A book for children affected by the death of a baby during pregnancy or shortly after birth
Reviews
"Wow, what a beautiful book. So well written and perfect for helping children to open up conversations in a very real way. The illustrations are gorgeous too, I cannot recommend this book enough. It really is a very special book and I am so honoured to have my Finley included. Well done and thank you Frankie and Gillian."
"Beautifully illustrated in both words and pictures. I sobbed reading it to our children as their sibling's due date is close. Children's age range is 15, 12, 10 & 8; they have all sat and re-read and looked at the pictures and said how lovely it is. What a beautiful gift you're giving to families. Highly recommend buying." - Lynn Hammel-Randall, owner-operator at Clart About Ltd.
"These Precious Little People is just lovely; the tone is perfect and it’s a great resource for shocked and bereaved parents, a good tool for them to initiate that all-important conversation with children who may not understand what’s going on and how to deal with their emotions.
What I’ve learnt in the past four years is that talking about your loss really does help and the more you talk about it the easier it is - not just for you but for all those around you. Some people find this easier than others and I know this book will help those people and their children.
Thank you for having the guts to write it and for sending it to me in memory of Willem. We think about him every day, and as you say in your book, he lives on in our imagination and by our side. Thank you Frankie, you’ve done a great thing."
- Marina Fogle, co-founder of antenatal classes The Bump Class, author of The Bump Class; An Expert Guide to Pregnancy and Beyond and podcast host of The Parent Hood and As Good As It Gets?
This book has definitely been heart work for all involved, so to hear about the comfort it has brought families means everything to us. We wanted this book to make a difference - to support others through their grief - and to help us realise that all of our precious little people gone too soon will never be forgotten.
We also know how difficult it can be to find the 'right' book for our children when coping with this kind of bereavement. This is why it's so important not just to us, but other families, when we receive a review.
To get in touch with your feedback simply 'Contact Us', submit a review on Amazon UK GoodReads, or Facebook, or connect with us on Instagram​. To order copies, please head here.
"Quite possibly the most beautiful book I have ever read. Perfectly puts into words about our precious babies and explains about death in a gentle way for children, using proper language in an honest and gentle way and about missing and honouring them. If you have suffered the devastating loss of a baby and have children, daughters, sons, nieces, nephews that need some support please support Frankie in this venture and order your copy"
- Joanne Tennick, 'Rosie's Wings'
"A beautiful book, written with so much love and compassion"
"This is a beautifully illustrated book, sensitively written with lovely verse. I was pleasantly surprised to find the book reads more like a poem than a story." - Rebecca
"A beautifully written book to support children when dealing with the loss of a baby or pregnancy"
"The most amazing book - such heartfelt words and truly beautiful illustrations... Such a special book. The artwork by Gillian is perfect."
"It’s absolutely perfect and so beautifully illustrated"
"This book is beautifully written with the most lovely illustrations... Thank you so much for writing such a beautiful book to help bereaved families." - Lisa Cooper
"A beautifully written and illustrated book. It perfectly explains the loss of a baby, whether early on or later, and at whatever stage how important those little souls are. This book is going to be incredibly important to help explain to our daughter what happened to her little sister and in turn help keep her memory alive. Thank you for writing it Frankie." - Fiona Eaglesham
"My two oldest sons (4 and 6) requested that we read this to their new baby brother yet again at bedtime last night. The big boys like to read it and then tell the baby about their little sister who was stillborn a year before his birth. I love that this book opens this conversation up for my living children and it does so through beautiful illustrations and honest explanations. These Precious Little People uses language that acknowledges the grief but instils hope for families like mine."
"Wow, wow, wow!!! What an incredibly beautiful and touching book. From the moment the first page is opened, I could feel the love pouring out. Yes, it is sad. I also had a tear reading it. But the style of the book ensures that the love is bigger than the sadness. And that, to me, is the message we ought to be sharing. To have this book for our living children is an incredible gift, that makes a difficult subject that little bit softer on the heart.
Well done... You have created something very very special."
- Ann-Maree Imrie, author of 'You Could Have Been', a children’s picture book for bereaved parents to read to their child who died, or didn’t survive a pregnancy. Find out more about her book here.
"This book is so perfect I can’t really adequately describe it... It so perfectly describes the pregnancy and loss of a much wanted little one. It is a simple picture book for children and has the most beautiful illustrations. I am amazed by how eloquently the message is written, it’s just perfect... I recommend this book to anyone who needs to help children or young people understand the loss of a baby."
