"Beyond the Setting Sun" by Sarah J. Dodd, beautifully illustrated by Cee Biscoe, is a poignant and heartwarming story that delicately explores themes of grief, loss, and the enduring power of love.

Set against the backdrop of the African Savannah, the story follows Ekundayo, a young elephant, as he grapples with the loss of his mother amidst the drying waterholes and dwindling resources. Through Ekundayo's journey of understanding and healing, children are gently guided through the complex emotions of grief with empathy and compassion.

Dodd's sensitive portrayal of Ekundayo's experience is deeply moving, providing young readers with a comforting narrative to help them navigate their own feelings of loss. The unwavering support and love of Ekundayo's family offer reassurance and solace, reminding children that they are never alone in their grief.

What truly sets this book apart is its ability to address important issues such as environmental conservation and animal welfare in a way that is accessible and relatable to young readers. By intertwining these themes with Ekundayo's personal journey, Dodd encourages children to develop empathy and compassion towards both humans and animals alike.

The illustrations by Cee Biscoe are simply enchanting, capturing the beauty of the African landscape and the emotions of the characters with remarkable detail and warmth. The soft colour palette enhances the gentle tone of the story, creating a visually captivating experience for readers of all ages.

As someone who finds it challenging to discuss grief, I deeply appreciate how "Beyond the Setting Sun" provides a safe and comforting space for children to explore their emotions and begin the healing process. This book is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of love.

"Beyond the Setting Sun" is a heartfelt and touching tale that will resonate with readers of all ages. It's a must-read for families, educators, and anyone looking for a compassionate story to share with young children.

Themes: grief, African Savannah, children, animals.
A really powerful and beautiful portrayal of grief and loss. Author Sarah J Dodd makes this subject an approachable subject for children and adults alike. I would highly recommend. To make things even better, the illustrations are super adorable and beautiful - I love the scenery showcasing the African Savannah. Lastly, the title was smartly chosen and is pretty hard-hitting, meaningful and powerful in itself. If you examine the title and the focus of this book: grief, it is an effective choice of title.

Although sad, this was a lovely book which approaches greif and trauma in a delicate way. Ekundayo the elephant struggles to cope and adapt when his mother sadly goes 'Beyond the setting sun'. Despite his friends efforts big emotions overwhelm him and he needs help to deal with these. The illustrations in this book are beautiful and eye-catching for young children and the emotions discussed are explained simply and clearly. I like the guide at the back to explain methods adults can use to support children in similar situations.

Thank you to Lion Hudson ltd and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review

This was so sad and so sweet and so gently made. Ekundayo’s water hole has dried up, so he and his momma go a bit further out, they find only one small one. That night she goes past the sun but Ekundayo doesn’t understand where she’s gone.

I really liked how this was handled, it was so delicate and subtle but also explained in the right way, it showed that family are still right there to help you get through it and that things will over time be better.

The illustrations were beautiful and I adored looking at them. This is a perfect book on grief and loss. It’s a good book for young children experiencing it, it handles the situation really nicely and explains it easily in a way even the youngest kids will understand.

This was really such a sad story though poor Ekundayo he was so adorable and loved his momma so much.

It is important to note that the majority of the themes explored in this book deal with sensitive subject matters. My review, therefore, touches on these topics as well. Many people might find the subject matters of the book as well as those detailed in my review overwhelming. I would suggest you steer clear of both if this is the case. Please note that from this point forward I will be writing about matters which contain reflections on grief, the death of a parent, & others.

Ekundayo is a baby elephant who adores spending time with his momma. She sings songs to him—one every morning when he wakes up—with lovely messages reminding him of all the beauty & light that exists in the world around him. Tragically, when a dry spell hits & the rain has not fallen, they find themselves unable to find water to drink & Ekundayo’s momma dies.

The stages of grief are difficult to process, & losing someone you love is overwhelming. When you are small death can feel abstract & difficult to accept—something we still struggle with in adulthood. Within this picture book, Dodd has weaved together the image of absence while allowing the reader to remember that they are not alone in their feelings.

