The Memory tree by britta teckentrup
Fox takes his last breath and falls asleep forever on page 1 of this book. Prepare the children for a book about death and what the animals do to keep fox alive in his friends’ hearts forever.
Read the book together holding time and space for the children to share their own experiences and feelings on the death of their special person if they want to.
Key Questions to ask after reading the book:
Turn back to page 4 and ask:
How can you say goodbye to someone who has died?
How are the animals feeling here?
What makes them feel better in this story?
What makes you feel better when you think about your special person who has died?
Activity: Making a memory bead string
You will need a selection of beads (necklaces from charity shops are a good source of different and interesting beads) and strong leather or thread which will pass through the middle of the beads.
Ask a child to choose a bead from your selection which makes them think of their special person.
It could be the colour of their eyes, favourite football club or favourite jumper, or it could be a more abstract selection because a certain beads reminds them of something their loved one said or did. You could make an example bead for the animals in the story by choosing a blue one for Fox’s eyes, an orange one for the sunset Mouse remembers Fox loving, a green one for the grass Rabbit remembers Fox playing tag in etc.
Thread the beads onto the leather or thread to create a string of memory beads.
Encourage children to select each bead with meaning so that they have a reason for each selection however tangible or abstract. It’s the memory connected to them which matters and will help secure these connections in the children’s long term memory.
Write each child’s reasons for selecting each bead on a postcard to go alongside their memory bead string.
Ending the session:
The Memory Tree is a book about celebrating life and the memories that live on when a loved one dies. Model telling the story of your memory bead string by working down the line of beads, pointing out each one and why you chose it. Go around the group asking the children to do the same if they would like to. Ask the children how it felt to create their memory bead string today and how they feel now holding their completed string. Like the woodland animals in the story, it’s a way to fill our hearts with the warmth of happy memories.