Duck, Death and the Tulip

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Death is our friend precisely because it brings us into absolute and passionate presence with all that is here, that is natural, that is love,” Rilke wrote in contemplating how befriending our mortality can help us feel more alive. Nearly a century later, John Updike echoed this sentiment: “Each day, we wake slightly altered, and the person we were yesterday is dead. So why, one could say, be afraid of death, when death comes all the time?” And yet however poetic this notion might be, it remains one of the hardest for us to befriend and reconcile with our irrepressible impulse for aliveness. How, then, are those only just plunging into the lush river of life to confront the prospect of its flow’s cessation? Having failed to resolve the existential perplexity of nonexistence, they return to the simple satisfactions of living and decide to climb a tree. Now Peter Wilson has adapted it for Little Dog Barking, the company he established in 2010 to produce work specifically aimed at Early Childhood and Lower Primary School aged groups. Wolf Erlbruch received the Hans Christian Andersen Medal in 2006 and was the winner of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in 2017. Ente, Tod und Tulpe: Andrea Simon stellt Tanzfilm vor". Hofheimer Zeitung. 18 November 2011. Archived from the original on 1 August 2012 . Retrieved 8 May 2012.

From award-winning author and illustrator, Wolf Erlbruch, comes one of the world’s best children’s books about grief and loss. Voted one of the 100 greatest children’s books of all time by the BBC. Duchateau, Sieglinde. "Rev. of Wolf Erlbruch, De eend, de dood en de tulp". Pluizer.be . Retrieved 8 May 2012. De sfeer is warm, innig en troostrijk. In dit meesterwerk wordt op een eigenwijze manier en met een humoristisch trekje een moeilijk thema in een voor kinderen toegankelijke wereld geplaatst. Haase, Deborah. "Exklusiv: Matthias Bruhn im Gespräch". Lucas filmfestival. Archived from the original on 9 September 2012 . Retrieved 8 May 2012.

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Death is something all children ask about eventually, either as an abstract idea, or because a grandparent or pet has died. Maybe it comes from questioning where their food comes from – or whether dead flowers go “to heaven” too? Even if they are spared something unexpected and tragic happening close to their lives, it may come up through listening to or watching the news. Loved by adults and children, parents and grandparents, also suitable for schools, grief centres and counsellors Lenteren, Pjotr van (18 January 2008). "Een dode eend, een verlepte tulp en een extravagante hoed voor de koningin". de Volkskrant . Retrieved 8 May 2012.

I’ve also used the book in philosophy sessions with fourth and fifth grade students, and it’s led to some thoughtful exchanges about life and death, what it means to be mortal, and whether anything ever really dies. Beautifully done in every respect, it is highly recommended for 4 to 8 year olds (public performance Saturday 23 March, 10am). I appreciate that this book presents death as a normal part of life. I repeat—normal! Simple. Real. An ending. Both pathos and wry humor. I could see using it as a book club selection; also as a way into discussions about dying and death with family members, even children. Sieglinde Duchateau, in a review of the Dutch translation, also praised the book: "The atmosphere is warm, intimate, and full of comfort. In the masterpiece a difficult theme is made accessible for children in an idiosyncratic manner with a touch of humor." [4]

Book Details

This is a large-size picture book with an equally big heart. Its author/illustrator won the 2006 Hans Christian Andersen Award for illustration. In the jury citation he was described as `one of the great innovators and experimenters of contemporary children’s book illustration. Sometimes simple and elemental, at other times dense and intricate, he is always playful, humorous and philosophical.’. Wolf Erlbruch was a German Illustrator, writer and Academic. He was born on June 30, 1948, in Wuppertal, Germany. He attended the Folkwang Hochschule (1967-1974) and studied graphic design. As a student he worked in advertising. He also worked as an illustrator for magazines, which included Stern and Esquire. In 1985, he illustrated, Der Adler, der nicht fliegen wollte by James Aggrey. He continued to write and illustrate many books. He is best known for his illustrations in, The Story of Little Mole Who Knew It Was None of His Business by Werner Holzwarth. Erlbruch was a professor at several universities, Fachhochschule Düsseldorf (1990-1997), University of Wuppertal (starting in 1997), and Folkwang University of the Arts (2009-2011). He received many awards and honors for his work. He received the 2006 Hans Christian Anderson Award. He was given the 2014 E. O. Plauen Prize. In 2017, he was presented the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. Wolf Erlbruch died on December 11, 2022. He was 74.

How do you introduce a child to the esoteric concept of death? You probably don’t unless a granny or an uncle dies, or perhaps just as wrenching, a family pet. These are poignant teaching moments that a parent comfortable with the subject might use to illustrate mortality. just the other side of the coin. Hasn’t he got the most endearing face? Do you think of him as a he? JANELLE: As we read and discussed this book in class, we all were cognizant of the fact we had begun April’s My Take/Your Take with a book on death — the Batchelder winner for 2017 entitled Cry, Heart, But Never Break (Ringtved, 2016). So comparisons were made across these two titles that each have a unique explanation for and about death and couch the message if sensitively told narrative. Since the U.S. doesn’t have many books that deal so boldly with sensitive issues, these books were intriguing, although the plan was not to focus on the issue of death but to tap into award winning books and their creators from different countries.Kate: I think it’s just an extraordinary book on so many levels. Is it a children’s book? Not [for] every [child], From award-winning author and illustrator, Wolf Erlbruch, comes one of the world’s best children’s books about grief and loss. Me lo sono dovuto annotare, qua, per archiviarlo a lungo termine in questa memoria digitale che è il mio giornale di lettura e, quindi, per tangenza, un diario di vita.