A Storybook to Help Children Cope with
the Serious Illness of a Loved One
Nathalie Slosse
& Rocío Del Moral
Translated by
Emmi Smid
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
London and Phildelphia
Big Tree lives in the forest nearby. Snibbles loves to keep him company. He used to sleep in a basket between the roots, where he felt safe and warm.
Snibbles has now grown up, but he still loves to play at the foot of Big Tree’s trunk. Sometimes he is on the lookout, all the way at the top of Big Tree’s branches. Snibbles loves it when Big Tree gives him nuts. They are delicious! And the soft moss is great for having daytime naps.
One day a doctor visits the forest. He examines all the trees, including Big Tree. His face looks serious. “I have bad news, Big Tree,” says the doctor. “There is woodworm living under the bark of one of your branches.”
Snibbles has never heard of woodworm, but it does not sound good. He starts to cry. The doctor tries to comfort poor Snibbles: “I will do my very best to get rid of the woodworm!”
The next day the doctor returns with a suitcase filled with tools. “I am afraid I will have to remove the branch with the woodworm,” he explains to Snibbles, “otherwise they will spread all across Big Tree’s trunk, and he might not survive that.”
The doctor has also brought a special medicine for Big Tree. “This is to make sure we scare off every single last woodworm. It will make Big Tree feel sick for a while, but it is necessary to help Big Tree get better in the end.”
“Hang on, I have a better idea!” says Snibbles. “I will give Big Tree a big kiss every day – I am sure that will make those worms go away.”
“Kisses are definitely a good idea,” says the doctor, “but only this medicine can get rid of the woodworm.”
The doctor gives Snibbles a big jar filled with little pebbles.
“Take one pebble out of the jar every day until the jar is empty.
From then on Big Tree will start to get better again.”
Snibbles looks at the jar and feels sad. There are so many
pebbles in it!
The medicine does indeed make Big Tree feel very sick. Lots of friends come to visit Big Tree to cheer him up.
Snibbles feels bored and angry. “Why did
Big Tree have to get worms?” he grumbles.
He kicks the trunk of another tree.
Oohoo the Owl has seen what happened. “I understand that you are angry, little Snibbles,” he says, “but you should not hurt other trees!”
Oohoo is very wise. He knows a lot about trees and also about woodworm.
“Why does Big Tree have woodworm?” asks Snibbles.
“That’s a very difficult question…” says Oohoo with a sigh. “It is no one’s fault! Some trees get woodworm, and others don’t. That is just the way it is, I am afraid!”
Big Tree’s strong branches are slowly turning weaker
and weaker.
All of Big Tree’s leaves fall to the ground. Snibbles has never seen Big Tree look this sick. Big Tree’s bare branches look odd, and it makes Snibbles feel scared.
Luckily, Bessie the Sheep comes to visit. She has brought a present for Big Tree: a beautiful woollen scarf! “It was made out of my own wool,” she says.
Snibbles does not understand.
“Every year, people shave off my wool until I am completely bald,” says Bessie.
“The people make pretty things out of my wool. The first time it happened I felt naked and sad. But my curly wool eventually grew back, and so will Big Tree’s leaves!”
“And now Big Tree has a warm woollen scarf!” Snibbles smiles. Together they drape the scarf around Big Tree’s branches. This makes Big Tree feel a little better.
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