- Norfolk & Norwich Hospital Baby Bereavement Group
"This book has been written with such care to include people of all races, backgrounds and religion or those with none. It is a great tool to help answer young children’s questions and worries about death and for families to discuss their feelings together, to try to help heal the wounds left when a baby dies." - Jacqueline
"Beautifully & lovingly written. The book is perfect, it’s gentle for children and I can tell it’s been written with lots of love and thought for the younger generation. It explains about the loss of a baby very well and I know it will continue to help many families like ours who are worried about how they’ll explain to their baby's sibling. Thank you Frankie, you’ve helped our family so greatly." - Natasha, Amazon customer
"Thank you for this precious little book! My daughter was 4 when we lost her brother at 38.6 weeks and she was right there with me in the hospital when I heard the words ‘no heartbeat’ ... she has heard and seen more than a little 4 year old ever should! She is 6 now and still has lots of times of struggle, as do we all, but we have just read this book together and laughed and cried... I think this book will be very healing for her! Thank you!!!!"
- Brooke Mathe
"Thank you for sharing this wonderful book with the team – it is excellent. One of the best I have come across and fits with my experience of working with families in these contexts. I think it will be an invaluable and really useful resource for families and staff teams."​
- Dr Harriet Conniff, Lead Clinical Psychologist for Paediatric Respiratory & Staff Support, Evelina London Children's Hospital
"Absolutely sobbing but with so much love. This is absolutely amazingly written... The artwork is brilliant and really pulled at my heartstrings, it's how I want people to visualise what I feel. Elizabeth may not be here but she's 'here' beside us always." - Nicole Bentley
"This book is perfect for any family who are going through baby loss. The text is simple and honest and the illustrations are beautiful. My daughter (aged 5) loves the rainbow picture as she says it makes her think of our baby girl Celeste. It helps explain what happened and is an opportunity to talk about how we feel. I really like that it incorporates different circumstances but in a straightforward way and importantly the message of how to live and remember with love. I had a couple of books on loan when we lost Celeste but one was quite old fashioned and the other good but I felt didn't quite capture everything in the way your book does... I think it's amazing that you have produced something like this for others." - Nicola
"What a needed book! If you have a child in the family when a baby dies, this is the perfect comfort for them. Read it to them as many times as they like, and let the simple language help them grasp what actually happened. In this book you will find such wonderful ways for children to engage with grief, and to create little rituals around the death of a baby, to remember them, and to connect to them. I highly recommend this beautifully-illustrated book. You really did such an amazing job with this book, and it was such an honour to read it... I will certainly be recommending it to everyone I know."
- Elisa Hatton, Bereavement Doula
"It’s beautifully written and illustrated. My 6 year old really enjoyed it and could relate it to her brother. I’d definitely recommend."
- Carla Spence, Ernie's Wish
"We've always known we wanted to explain the reason why our daughter had to wait longer than most of her friends for a brother or sister but were never sure when would be the right time or how to word it. Then this book was made and it is amazing! My copy arrived today and I am in love... I really think this book could help so many families."
- Izzy Taylor
"These Precious Little People is a fantastic book with gorgeous illustrations!! In short, beautiful rhymes, it explains how babies begin to grow, and that sometimes things go wrong. I love the way this book reminds us how loved and important all babies are, no matter how big or small. This is one of my favourite books on this topic."
- Big Books For Little Hands
Such a beautiful book, to help young children understand the loss of a sibling or other much loved baby, with age appropriate honesty. Well done Frankie.
- Jo Hudson
"A fantastic, accessible resource for talking to children about babies gone too soon. This book has given me the starting point to talk to my daughter about her big brother she never got to meet. It's beautifully illustrated and written in accessible language for children of any age. A hugely important and helpful resource."
- Rosie Pickett
"A real comfort to those who experience the loss of a baby. I found this book very moving and so very easy to read. I am a funeral celebrant and was asked to conduct a service for a stillborn baby boy. I had never seen this book before but the baby's mum brought it to the service and read out excerpts from it. Everyone present was moved and she said what a great help this had been to her and her young children. I bought a copy for myself straightaway and intend to offer it to the next mum or couple that I am asked to conduct a baby funeral service for."
"Bought this for a friend after it was recommended. It is such a beautifully written book and words just don't do it justice."
"Poetic words so eloquently written. Beautiful artwork
which moved me to tears.
Such a helpful book to help explain baby loss to children
and anyone grieving a baby gone too soon. What a wonderful piece of work to remember these precious little people."
