Can You Still See Me? — A Story of Grief and Hope Through the Eyes of a Child

✨ Helping children understand loss with love, comfort, and gentle reassurance.

Losing someone we love is one of life’s hardest experiences — especially for young children. When a parent, grandparent, or other important person disappears from everyday life, a child can feel confused, sad, and even afraid. Can You Still See Me? by Megan Bryzelak is a beautifully illustrated picture book that helps children explore grief, love, and connection in a gentle, reassuring way.

💬 Understanding the Story

Can You Still See Me? follows a young boy who asks heartfelt questions like: “Can you still see me when I play baseball? When I ride my bike?” Through gentle rhymes and vivid images, his curiosity unfolds alongside his emotions. Each time he wonders about his loved one, the appearance of a red cardinal offers a comforting message: love doesn’t disappear, even when someone we care about is no longer physically present.

This simple yet powerful image helps children visualize love and connection in ways that go beyond absence — a central theme that many kids who grieve deeply need to hear.

Why This Book Helps Children

Children often struggle with abstract concepts like death and loss. They may worry that their loved one is “gone forever,” or think they did something wrong. Can You Still See Me? provides a safe emotional space for these feelings by:

• Normalizing questions children naturally ask after loss

• Presenting grief with warmth instead of fear

• Offering hope and reassurance without minimizing sadness

Instead of avoiding the difficult topic, this book invites children to explore it through questions and imagery they can relate to, which is crucial for emotional understanding.

A Bridge for Difficult Conversations

One of the most important roles of Can You Still See Me? is that it helps adults open honest conversations with children about loss. Many caregivers find it challenging to talk about death without getting emotional or overwhelmed themselves. By reading this book together, parents, grandparents, teachers or counselors can:

• create a shared language around grief
• validate a child’s feelings without judgment
• answer questions with comfort and clarity

This shared reading experience makes the abstract real and the difficult discussable.

Comfort Through Repetition and Symbolism

The recurring symbol of the red cardinal acts as a gentle reminder throughout the story. For many children, this repeated image becomes a source of comfort — something tangible they can hold in their minds when they feel sad, lonely, or unsure. It shows that even though someone is gone, the love they shared continues in little moments.

The rhythmic, poetic language and soft illustrations also help regulate emotion, allowing children to absorb the message at their own pace rather than feeling rushed through big feelings.

Who This Book Is For

Can You Still See Me? is especially helpful for:

• Children ages 4–8, a common stage for early emotional development and grief understanding
• Families coping with the loss of a loved one
• Teachers, counselors and therapists working with grieving kids
• Anyone wanting to support a child through confusion, sadness, or unanswered questions about death 

The age range reflects the book’s gentle storytelling and visual approach, which meet young readers where they are emotionally and developmentally.

🧡 Real Emotional Support

Children don’t always have the words they need to express grief. When adults worry they might say the “wrong thing,” conversations about loss can stall — leaving children feeling isolated. Books like Can You Still See Me? offer a soft, guided way into those conversations, helping kids feel understood and supported without pressure.

Final Thoughts

Grief can feel confusing and lonely for a child — but it doesn’t have to be silent. Can You Still See Me? meets children with compassion, reassurance, and hope, giving them language and imagery to understand their feelings. It reminds us all that while loss changes us, the love that remains can be a source of comfort and connection for years to come.