Dispelling the Shadow: Activities Exploring Life and Death with Young People

Dispelling the Shadow provides a context for navigating through the challenges and emotions that children may experience when discussing the cycle of life.

Using a curriculum framework adaptable to many different settings and purposes, this book contains discussion prompts, activities and resources grounded in science, folklore, belief systems and creative expression to allow young people at varying age levels to begin to confront death and grief with compassion and curiosity. Each section covers a different age level and contains overarching themes and activities designed to inspire thoughtful conversation between adult and child. Each chapter includes downloadable expanded activities and additional age-appropriate readings to continue the conversation as needed.

With its comprehensive view of universal themes and immediately implementable practical advice, this book is an essential tool for parents, social workers, educators, librarians, and child advocates to give young people perspective and hope for the future.

Mala Hoffman is an educator with an MA in Curriculum and Teaching from Teachers College, Columbia University with nearly two decades of teaching experience who lives in upstate New York. Her articles on educational issues have appeared in Gifted Child Today as well as other journals and newspapers. She is also a published poet.

Lucy Moran is a certified holistic sex educator and loss companion based in upstate New York. She is a graduate of the Institute of Sexuality Education and Enlightenment (ISEE) and The Dying Years End of Life Doula training. She is a member of the National End of Life Doula Alliance (NEDA) and is currently focused on supporting people through the complexity of pregnancy loss.