The symbolism of planting seeds to grow helps the boy understand life vs. Lottie the hen phones her friend Herbie the duck when she learns that 99-year-old Aunt Mattie is very ill.ĭeath, and the never ending circle of life we all come to understand.There are many books about death for children, but this one, in both tone and tale, is unique. "You mean it's like her motor is all worn out." On the bus ride into town, Lottie thinks about the fun the three of them have had, especially taking the motorboat out to Pudding Rock.
Once in the hospital, Lottie must adjust to what's going on as she watches her aunt breath heavily and realizes that they are spending their last moments together. Although Herbie fears the tunnel traffic, he has braved it to be with Lottie, and he is at her side when she says, "I am so sad." Herbie reminds her, "We are together." Later, at Auntie's home, Lottie finds a letter from her, that helps a little, and later, Lottie and Herbie go to Pudding Rock and scatter her ashes. Both funny and wise, this covers the many moments that make up a death: the memories, the sadness, and the solace. Mather's small, squared watercolor art are simple yet touched with whimsy (in one scene, Aunt Mattie gets ready for "take-off" with friends greeting her at a plane), while the text knowingly captures the feeling of the bereaved: "Maybe our hearts ache because Aunt Mattie is moving in.", "In her latest installment in the "Lottie" picture book series, featuring the likable chicken and her fine-feathered friends, Mathers explores death with a gentle, yet matter-of-fact, straightforwardness. Mathers does not shy away from the gravity of the situation. Mather's simple watercolors, constrained within boxed frames on most pages, serve to focus the emotional impact of the sad events, without overwhelming readers. A refreshingly factual and specific depiction of death and dying.
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