The Bridge Beyond the Stars
This special picturebook deals with the very difficult topic of death in childhood. The story features an angel called Barnabel who longs to become a guiding angel, but the older angels tell him he is too young and that he doesn’t yet understand the Dark Things. The image of a bridge is used to explain what happens after a child dies. A guiding angel meets them at the bridge, helps them across and relieves them of their Dark Things, which are feelings like pain and fear.
While angels are central to the story, depicted as figures of comfort and protection, there is no religious aspect to the text. This challenging topic is handled in a sensitive way, with beautiful prose, the spareness of which is reflected in the limited palette used. The contrasting colours demonstrate visually the balancing act the text achieves in its depiction of the darkness of sadness and the lightness of hope. Pages of yellow and white reveal abstract shapes such as angels’ wings, while detailed black and white illustrations, almost like etchings, are used more sparingly, but to great effect, especially for the final, hopeful image of children as angels, flying.
Barnabel’s growth in emotional strength and understanding as the book progresses may resonate with children and families who are on their own challenging journey. This story could provide a way for children to explore anxieties surrounding a very serious subject, while giving some comfort and hope through the reassuring storyline and beautiful
