BOOKS: Sad Book by Michael Rosen, Illustrated by Quentin Blake

Sad Book is a book that is so honest and original that you feel as though by reading it, you have taken a peek into the author's life and confronted their innermost thoughts. It follows Michael Rosen, whose son Eddie sadly died suddenly at the age of eighteen from meningococcal septicaemia. The book is Rosen's exploration of his feelings following the death, his subsequent depression,and how he copes with it all.

This is, however, a children's picture book, and the story is told with moments of humour and equally moments of stark bleakness. Rosen's writing is simple, uncomplicated:

"Sometime sad is very big. It's everywhere. All over me."

Which only adds to its power. The accompanying  illustrations from artist and friend Quentin Blake show Rosen in moments of sadness, rage and, eventually, joy. 

This is a powerful, deep book which adults would do well to read to relate to others who have lost loved ones, and to read to younger children who are attempting to cope with such a loss. Beautiful, candid, and very, very sad, Sad Book is ultimately uplifting and teaches us all about the pain of grief.


Buy SAD BOOK

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BOOKS is a series of posts reviewing books that StoryWorld think are must-reads for the emerging writer, for their quality of prose, themes and power.