Well written for young readers, with out any frivolity this book is concise and clear about the loss we can experience when someone passes. The imagery is kept soft and soothing though unusual and beautiful. There is a quality to this book that attempts to bring normalcy to what can be a very uncomfortable situation for many. This is a good read for anyone trying to explain the loss of a loved one.

A Garden of Creatures is a lovely and soft book about death and working through your feelings. This is a tough topic and Sheila Heti gently leads us to question and feel these hard thoughts about death. The illustrations are brightly colorful while at times whimsical giving us a nice positive place to think about death. This is a good book to own for children to help with these growing pains of life.

I was drawn to this book because of the cover. I love the soft brush strokes, and I was also intrigued because I wasn’t sure what was on the cover exactly. The book deals with a heavy subject, but it does it in such a way that I think anyone can relate. It would serve as a great starter to a conversation around all the questions people have around death (it won’t answer all the questions, but it offers some great dialogue), and it is a beautiful way to think of how we are all connected. I would recommend this book to anyone and would buy it as a gift for someone who has experienced loss.

What a beautiful story! The artwork alone is stunning, but the story itself is uplifting and heartwarming. Despite dealing with such a heavy topic as death and grief, it manages to be hopeful and optimistic, just what a younger readers need when facing such a difficult topic.

This book was really well done; the illustrations were unique, interesting, and colourful. I think this book will help parents and children deal with loss, whether it be a family member, friend, or beloved pet.

I will definitely recommend this book to customers, it would be a great addition to school libraries as well.

Rating 4.5

I was drawn to this book by the interesting artstyle on the cover. I knew nothing about the book but I wanted to read it. The artstyle on the cover as well as the illustrations seen throughout the book are extremely beautiful but also kind of creepy. I'm not sure how I feel about it. I love it but at the same time the bunnies scare me, haha. I am curious to learn what kids might think of these illustrations. This book was extremely unique and creative. The writing is well done and flows nicely. This story makes you think and deal with loss and death in a deeper way. It asks questions that most people think but don't usually bring up. I do not think a young child will understand the deeper meaning of this book but parents and adults will. It is definitely a great conversation starter and great for helping children and adults deal with loss. I really enjoyed this and would recommend it to all ages. 

**Received an advanced copy through NetGalley in return for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. **