Are You There?

About the Book

Are You There? is a book for children who have lost a sibling, inspired by a true story that struck my family in 2009 with the loss of my baby after 10 weeks of pregnancy. My son Sebastian, 5 years old at the time, asked repeatedly: “WHERE DID THE BABY GO?” This is a playful story in which a baby never really “dies” or “goes to a place where he will never come back”, but rather lives among us, playing an eternal yet whimsical game of hide and go seek. This book highlights places where children can find joy and interesting things to do, like the beach or the park; places where new memories are born and where a child can discover the most precious things in life…including the memory of a brother that never came to be. This book plays on children’s natural curiosity and fantasy, giving them a rather spiritual understanding of death by helping them deal with grief and achieving, therefore, a sense of closure. Their memories of a lost sibling should never disappear as long as they are loved.

About the Author

Romina Pastorelli, a preschool teacher and Juan Pastorelli, a well known Peruvian artist have collaborated to write this book together. This father/ daughter team believes that children’s innocence and sense of inquiry is fascinating. This book is dedicated to Sebastian… who we hope will never stop questioning about life.