It can often feel that we live our truths singularly. It is important to keep in mind that not every person has the support system that Ekundayo has when his momma passes away & therefore stories like this are important to present to children so that we can further discussions around difficult situations. It is unfortunate, for a lack of better words, that children have had to deal with mature subject matter & events; saying goodbye to a parent is confusing & painful, whether you had a good relationship with that person or not.

When we offer children the opportunity to reflect, see themselves reflected within the pages & grant individuals the chance to feel comfort—even if it’s not being given in the immediate vicinity—we soften the blow that is inevitable in this life. There is hardly a ‘best way’ to talk about death, however, I think that these books & these illustrations keep us optimistic.

Even when someone leaves us, in whatever capacity, there is room in the heart for love to grow & seep into the crevices left by absence.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lion Hudson Ltd & Sarah J. Dodd, for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I won't lie -- I had tears streaming down my face when reading this book. Such a lovely, poignant story of a little elephant and his mother in the middle of a drought. They find enough water for the little one but the mother sadly passes away from dehydration. At first, the little one is not able to accept that his mother will not come back, and seeks to find her by journeying beyond the setting sun, as his mother used to say she'd go there one day. Other family members and friends comfort the little elephant and help him realize that his mother's love still surrounds him and will never go away. The beautiful illustrations heighten the poignancy of the story and will make young readers feel the pain and sorrow of the little elephant. I would highly recommend this book to young students as a gentle way to help with grief and bereavement, and to help them understand that even though death takes loved ones physically away from us, their spirit and love remain with us forever.

A story that resonated for my young children who. We’re dealing with the death of their grandfather. Whilst my younger children enjoyed the story I’m not entirely sure they grasped the link, however my two older children certainly took comfort in this view and dealing with the death of a loved one.
I like the illustrations for this story in that it was colourful but artistic and muted so that it didn’t take away from the words but felt soft and warming. Images that were filled with love and hope

This is a beautiful and powerful picture book that deals with the loss of a parent (in this case mother).

Following the journey of grief through peaceful illustrations and gentle rhyming text.

Told through the eyes of a young elephant who doesn’t fully understand at first what this really means. This book would be a welcome addition to anyone supporting children through grief and is accessible for young children.
Suitable for age 5+

The illustrations of this book are simply beautiful. A story of a young elephant who's mummy dies. This book gently deals with the feelings of grief and I think children would find it a good guide to the feelings that happen after a loved one passes away.. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book.

What attracted my interest in this book was the beautiful illustrations, but the story was so moving and heartbreaking.

It's been made to help children with grief and I think it's such a beautiful book with such a powerful and meaningful message.

I enjoyed the book and am very grateful to have been given the chance to give a review.

Today's read was a particularly difficult one, for it was a heartbreaking story tackling the sensitive subject of death. Here is what we thought of 'Beyond the Setting Sun' by Sarah J. Dodd



Bella - / 10


I really love this book, though it is a bit sad when the mummy elephant died and that the baby elephant really wanted his mummy - it made us both cry. But at the end, he felt a lot better and that was nice. I think this would be a really good book for if a boy or girl's loved one died, because its a really nice story and would be really helpful.



Charlie - 10/10



'Beyond the Setting Sun' follows a baby elephant - Ekundayo, who sadly loses their mother in the African Savannah.


It is an incredibly poignant picture book that tackles bereavement wonderfully, it is beautifully worded and would be a worthy edition to any child's book shelf, especially those who are sadly going through a loss.


Dodd has clearly researched the subject well and has produced not only a story, but gives guidance, advice and resources for parents and carers to use when talking about death with young children.

As a family who've very recently suffered loss and looked for books to help our four year old understand a little more, this book is perfect. It's gentle both in words and illustrations. Often books about death can be quite dark in their palette, yet Beyond the Setting Sun is rich and warm. It's filled with the love of friends and family to help you through difficult times. I'd very much recommend this book to help talk to children about death.

