Duck, Death and the Tulip

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The illustrations are exceptionally memorable and suit the style of the book perfectly- it provides a beautiful opportunity to discuss the topic of death with children without it being daunting or frightening but rather more gentle and comforting. That’s contestable: the subject of death is a big issue for kids and one they want to rationalise and over the past ten years the whole picture book genre has become extremely sophisticated and it’s used as a vehicle to cover a whole range of subjects. In the masterpiece a difficult theme is made accessible for children in an idiosyncratic manner with a touch of humor.

The story is a simple one of the Duck and Death sharing experiences together like swimming and climbing trees, though the whole time the Duck seems slightly concerned about what happens when he does indeed die. I do like that Death leaves the Tulip on Duck and takes the pains to bring Duck to the river and so forth, all very symbolic gestures of affection. The Disney Way of Death explains the unfortunate/sad reaction to the evident loss of a loved one (friends and family). For his illustrations, Erlbruch received honorable mention in the 2008 Dutch Gouden Penseel competition for best children's book illustrations.In chapter twelve there is a study done by Maria Nagy in the nineteen thirties which suggests three major stages in the development of death related concepts in childhood. Death effects not only you, but also those around you, while some people may stay unaffected depending on how they perceive it. I also think Bill’s acknowledgement of there being no one in Duck, Death and the Tulip to maintain the memory of Duck (as opposed to the other titles mentioned) is a significant reminder of the power of personal stories in our memory to sustain us in times of grief and to be a legacy of our lives. They speculate about the afterlife, Duck kindly warms Death when he catches a chill, and they sit in a tree and discuss what will happen to the pond when Duck is no longer alive to swim in it.

In a nutshell, it is about Death sent by God to summon Everyman, who is not at all ready, spiritually, to meet his Maker. Duck lives on through the summer, questioning Death on matters eschatological – `Some ducks say that deep in the earth there’s a place where you’ll be roasted if you haven’t been good. The third item that I left considering in light of Duck, Death and the Tulip as well as Cry, Heart, but Never Break and City Dog, Country Frog mentioned above by Bill, is the reminder by a psychologist that “death is a social construct.When Duck notices Death, a skeleton in a checked robe carrying a black tulip, following her she is frightened. Maybe it comes from questioning where their food comes from – or whether dead flowers go “to heaven” too? In light of the recent 2017 recipient of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, German author/illustrator Wolf Erlbruch, we read Duck, Death and the Tulip (2011) as well as other books by Erlbruch and some scholarly perspectives.

Simply taking just a picture or double page spread could be a way to initiate discussion with others.She is scared stiff, and who can blame her, for her stalker is an eerie figure in a checked robe with a skull for a head. The circle is depicted literally in the illustrations but regarded as metaphorical in the unpolished if earnest rhyme. Early childhood educators may wonder how appropriate a book about death and dying is for young children, and it is certainly a story that is best mediated by a close, familiar adult. As summer winds down, the two friends visit the pond less and less, and sit quietly in the grass together more and more. In “Dying,” Pinsky describes how people are oblivious and almost uncaring when it comes to the thought of death.

At the Question and Answer session after the show, director Nina Nawalowalo describes her love of magic and how this performance offers an opportunity to create this with both puppets and acting. Erlbruch composes sketchy line drawings of the two characters – Duck and Death – in soft beige tones on high quality, creamy-white pages.

It’s about nature taking its course and subscribes to no religion, apart from scoffing gently at the stories Duck has heard about hell. Nagy conducted a number of tests between different age groups in her sample; the results suggested three distinct but unassailable stages in children’s concepts of death. Death is with the duck from page 1, shown as a skeleton face thing but clothed in beige colours ( not your black grim reaper ). Death, dressed in a dressing gown and slippers, is sympathetic and kind and will be duck's companion until the end. The importance of the deceased love extends to every facet of the narrator’s life because they belonged in every moment that the narrator lived.