Chip
by Federico Gastaldi; illus. by the author
Preschool, Primary    Ottaviano/Little, Brown    40 pp.
10/23    9780316381840    $18.99

Gastaldi begins this gentle story about death on the front endpapers, which feature a collection of “photographs” of a little boy and his constant companion, a pet fish (in a fishbowl). The title page shows two adults looking sadly at the now-empty bowl. When young Atticus comes downstairs in the morning, he immediately notices it. “Where is Chip?” His mother explains, “I’m so sorry, Atticus, but Chip is gone.” He imagines a suitcase with travel stickers and recalls, “Grandma had also left and was living in the sky.” Other grownups give equally confusing euphemistic answers to the child’s question, but what he understands is that his friend “is gone.” Gastaldi’s digital art in rich blues and oranges conveys the intensity of Atticus’s feelings. Eventually, happy memories of Chip soften the boy’s grief, and he is comforted, knowing “he would always remember.” Gastaldi keeps both text and illustrations simple, avoiding distractions and allowing a child reader to focus on Atticus and his sense of loss. Recommended websites and books to use when talking with children about this difficult subject are appended.

From the September/October 2023 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.