Trying to locate a childhood book that used photographs to explain death.

February 28, 2005 4:32 PM

The book was probably published in the 1970s or 1980s, with green on the cover, black-and-white photographs throughout, and talked about the death of a bird. I vaguely recall a photo or two of the bird being buried in a shoebox. What is the name of this book, and who is the writer/photographer?
posted by itchie to media & arts (10 comments total)

was it this?
posted by Hat Maui at 4:35 PM on February 28, 2005

Hat Maui, same idea but not the same book. The cover also featured a photograph. If I recall correctly, the main character was a young child (young boy?) who found the bird.
posted by itchie at 4:38 PM on February 28, 2005

hmm, that sounds so close...

i get the impression that the link i cited is regarded as a classic.

perhaps a different edition of the same book?
posted by Hat Maui at 4:41 PM on February 28, 2005

okay, i think i really found it now.

i believe it's this.

the amazon description is no good (er, rather, non-existent) but other descriptions i found sounded exactly as you described... photo-essay on dying involving a bird.

google the title and you'll find tons more about it.
posted by Hat Maui at 4:50 PM on February 28, 2005

Hat Maui, at the same time you posted I just found the same listing - thanks so much for your help!

Though I've been having trouble finding a cover - any luck on your search?
posted by itchie at 4:52 PM on February 28, 2005

there doesn't seem to be an image of it anywhere. i've tried everything within reason.

you may already know this, but...
--the author doesn't seem to have a site
--image is not on amazon
--image is not on B&n
--image is not on a couple other different places i searched
--image is not on google images

if you haven't tried those, don't. maybe a yahoo image search? perhaps powell's or another online bookseller?

good luck to you, my itchie friend!
posted by Hat Maui at 5:05 PM on February 28, 2005

There's a copy in my library system. I just placed a reserve on it, and it should be arriving in a few days. If no one can find an image, I'll take a picture of it and upload it.

My wife's grandmother recently passed away, so we're actually looking for books for my daughter about death and dying. Was it any good?
posted by icontemplate at 2:59 AM on March 1, 2005

There are images of the cover and some of the pages on this ebay site where the book is being sold. You can click on them to enlarge them.
posted by iconomy at 6:21 AM on March 1, 2005

icontemplate, I recall it being a really touching book - though the plot is more focused around the death of grandfathers, I think your daughter will still enjoy it.
posted by itchie at 8:40 AM on March 1, 2005

iconomy, that's a really great link - especially since the place it's being sold from (Lehighton, Pennsylvania) is where I lived during my youth and (as you may have guessed) where I lived when I first read that book. Small world, ain't it?
posted by itchie at 8:42 AM on March 1, 2005