I lost my childhood dog recently and it's been an incredibly difficult thing to process. Although we understand death as a concept, it doesn't feel real until you experience the loss of someone who meant so much to you. I think this book did an excellent job of portraying that initial state of confusion or denial, and the sense that time stretches beyond what feels natural. Overall, it holds a very calm and friendly introduction to the experience of grief.

Oh I absolutely loved this. The illustrations, firstly, are beautiful. They are so vibrant and warm, and the characterization of each creature is lovingly showed through the art style. The topic of death and dying, and what is the "right" way to deal with losing someone, was done so well and I thought this was so approachable for a young audience. I have majored in care work studies in my undergrad, which includes death and dying and how to approach the subject with young children, and I feel this book and others like it are so important to facilitating that conversation. This story was approachable and accessible, and I think that was exactly what it set out to be.

A huge thanks to the author and translator, Olivier Tallec and Antony Shugaar, the publisher, Gecko Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Is It Asleep? a children's picture book about death and grief. I read in a digital format. I will share my review to Amazon, Goodreads, and Barnes & Noble upon release.

Is It Asleep? is picture book for children (ages 3-6ish, but can definitely be appreciated by readers of all ages) which focuses on the topic of death, loss, and grief. Big emotions can often be too much for even adults to hold, and grief is one of the most overwhelming feelings we experience. Children going through a loss may need extra care and attention, explanation, and support in order to be able to process and adjust to life without someone or something they love. Books like this one can help have conversations and understand the concept on a deeper level, allowing children to see that they are not the only ones who deal with these big emotions, and that new days will come.

At the beginning, the trio of cute characters are looking for a missing bird whose songs they very much enjoy. When they find the missing bird, he isn't moving or interacting, and looks peacefully asleep. When the bird doesn't respond to the friends, they realize their companion has passed on, even though it is a difficult realization to come to. While they process their feelings, they celebrate and memorialize their friend's life in a lovely way, and speak of the beauty he was able to contribute to the world. After this, they wake up to find another bird with a song to sing, and for the friends to enjoy. Not as a replacement, but as a new and different gift to the forest. Children can learn and process big concepts like death and loss through this story, and the soft illustrations and earth-toned color palette bring an atmosphere of peace and calm when the characters are going through inner turmoil. I would recommend this book to any child who has gone through a loss, whether it's a pet, family member, or friend. This would also be a great addition to any diverse library collection. Beautiful story - thank you again!

This book tells the story of Squirrel and his best friend, Pock the mushroom, who find a bird lying still on a path. Squirrel is super curious and thinks the bird might be just sleeping, so they wait and see what happens. The pictures are bright and colorful, and the story is easy to understand. It talks about big feelings, like being sad, in a way kids can learn from. It's a sweet and gentle book that can open the doors for conversations on life and when something or someone dies.

With illustrations that are both expressive and deceptively simple, this book captures the quiet hilarity of asking questions that have no easy answers. It’s a playful ode to curiosity, where each page invites kids to observe, wonder, and giggle at the absurdity of trying to understand the world—one sleepy creature at a time.

5/5 – We recently lost our puppy, and this book would have been a gentle way to explain loss to the little ones. It follows Squirrel and Pock the mushroom as they notice the blackbird isn’t singing - a subtle nod to life’s cycles. Dryly humorous yet tender, it’s a light, honest read for kids dealing with grief.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

is it asleep is such a lovely story that explores death and grieving in a really delicate way. the way the characters honor their dead friend is really neat and wholesome. this book offers a fantastic way to discuss death and how to handle it with children.


the art style is really beautiful, the colors gorgeous.

I think this book is meant to be for younger children, and the book’s theme is a rather heavy one for that age. Nevertheless, children have these thoughts and questions when people or things die, and I think the author was delicate in the way that they addressed it. It began with curiosity, realization of the meaning, and then actually addressing it head-on rather than taking the stigmatized route and avoiding the conversation. The author shared a way to honor the dead and continue to have them in life through stories (not letting their memory die with them) in a respectful, thoughtful manner. The bright and warm illustrations contrasted the topic well to help give it a lighthearted feel, and I appreciated that some of the pages had more white space while others were full-page illustrations. The white space gave me the feeling that the unknown and big feels had space to breathe while the full-page illustrations gave me the feeling of comfort and connection.

For low vision readers, sans serif would have been the better choice, though I personally like how the serif font pulls the whole book together. I think the crisp and proper serif font and the warm, round, and gentle illustrations contrast in a positive way! Overall, a really great book.

This story is about an ordinary day for a squirrel and its mushroom friend as they go about their daily routine. But when it’s time to listen to the song of their favorite bird, they find it is not in its usual spot.
The book features bright illustrations that beautifully convey the characters' emotions. The story contains only a small amount of text but does an excellent job of addressing the themes of death and burial rituals.

Oh my, I’m totally in love with this author! Most of his books are filled with humor and adorable illustrations, and even though this one explores deep questions about death and the cycle of life, it still manages to feel gentle, heartwarming, and even cute.

Kids will eventually face the concept of loss, and this book offers a tender way to approach it—how we remember those we love after they’re gone, or maybe, in a way, they live on as long as we hold them in our hearts.

And I absolutely love this line: “Anything that sings so well and has such beautiful feathers can’t die.”