Lamont Spence / Tanya Spence
Every day at three o’clock, Annabelle sat in her sunny window. Then one day, the windowsill was empty.Annabelle the cat watched all of Maple Street from her windowsill, and Chance was her favorite visitor. When she was small, he was smaller, and she taught him how to watch the street and how to wiggle on his back in the sun. So when Ms. Sandy shares the sad news that Annabelle has died, everyone is surprised to hear Chance say he is fine.But every afternoon at three, Chance slips away. ChiChi Rose finds a red thread caught on his empty chair. Red Fox finds small muddy paw prints. The trail leads the three dog detectives to a case that is not really a case at all, and to a heavy feeling Chance has never had before and does not yet have a name for.The Case of the Empty Windowsill is a gentle, faith-neutral rhyming story about grief, written for young children. It uses true words, answers the question so many children quietly carry ('Did I do something?'), and shows that sad and happy can live in the same heart.Built for social-emotional learning. This fifth case focuses on Self-Awareness: noticing a new feeling and naming it. A caring read-aloud for families, classrooms, school counselors, and anyone helping a child through the loss of a pet or a loved one.Inside you will find:A note for grown-ups with simple tips for talking with children about deathNine discussion questionsMy Remembering Map: five small steps with a breathing step at the centerDraw a Memory, a two-sided drawing activityAges 4 to 7, Pre-K through Grade 2. 60 pages, full color.The Adventures of ChiChi Rose & Red Fox, Private Investigators. Three dog detectives. Every mystery solved with kindness. Each book stands on its own.
