Ida, Always

A few days ago, I happened across a children’s store, Mastermind Toys, on Dundas Street West in Toronto during a walk and popped inside to see what they had. In the book section the cover of this picture book was there among others enticing the reader to pick it up, first. Ida is a cousin’s name in my family, and that initially prompted me to pick up the book. Followed by the cute cover.

Ida, Always is a warm, comfortable story about friendship between two polar bears in a large city park: Gus and Ida. Their friendship enables them to face the illness Ida has and that she is not going to recover. Even after Ida is gone, Gus comes to understand that she is still with him: in his memories of their activities together.

Well before the end of the book, I was struck with emotion from similar encounters of my own experiences. Its an excellent book, done in a manner to enable young children to understand the grieving process.

This is a picture book for ages 4 to 8. Once again, Google and Blogger have not worked together to allow me to load an image of the book cover.

Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers



Available:

Chapters Indigo

Amazon.ca