YOU MAY NOT SEE THE SOUL … BUT IT ALWAYS
TRAVELS WITH YOU!

Winner of 3 international book awards, ‘Where Did They Go’ helps a parent or guardian explain to a child where a loved one or special pet has gone when they die, sometimes unexpectedly. Touching, profound and poignant, this book gently and sensitively takes the child on the journey of the soul, reminding them that this life is only ever temporary and that wherever they go, the spirit of a loved one or pet always travels with them.

For children the world can seem like a big place full of wonder, excitement and fun. But there are times when life’s more serious side can enter into their lives, perhaps sooner than we would wish. Bereavement is one such time, and while we would like to shield them from the pain as much as possible, it is also a fundamental part of life and must be faced.

To date, Where Did They Go has won 3 international book awards: The Book Excellence Awards 2016, The Beverly Hills Book Awards 2016 and the Independent Press Awards 2017. All were in the category of children non-fiction. Due to the book’s success, a book signing tour is planned for this October 2017 in the USA led by Shanti Publishing.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS BOOK?

The aim of this book is to provide comfort for the child reading it and that they are left with a better understanding of where their loved one or pet has gone. While death is a sad topic, it is presented in a way which is light and simply explained. It offers hope and understanding that our loved ones will always be with us. The identity of who has passed is non-specific and can be used to help a child understand the passing of a parent, grandmother, uncle, or pet or anyone in between.

Written by Katrina-Jane, a caring and deeply compassionate clairvoyant medium – Where Did They Go was inspired after having witnessed friends awkwardly having to explain the passing of a father to their little boy. Through her work she deals with the passing of loved ones on a daily basis. Parents come to her asking for advice on how to explain death to their young children, whether the passing was a parent, grand parent, friend or pet. Katrina is on a mission to help people deal with death and grief, making this topic approachable and less scary for all involved.

WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THIS BOOK?

A close friend of ours nephew had passed away. His 4-year old son wanted to know where daddy was going. After being asked to say goodbye to daddy, he was told that daddy was going to the sky. He didn’t understand and wanted to know; “if daddy was going to the sky, why couldn’t they just catch a plane to see him?”. No one knew what to say! It inspired me to do something and that’s how Where Did They Go was born. I really hope that this book can be used as a tool to help families not just going through grief but also to start talking about death before it happens.

WHO IS THIS BOOK SUITABLE FOR?

The target audience for this book is most suited for children 8 and under. They may have lost a loved one, or a special pet and are confused. The book can be used as a resource by a parent or guardian, families, children care centres, veterinary clinics, counsellors, psychologists, pre-schools and even primary schools. It can be used to help explain the death of a loved one, open up a discuss around death, or as a tool for teachers to begin explaining to children different concepts of death. The intention is to make this topic something which doesn’t have to be scary but is just a fact of life.

WHY IS THIS BOOK IMPORTANT?

In Australia, 1 in 20 people by the age of 18 will have lost a parent. This doesn’t include grandparents, siblings or a family pet. Yet we do not talk about it and there is little support for children to understand what has happened.

We are not preparing our children for death. We try to prepare them for living, but never death. Of course it is a horrid thing to go through but it is a normal part of existence. It is so important that we help support our children to understand death and how to process grief.