This book is illustrated beautifully and the pictures express the story so well. The story is heartbreaking and one in which it will help children with the grieving process. This book should be used carefully and in a sensitive way. It is a must to use alongside other books that help young children to explore their own feelings of grieve. Definitely one I would recommend to have on your library.

This is a beautiful and very sensitive children’s picture book dealing with the idea of grief and losing someone close to you. Baby elephant Ekundayo and his momma enjoy their days together in the African Savannah. But when there is no water for Ekundayo’s momma to drink, she doesn’t wake up after falling asleep. Poor Ekundayo has to deal with coming to terms with the death of his mother, understanding what happened, while slowly also learning that he has support from his family.

This is such an emotional picturebook which made me both smile and cry a little too. Ekundayo is such a cute baby elephant and the time he spends with his mother is lovely. While they search for water to drink, Ekundayo’s mother speaks and sings to him, often in a fun rhyme. When the two lie down to sleep after searching all day for enough water to drink and not finding it, Ekundayo wakes up the next day but his mother doesn’t. As the other elephants and Ekundayo’s aunt try to help him understand what has happened, Ekundayo at first doesn’t believe his mother has truly gone. Later he tries to find her but on his search encounters something else instead.

The story is a beautiful one and quite simple, yet really powerful in its message at the same time. It shows well how grief can affect a child, first with them not understanding it and confusion over phrases that mean death, how children can misunderstand what has happened. Ekundayo’s grief is so sad to see but the story does have a positive ending even though Ekundayo’s mother dies and doesn’t return. The story shows how a supportive family and time helps Ekundayo, and any child really, to recover from such a sad event in their life and I love how sensitively this topic of family death and grief was handled in a picture book. It is a book that will leave you with mixed emotions though and I think some very sensitive children may find Ekundayo’s story hard to read, especially if those reading it are not suffering any grief at the time, I know I would have as a child.

The ilustrations are so beautiful! All the illustrations look lie the one on the from cover, they are lovely, colourful and show all of the animals in Africa well. I love how wonderful each illustration is and how some appear on double pages, showing each elephant and animal as an individual. The elephants and especially Ekundayo’s emotions are clearly visible on his face and through the actions you see, and I just love how detailed the images are with some of the other animals and birds too. They appear throughout the story and show hapiness and sadness and understanding of what is happening in each scene of the story too. The illustrations really do make this story all the better and easier to read and understand for young children and I would recommend this book for the illustrations alone!

The book has some great advice at the end on how to help children deal with grief which I found quite valuable and the ideas for adults on things that children can do to cope or how children may react in grief can help some adults who may be struggling with the grief at the same time and may not know how best to help their children at such a difficult time. There are some great ideas and resources including some website links as well and I think this added extra makes for a great addition to the book.

I do like this book overall, the ending is a good and positive one despite the sad event that takes place, and although it can make for emotional reading, it’s a book that has a wonderful message of hope and love and it might help some children who may be going through the death of a parent or loved one to cope a little easier being able to understand what’s happening and be able to discuss their feelings in relation to Ekundayo’s. A lovely, though also sad book that I would recommend.

Beyond the Setting Sun by Sarah is a feeling! It's like standing on a mountain top and viewing the calm ocean. You know the strength and dangers the ocean holds and you are amazed at how it chose to be quiet and still at the moment. Death is like an ocean. And Sarah chose to keep it calm. A perfect present to a child dealing with the death of a loved one.

Thank you Lion Hudson and Net Galley for the e-ARC!

This was a lovely book. I just reread it three times in a row!

I requested this based on the cute cover and the little blurb and was not disappointed. Not only were the illustrations stunning, I was also moved by the story of Ekundayo, a young elephant who loses his mother. This was cute, obviously sad, but hopeful. I loved the story and how the other adults were there to support the young elephant and share his grief. On a few pages, we can see other animals come together and help, I thought it was a lovely representation of what a family can look like: many people, not necessarily related by blood, who are very different but support each other during rough times.
We see Ekundayo go through different stages of grief and emotions, from denial to anger and sadness. I thought it was a really nice way to show that having strong emotions is okay and normal when you lose someone.

