A Rep Reading

A very poignant fable about the courage to face the end of life. It would take a very special child to experience this book. For that matter, it takes a courageous adult to read it as well. My sense of it is that someone who is already familiar with death and loss will find comfort in these pages. Death is an ordinary part of life, as portrayed here, yet our culture oftentimes treats it as something to be ignored or denied. Death comes to visit the duck long before the duck actually dies. The duck asks questions of Death, exploring the notions of mortality, heaven and hell. Duck and Death share experiences and bond together. After Duck dies, Death attends to Duck, releasing her body to the great river. 'For a long time he watched her. When she was lost to sight, he was almost a little moved. "But that's life," thought Death.' The final illustration is Death encircled by a fox chasing a hare.