Everywhere and all around

by Pimm van Hest

illustrated by Sassafras De Bruyn

Clavis Books

Yolanda's mom has died, and she misses her so much. Yolanda wants to know where her mom is, so she goes looking for her. When she sees her little bother talking to his stuffed bunny, she understands her mom is in the bunny. When she asks her father, he says for him Yolanda's mom is in many things around the house that remind him of her. For her Aunt Christina mom is in the stories we share about her. Grandpa finds mom in nature, specially in roses. Grandma sees mom in Yolanda. For Willa, mom's best friend, mom is in the wind. Mom is also in the stars which light the dark night, as Yolanda's teacher says. Yolanda understands that mom is everywhere.

Everywhere and all around is at the same time sad and full of hope and love. Yolanda makes the hard trip from sorrow because of her mom's death, to the comfort and confidence of knowing mom will still be there if she remembers and looks for her. The illustrations accompany perfectly the story, from dark and sad at the beginning, to colorful and illuminated at the end. Death is a hard topic to talk to a kid who has lost a beloved one, and I think this story faces it in a respectful and appropriate way. This is a 5 stars book for me.

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.