Last Week

by Bill Richardson Narrated by Bill Richardson

Overview

A child cherishes every second of their grandmother's last week of life in this sensitive portrayal of medical assistance in dying (MAiD).

“In this last week, there are seven days.” That's one hundred and sixty-eight hours. Or ten thousand and eighty minutes. Or six hundred four thousand and eight hundred seconds. A child counts every second because this is their grandmother's last week of life. 

As friends and family come to call on Flippa-as Gran is fondly known-the child observes the strange mix of grief, humor, awkwardness, anger and nostalgia that attends these farewell visits. Especially precious are the times they have alone, just the two of them. Flippa, the child sees, has made up her mind. Like time, she is unstoppable. So as Sunday approaches, the child must find a way to come to terms with Flippa's decision. What is the best way to say goodbye?

Last Week is a nuanced look at what death with dignity can mean to a whole family, with an afterword and additional resources by MAiD expert Dr. Stefanie Green.

Key Text Features

illustrations

afterword

explanation

resources

Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.3

Describe how a particular story's or drama's plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.

Editorial Reviews

Vancouver Sun

[Last Week] certainly is a book about coming to terms with grief, but it is also very much a book about love.

Canadian Children's Book News

Told with marked sensitivity ... [A] com­passionate story.

CM: Canadian Review of Materials

Truly compelling and unique.

Booklist

Assisted death is a subject seldom found in children's literature, but this book handles the topic gently and sympathetically.

Quill & Quire

Heartfelt ... Black and white illustrations beautifully capture the range of emotions felt by each member of the family. STARRED REVIEW

CanLit for LittleCanadians Blog

A story of such elegance.

The Tyee

An elegant dance of image and prose.

BCBookLook

A sensitive look at what death with dignity can mean to a family.

Canadian Children’s Book News

Told with marked sensitivity … [A] com­passionate story.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940175127639
Publisher:	House of Anansi Press Inc
Publication date:	04/01/2022
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

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