little bit funny and heartwarming. It's beautifully illustrated. It's helpful. And it's a great story that everyone can relate to in some way."
- Sarah, Toronto
“I like that the illustrations aren’t gender specific so all readers can identify with the protagonist. Although it looks like a children’s book, adults reading the book can also pick up the concept of the semicolon." |
“Britt brings to light the issue of mental health/depression for children and lets them know they are not alone. Plus, the artwork is beautiful and paints a wonderful, easy-to-understand picture… I hope we can see this book in schools and children's homes in the near future!” |
“As someone who suffers with depression and is currently suffering, this book brought a new meaning of the semicolon to me even as an adult. This book is a great reminder that no matter how bad we feel our story is not over…"
- Natalie, book reviewer, @all_books_great_and_small
