• Age: 4 to 18
• Grade: 2 to 6

Just as the sun sets to make way for the rising moon, or snowflakes melt only to return as fog and mist, things that disappear in nature often reappear in different forms. This picture book uses this simple but powerful metaphor of disappearance and reappearance as an entry point for talking with children about death.

Drawing examples from nature—seeds, stars, and even the growth of children into adults—this book provides a bright and joyful framework for readers to begin to understand the passing of a loved one, or to help shape difficult conversations around death.

Written in accessible verse and illustrated in bright washes of watercolor, this is a beautiful, gentle book that invites young readers to find comfort in transformation. Built around the idea that death can be thought of as a kind of regeneration, the narrative shows how a loved one’s presence can be felt in meaningful and enduring ways.

TYLER CLARK BURKE is a writer, illustrator, designer, and freelance brainstormer. She co-founded the internationally acclaimed record label Three Gut Records (with The Constantines, Jim Guthrie, and Oneida), then sold her part to make art. Tyler has worked as a creative director and art director, has won numerous awards for her cover designs, and her art has been shown and collected internationally. Bill Bowerbird and the Unbearable Beak-Ache is Tyler’s first picture book. She lives in Toronto, Ontario with her husband and two children.

Tyler Burke's profile page

"A study of impermanence and transformation... With sumptuous illustrations and thought-provoking verses, Burke’s meditation can serve as a quiet bedtime story or a deep conversation starter. Worthy of contemplation."

Kirkus Reviews

"It will no doubt prove a wonderful read-aloud experience with its short text, enticing colors and positive message, encouraging both children and adults to look at the world a little differently."

Canadian Review of Materials

"This insightful and thought-provoking title can be shared with people of all ages."

Booklist

"This is an important book for any child experiencing the loss of a loved one, especially if it is the first such occasion in their life."

School Library Journal