Book recommendation for 4 year old obsessed with death

[ShowersInFlowers]

Sorry for the quick background

DS is four, five in September

He hasn't been eating recently, lost a lot of weight. GP says nothing physically wrong with him

Won't even eat his favourite McDonalds

Just had a chat with him, he's terrified of dying and going to heaven

I've access to a Waterstones here in Belfast

Can someone recommend a easy to go through book aimed at young primary school children?

I don't want to deny death to him. But explain that it won't happen for a long, long time

Thank you 😘

My two went through this phase age 4. I think it’s very normal.
I don’t know of a book. My strategy was to talk about it in a very matter of fact way. We talked about people I/ we knew who had died. That they were very old. Their bodies were tired. That is didn’t hurt etc.
I’m Catholic so we talked about heaven. Being happy. That we would see each other again.
I als did a lot of distraction, fun and my sons both liked horseplay so we would so that too if they were sad.
I hope this phase passes op. It’s tough I know. I love that little bubble of unaware innoncence they live in when they are little. It’s sad when it starts to come to an end.

Badgers parting gifts, rabittyness and Raymond Briggs Grandpa and Michael Rosen’s sad Book all deal with death at that level. More for grieving children, but maybe worth a look?

Thank you

I've tried explaining but I think a book is the way forward. I'm heading into Belfast now

We aren't blessed with decent bookshops, sadly. He's so upset, bless him

Absolutely normal for a 4 year old to start thinking and asking about death (all three of mine did it, as did friends - usually couched in terms of a dead grandparent who they'd never known).

Badger's parting gifts is nice. But I'd also talk to him about why he is worried. Make the point it is very very rare for children to die (has he seen or heard something to make him worried?) He mentioned heaven - does that worry him (what is it that worries him about heaven - could be as simple as you not being there)? Or is it the idea of being dead? Again point out how people normally die when they are very very old and have lived their full lives.

Like I said, death is a normal concern for 4 year olds. My understanding is that it is only at that age that children can understand permanency and that's why it becomes worrying at that age. Usually the concern is about a parent dying. Poor little fellow.

There’s usually a section in the children’s department for issues like this eg divorce, bereavement so hopefully they’ll have something you can get hold of today

You'd have better luck looking online

Goodbye Mog is lovely too.

Waterstones didn't have anything

I managed to get a book on heaven from Faith Mission but I wanted a biology book to balance it out

Goodness me

I saw the mog one. We have a dog, I don't want him worried about the dog dying

If you have a look on amazon they have a load of options ... the biggest problem (I think) is that they're often focussed on the death of a loved one (grandparent or parent) and the idea of the lovely legacy they leave behind in love and memories. There are religious ones also. But none of that may help if he's afraid about himself dying.