Review: Gone

Gone’s deceptively simple and achingly beautiful book cover is wrapped around a heartwarming, important offering to the world of picture books.

This accessible, thoughtful rumination on the nature of life’s biggest mystery explores both life and death.

Long or short, every life on earth comes to an end some day.

But what happens when we die?

The last few years have seen a number of picture books that broach the subject of death, grief and loss in various ways. Gone adds to this list with its wonderful, clear message and bold illustration style.

I am so very glad that Gone has been written. To be clear, this is not a ‘we-fly-to-fluffy- clouds-in-the-sky-as-a-merciful-God-watches-over-us’ piece, although it could be interpreted that way, and support such a conversation. 

Nor is it a story that dictates how we should feel when a loved one dies.

Rather, it shows us what happens when a child wakes to find that their pet bird has died in the night (a fairly common occurrence for many families).

The wonderful thing about children is that they are open and willing to be taken to new places, and this book allows them to ponder life’s great mystery without preaching or scaring or proselytising. It simply shares a story, and then shares some of the beliefs that different people hold about where we go when we die.

It talks about what mum believes, and what grandpa believes, and what might be in the future, and what actually is right now. It illustrates the ache inside, the burdens we carry alongside the big feelings – and it somehow all makes sense. 

The illustrations are perfect and the cover, just stunning. Although the pictures are rather flat and at times, seemingly just blocks of primary colour, they are genuinely inspired and superbly effective. Simple, amazingly clever shapes of red and yellow supported by black linework, enhance and bring the text into sharp focus.

Then, the last couple of pages offer a magnificent contrast in that they contain a rainbow of colour. This serves to absolutely spark hope and possibility in the heart and mind of the reader. So that in an almost poetic way, we are offered a path back into full-colour life again.

Highly recommended for all ages.

Title: Gone
Author: Michel Streich
Publisher: Thames & Hudson $26.99
Publication Date: 3 June 2025
Format: Hardback
ISBN: 9781760764920
For Ages: 4+
Type: Picture Book