Chip

One morning, Atticus wakes up to find that his pet goldfish, Chip, is not in his bowl. "Where is Chip?" Atticus asks his parents and his favorite uncle. Their answers represent various euphemisms and clichés about death: "gone," "lives up there," "in a better place," and so on. For Atticus, these answers only lead to more questions and confusion, wittily illustrated by Gastaldi. For example, Atticus remembers his grandma also living in the sky, and the picture shows her and Chip--in his fishbowl--floating on bouquets of balloons. "A better place for a fish" looks like an underwater amusement park. In the end, Atticus finds comfort in his memories of his pet. Despite the book's implied critique of euphemisms, it never uses the words died or death to explain what happened to Chip. Perhaps that is a gap for adult readers to fill in. A heartfelt book for children who have lost a pet, and a reminder to adults to consider their language in such situations.

Gastaldi begins this gentle story about death on the front endpapers, which feature a collection of "photographs" of a little boy and his constant companion, a pet fish (in a fishbowl). The title page shows two adults looking sadly at the now-empty bowl. When young Atticus comes downstairs in the morning, he immediately notices it. "Where is Chip?" His mother explains, "I'm so sorry, Atticus, but Chip is gone." He imagines a suitcase with travel stickers and recalls, "Grandma had also left and was living in the sky." Other grownups give equally confusing euphemistic answers to the child's question, but what he understands is that his friend "is gone." Gastaldi's digital art in rich blues and oranges conveys the intensity of Atticus's feelings. Eventually, happy memories of Chip soften the boy's grief, and he is comforted, knowing "he would always remember." Gastaldi keeps both text and illustrations simple, avoiding distractions and allowing a child reader to focus on Atticus and his sense of loss. Recommended websites and books to use when talking with children about this difficult subject are appended. Susan Dove LempkeSeptember/October 2023 p.52 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A witty, comforting paean to a beloved lost fish. A young boy named Atticus wakes to find that his goldfish, Chip, is no longer in his bowl. Where has he gone? Atticus' mother points skyward and explains, "Chip lives up there now." Atticus' father says that Chip has "moved on." Atticus' favorite uncle says, "Chip is in a better place." Whimsical, appealing, and gently humorous artwork dominated by blues and oranges shows Atticus' confusion as he tries to make sense of these vague explanations. He imagines Chip attached to a balloon, suspended in the sky (along with his grandmother, also apparently deceased). He thinks of Chip swimming through the ocean alongside a whale, and he wonders if an amusement park would be a better place for Chip. Atticus' mom suggests getting a new fish, but Atticus needs time to remember all that he and Chip have experienced together. Gastaldi is like a magician; both the text and illustrations retain a light touch as the child deals with his loss. The author/illustrator clearly takes Atticus' feelings seriously, however, and he shows how treasured memories may help children cope with loss. "Chip was gone. But Atticus remembered. He would always remember." Atticus and his family are brown-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Perfectly captures a child's response to death with respect, sensitivity, and reassuring humor. (online resources, recommended reading) (Picture book. 3-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.