If All the World Were

A little girl takes us through the year with a memory for each season; memories of special times shared with her grandad. Long walks in the spring time, racing cars in the summer, he makes her special books to capture her dreams in the autumn and tells her stories in the winter. Each memory is followed with the refrain ‘if all the world were …...’ representing a wish to capture a treasured moment. We realise grandad’s chair is empty, they will not be sharing another year together as he has died. Helping to sort out his belongings, she finds mementoes to keep including a notebook made by her grandad. She decides to fill it with her memories of the special times they spent together.

Lyrical and poignant, poet Joseph Coelho’s sensitive writing is complemented perfectly with Allison Colpoys delicate, whimsical yet colourful illustrations which truly create ‘a kaleidoscope of memories.’ This is a book which addresses the difficult issue of loss gently and with understanding. It may provide children experiencing this situation a way to deal with their grief, not only by realising they are not alone but also through actively collecting and expressing their most special memories of the loved one they have lost.