A Song for Cecilia Fantini [Hardcover]

Astor (Author), Anthony Turpin (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

In the small community on Willoughby Island, Mrs. Fantini has taught three generations to love music and to sing. "Music resides in a special place, somewhere between you head and your heart," Mrs. Fantini would say. "Once inside you, it is a part of you forever and never disappears." Of all her many students, ten-year old Emmaline is by far the most talented. She adores her lessons, especially when she and Mrs. Fantini sing duets.

One Tuesday, as she is rushing to get to her music lesson on time, Em's mother tells her that Mrs. Fantini has died unexpectedly. Stunned, Em goes to here first funeral, where she vows never to forget her beloved teacher. Too heartbroken to continue her lessons, Em finds, as the months go on, that her memory of Mrs. Fantini is fading. Deeply disturbed and remembering her vow never to forget, Emmaline searches for ways that will keep Mrs. Fantini's memory fresh. The adults she seeks out for guidance and the ways she finds to remember slowly heal Em and bring her the assurance that the gifts she received from Mrs. Fantini will be part of her forever.

Cynthia Astor's moving story and Tony Turpin's sensitive paintings combine to give children words for the feelings about death that are difficult to express and to offer ritual as an inspiring method for healing.:

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Do all children's books have to be sweetness and light? Should some of them help prepare children for the harsh realities of life? And how do you handle the death of a loved one in a children's book? As a parent I know there is a need for stories that make you and your child cry and help them cope with difficulties. This book does that exquisitely. When a pet cat or dog dies, it is not the same as a relative or friend. This book tells the story of a young girl whose much loved piano teacher dies, and the girl learns to cope with her loss with the help of family and friends. The illustrations succeed in adding depth to the book. This story is not light or joyous. It made me and my children cry the way we did when we watched the Disney movie, Old Yeller. I salute Starseed for providing a children's book with an edge." -- Michael Peter Langevin, Magical Blend Magazine

"In A Song for Cecilia Fantini, Emmaline's music teacher suddenly dies, leaving Emmaline sad and confused. Cecilia Fantini had lived and taught music on Willoughby Island for as long as anyone could remember, and Emmaline fears she will forget her. As days pass, Emmaline's memory of Mrs. Fantini does begin to fade, so she seeks the advice of adults she trusts and who were close to Mrs. Fantini. Together and separately, they learn how to keep her memory alive.

A Song for Cecilia Fantini is Cynthia Astor's first children's book, written for her granddaughter following her daughter's death. It is a not only a moving account of a child's reconciliation with death, but a stirring tale of ritual healing. Her prose is simple and direct and can be understood easily by young readers and listeners.

Although it does not obviously merit the description of "New Age," A Song for Cecilia Fantini more than meets the criteria because it cleanses and heals. Music and metaphor are employed successfully to elicit emotional release. I would highly recommend A Song for Cecilia Fantini for anyone who has suffered loss. The cover jacket speaks for itself, yet sideline accessories and journals would be nice compliments." -- Kathy Malone, New Age Retailer, May/June 1998

From the Publisher

To our readers: The books we publish are our contribution to an emerging world based on cooperation rather than on competition, on affirmation of the human spirit rather than on self-doubt, and on the certainty that all humanity is connected. Our goal is to touch as many lives as possible with a message of hope for a better world.--Hal and Linda Kramer, Publishers

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: HJ Kramer; First Edition edition (July 9, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0915811758
• ISBN-13: 978-0915811755
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,562,210 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A story that all who have experienced loss can identify with, July 29, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: A Song for Cecilia Fantini (Hardcover)

This book focuses on the grief associated with loss. While it is written for children, the principles apply to young and old alike. The book is a beautifully written and illustrated story that provides a way for us all to celebrate the special people in our lives even after they are gone

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent addition to a child's understanding of grief., July 29, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: A Song for Cecilia Fantini (Hardcover)

As a parent, where do you turn to explain the fears of grief to a child? Here is a book to answer that dilemma. Told with simplicity and warmth, it addresses a child's largest fear, that of forgetting the one who has died. With gentleness and understanding of the child's world in both text and pictures, the reader is offered ways to remember. The characters who offer these ways, as well as the methods themselves are tangibe tools for us all. Running through this story is the haunting children's lullaby, "All Through The Night". This book, like a lullaby, will gently guide and soothe a child across the darkness of grief