I loved that it included a page with advice for parents and carers on how to approach death and loss with children. This is useful to anyone.

Important notes/content warnings: This is a book about the loss of a parent. Though the publisher is angled towards Christian faith, this story doesn’t have religious aspects and I thought it could speak to anyone. Death is a sensitive topic that has an important place in various religions, so I loved that the story let people interpret things their own way. There is the idea of a “greater love” that could be associated to god, but the illustration also suggests that it’s about the people that surround you, and that’s how I personally read it.

That being said, I was disappointed after checking out the four websites/links included as resources in the advice page. At least some of them have discriminatory views (on topics like gender or abortion for example). This was disappointing, because the story itself was being inclusive, in my opinion, so I was expecting the same from the resources. It would’ve been better to look for links with more diversity, because these four websites will not be useful to many readers. I think this book should be for all children and families (especially because based on the description it is supposed to be for everyone, nothing suggests that it isn’t, it isn’t marketed as a Christian book, the only way to know it is was to look at the publisher’s info, and even then... it could be Christian AND diverse) and if you want to provide links and resources, please provide resources that will help readers no matter what their background is.

I am aware though that the advice page was not written by the author of the book, and I don’t want to let it diminish my enjoyment of Ekundayo’s story. After giving it a bit of thinking, I’m still taking out the 5th star because of the resources.

A sensitive and touching story about loss, Beyond the Setting Sun is a delicately-handled and beautifully-illustrated story for young children who are processing grief and guidance for parents to offer support.

I read this with my four-year-old who hasn’t experienced the death of anybody close, but we have always been open with him about the process. This book allowed him to question what happened to Ekundayo’s mother, to understand that it’s okay to feel sad and angry, and he found comfort in seeing how Ekundayo’s family supported him during a difficult time.

This is everything that I would want from a children’s story about grief and Cee Biscoe’s illustration suit the story perfectly. The landscapes are beautifully toned and the animals are friendly-looking and welcoming. I especially love how the days brighten up with Ekundayo’s mood, highlighting how the sun will shine again when the storm has passed.

The book ends with a page written by Debbie Duncan who discusses the stages of grief for young children and provides helpful advice for parents and carers on how to talk about death. It’s definitely a book that I’m going to recommend should anyone I know need to help their young ones deal with such a sensitive topic.

This was a very sad story about a baby elephant losing his mum and I nearly cried reading it! It was told by the author in a very honest and compassionate way. The book has a lovely ending with the baby elephant remembering his mum by singing the song she had taught him, with his dad and aunty. The illustrations of the elephants and scenery were stunning throughout the book. This would be a very useful book to have in school or at home to help children to talk about death and loss. I would definitely recommend schools to buy a copy. The author has also included some helpful advice and links at the end to help anyone dealing with the loss of a loved one. Thank you NetGalley and Lion Hudson Ltd for this ARC.

This was such a heartfelt little story and it pulled on my heartstrings.

The illustrations were lovely and they really suited the book too. My daughter loves watching animal documentaries and it doesn’t really phase her one animal eating another as it is all part of the circle of life and nature but this one did make her ask quite a few questions so it was good to be able to talk around the subject in a loose way.

We lost my grandma just before Christmas and this book really helped my daughter understand what had happened to a degree, she is still only young and with lockdown she had not seen her so much so it was more a distant relative to her so she could relate to it, this would work for the loss of a pet to explain that it was not the child’s fault too and sometimes nature takes over.

It is 5 stars from me for this one, a great way to discuss grief and loss.

Good grief! This had me in tears at a few points throughout the book. I had to stop to compose myself before I could carry on.

This is a very emotional book, but that is a good thing because this book is all about emotions and tackling the concepts of death and grief with young children. It relays death and grief in a way young children can understand and relate to. I really like the tips and support for parents and carers at the end of the book. It is thoughtful and supportive for those who may purchase this in the event of a death in the family.

I really liked that they used elephants in this story. Elephants are well-known for mourning their dead and visiting the bodies and bones of dead relatives, something akin to humans.