We heard this story in church this morning. Where do I begin? For young children who are very literal and concrete in their thinking, this story is terrible, hopeless and morose. As an adult, I can understand that the seasons reference the seasons in life. Most children will think you're talking about a year. Thank goodness my little girl didn't pay attention because I don't want to deal with her freaking out at the approach of winter, which is the conclusion of the book. Even with children who have a little more perspective in life, this book offers nothing. Maybe some people view death that way and that's fine but good luck using this book to explain that to a child. I think you'll have repercussions for a long time. The two reviews above me seem to support that thought. And for the love of all things good, please don't give this to a child or sibling of a child with a life threatening disease or condition.