THIS IS FOR YOU, AUNT TARA. I CALL IT STARRY NIGHT. YOU COULD HANG IT ON THE WALL THAT IMP SCRIBBLED ON“. These were the lines from the book STARRY STARRY NIGHT BY NANDITA BASU. She is a comic book artist and a musician. Her other books are: The Piano and Rain Must fall.

Kunal and Tara are the two main characters in this book who immensely support each other through their tough times. It is a story about loss and grief faced by two individuals who stay under one roof with varying backgrounds, age and interests.

The impact of loss and grief is different on every individual and it varies because of numerous personal, emotional and social factors. This book tries to help children to know, understand, express, support and to overcome loss and grief in their lives. It emphasises that the death, loss and grief are natural and part of life. To understand all these issues may not be fully comfortable for children but the need to prepare themselves to face such issues around them creates the need to discuss these issues.

The book STARRY STARRY NIGHT, while speaking about loss and grief it wisely opens up about the smooth paths to be taken up to overcome the same. The two characters though affected with same challenge of suffering from the death of a close family member. The hold they take to overcome it is entirely different and it is their own strength in the form of music & art.

Nature walk, pets, cooking, friends, memories along with their interest in music and arts plays an important role in overcoming the state of sadness, depression, fear, shame,  grief, worry, loneliness and anxiety. Music & art has the power to get us back on track with same gusto whenever we set back little in life. Though it takes time to come back a fresh with strength and stamina, it is sure to not to let you down in life.

Reading the book STARRY STARRY NIGHT is sure to touch us emotionally making us more emphatic. It has a lot of message for adults too. With regard to children, reading along with the support of parents or adults will help in taking the message in an appropriate sense. More over many of their doubts can be cleared right away paving way for their sound understanding of the concept of life and death.

The subject discussed in this book may seem heavy at times when it is solely meant for children. But it is a right way to start at this age because it will wipe the fear slowly that is connected with the life and death or loss and grief. Children need lots of courage and strength to face challenges and to overcome tough situations in their lives, for which they need to be aware of the numerous phases of life. This book is sure to throw light on the dark parts of lives and guide them to build their best self.