Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Halifax, NS

Stories have amazing powers. They can take you to a new place, sweep you away from your world and make you forget everything. That is why it is said she "is lost in a book".

My preschooler had a rough six months when she was three. Not only did she turn three, which is huge, she  said good bye to all her friends and we moved to another state. She was a newly big sister and was new to a small town. Then the unthinkable happened. Her BESTEST most cherished friend, her cat got very ill and died. This is the friend that she would "Secretly" whisper ..."Oh Charisma we are going to be together forever and ever". Sound familiar? Alas Winnie-the-Pooh uttered the same words to Christopher Robin. As parents we know that the friendship faded as Christopher Robin grew up, but how was I suppose to explain that to my three year old?

I tried to look for books that would help her through her grief. However books that related to death specifically only made the sorrow worse. It was like as we read them we poured salt into her wound. Charisma the cat began to represent all her losses. Her home in California, her friends, any lost toys or missing items. It was a rough time in our family. A few months after the cat died, we moved again. She was still in mourning but seemed to enjoy a fresh start.

One of her dearest friends sent her a book called "The Little Seal" by Sue Harris. It is all about saying good bye to friends and starting new, making new friends. The first time we read it I was crying at the end. She asked me why and I openly mourned my friends with her and we just cried together. She does not bring the book out to read often, however I have seen her looking at it herself and sharing it with her new cat.

I am not sure any book would have helped us through that time. We did read a lot, escaping into story after story. Many characters and adventures have now been integrated into her play. Her imaginary (although he isn't her imagination, just invisible she likes to correct me!) friend "Small Skippy" is injected to all stories, has a rocket ship, a magical wand and can breath under water! Her resilience is astonishing to me. She talks very little of Charisma now, which is such a change to the daily, long conversations we used to have.

What are your favourite book resources for times of need?