About the book
Something Happened tells the story of a mom, a dad, and a little boy who are looking forward to the birth of a new baby in their family. Everyone in the family is excited, even the dog. The beginning of the book is about the anticipation of each family member...
But then something happens and suddenly the child is struggling to comprehend why there is no new baby...
This beautifully illustrated, simple, clear story is designed to help a young child understand what has happened when there has been a pregnancy loss. The book addresses the sadness that a child experiences when the anticipated baby has died. The child's fears and feelings of guilt are addressed as well as other confusing feelings.
Perhaps most important, the book includes the family's experience of going on with life while always remembering their baby. The child reading the book is left with a sense of reassurance that life continues and he is still a vital part of a loving family.
Most pages include a box with words for parents. These words are there to help parents understand what their child might be experiencing and why the particular illustrations and text were chosen. They are right there on each page so that the parents don't miss them and can easily scan them while their children look at the illustrations.
Children who have experienced a death in their family are very reassured by stories of other children who have had a similar experience. It helps them to understand better what has happened in their own family while at the same time offering the comforting knowledge that they are not alone in their feelings.