"What a gorgeous, moving and beautifully written and illustrated book about child loss. I was gifted this book by a friend after my rainbow baby was born - I had lost two babies before him - and I can't wait to read it to him so he can better understand what happened to his sibling. I loved this book so much that I bought two more copies for other mums who sadly lost their babies. I would definitely recommend it if you, or anyone you know, have been through the devastation and utter trauma that is child loss." - Sara
"This book has beautiful illustrations and is really well written, in an easily understandable way for young children to explore their emotions on losing a sibling. It was bought for our grandson on losing his baby sister; we hope it will help the whole family." - Debs P
"We bought this beautifully written book for our 6 and 4 year olds who often talk about their older brothers who died before they were born. It's a beautifully illustrated book and written in a gentle but unambiguous way - perfect for children of this age. I appreciated the way it can fit with particular family beliefs about death and focuses on ways of remembering those we've lost and keeping them close to us. It normalised grief and the emotions that come with it. My 6 year old's response was to start talking about ways that she wanted to honour her brother's memory - how precious is that?!"
"This book explores the loss of a baby in such a gentle and beautiful way. Through poetry and imagery it encourages talking and memory making and is so in touch with my approach to parenting my daughter and honouring her baby brother. Her endless questions about why she doesn't have a sibling here have highlighted the need for this 'tool' - something that can support children at a time when us grown ups struggle to find the words." - Sarah Robertson
"This book is perfect for supporting families in explaining the death of a baby to other children. The illustrations are beautiful and the text sensitively covers different types of loss without being upsetting. The book is not religious but allows room for all beliefs. We have ordered lots of copies for families to receive at our local hospital as the staff have found it so helpful." - J Tubby
"A wonderful book, created with so much care and love. We absolutely love reading this beautiful book to our rainbow children to help explain the death of their older siblings. The illustrations are beautiful; it really is such a special book."
"A beautiful book which is regularly accessed by my 7 and 8 year olds to help them cope with the loss of, and remember the life of, their baby brother. Beautifully illustrated with short poignant text makes this relevant and accessible to the whole family." - Kmcg
"Me and my children (6 and 8) love this book. So beautifully illustrated and simply written to help children understand the death of a baby during pregnancy or shortly after birth. The illustrations and words are very moving yet uplifting. This book cherishes these little lives, lost too soon, and shares easy ways to honour them. It manages to feel positive and uplifting. There is a helpful section on language to use to explain the death of a baby to children and some tips on organisations offering bereavement support." - Hannah
"What an absolutely beautiful book! Such a wonderfully honest way to explain death to children and talk about the loss of a precious little person. Thank you Frankie for this incredible book." - Jo T
"Thank you Frankie and Gillian for creating this beautiful, accessible, truth-filled book for little people (and big people) to come to terms with the loss of a precious little person they hold dear. It will bring comfort and light to many families walking this road of grief and love."
"One of my favorite things about this book is just literally how beautiful it is. It has stunning illustrations that capture so much emotion, and the families represented in the book are so inclusive of everyone. Every skin tone is represented and every family would feel included when reading this book.
This book shows children how a baby grows from “no bigger than a dot,” to having a face and nose and eyes. It is an adorable description of what happens when life begins, and gives tribute to all little babies, “Whether they lived for forty weeks and beyond, or less than ten.”
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And while some books are very specific and focused in on a type of loss for good reason, this book is vague and inclusive of all types of losses from miscarriage, to termination for medical reasons, to stillbirth. The type of loss is left for interpretation and discussion with your child.
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The book then talks about remembering these precious little people, and ways to honor them. It has such a special feel to it, and really leaves you feeling understood and connected. The language in this book is also appropriate for children. It has clear messages and doesn’t talk around death. It also shows children little ways to manage their grief and honor their sibling. And honestly, this book isn’t just for children. It’s a healing book for all to read."
"This is a beautiful book. Wonderfully illustrated and a perfect way to honour so many precious little people. I know this was written for children but I've found so much comfort from it. I have bought a second copy for our hospital's Early Pregnancy Unit's 'Little Stars' Quiet Room." - Natasza Lentner
"Not only is this a beautifully written book for children with stunning illustrations, it's an invaluable resource for family members trying to help children navigate and understand the death of a little one. It's completely inclusive - covering loss from miscarriage, stillbirth to neonatal death. There are also notes for parents giving advice on how to talk to children about this subject based on best practice psychology." - Dorrie
"This is a beautiful book exploring the loss of a baby, particularly for siblings. It is sensitively written and with enough mystery to incorporate your own faith beliefs should you wish to. The illustrations really add to the text and reflect a range of families. I'm so glad this book exists for the sad occasions when it is needed."
"A beautifully written and illustrated book to help families talk about the death of a baby. Thoughtfully written and offers a non-religious and positive way to talk about the death of a baby. Its message is really comforting and the language is made so accessible for children of all ages. The illustrations are beautiful and the notes at the end are really helpful too."
"These Precious Little People is our magic. The illustrations are ethereal and full of love. The message is direct and easy to relate and understand. This book promotes awareness of not only the many ways or reasons a baby does not survive but also allows all emotions to exist alongside loss. Its healthy acknowledgment of these precious little people makes it by far one of my most favourite children books for loss."