Grade K–3Grief & Memory

Fireworks

Written by Matthew Burgess

Illustrated by Katy Halford

On the Fourth of July, a young boy watches fireworks with his family — and thinks of his grandmother, who loved them too. With quiet, luminous illustrations by Katy Halford and Matthew Burgess's tender, lyrical text, Fireworks is a gentle and honest picture book about grief, memory, and the way the people we love stay with us long after they are gone.

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From the Library Director

Matthew Burgess handles grief with extraordinary gentleness here — this is a book that gives children language for loss without ever feeling heavy-handed. The fireworks become a perfect metaphor: bright, fleeting, and unforgettable. A beautiful choice for any conversation about remembering loved ones, and a natural companion to units on family, memory, and the seasons of life.

Big Idea

The people we love never truly leave us — we carry them with us in the moments that meant the most to them.

Discussion Questions

1
Who does the boy think about while watching the fireworks? Why do you think the fireworks make him think of her?
2
Have you ever seen or done something that reminded you of someone you love? What happened? How did it feel?
3
The boy feels sad, but he also feels something else while watching the fireworks. What other feelings do you notice in the story? Can you feel two things at the same time?
4
Look at the illustrations. How does Katy Halford use color and light to show how the boy is feeling? What do you notice?
5
Why do you think the author chose fireworks for this story? What is special about fireworks that makes them a good way to think about someone you miss?
6
The boy's family is all around him. How do the people around us help when we are feeling sad or missing someone?
7
Is there something — a smell, a song, a place, a food — that reminds you of someone special in your life? What is it, and why does it make you think of them?
8
At the end of the story, how does the boy feel? Do you think remembering someone who is gone can make you feel better, even when it also makes you feel sad?

Activity: A Firework for Someone I Love

Students explore memory, loss, and the ways we carry loved ones with us through a reflective art and writing activity.

1
Before reading, ask students: Have you ever missed someone? What do you do when you miss them? Invite a few quiet, voluntary responses — remind students they don't have to share if they don't want to.
2
Read Fireworks aloud, pausing to let students look at the illustrations. After reading, ask: What did the fireworks mean to the boy? What did they help him do?
3
Discuss: What are some things that remind us of people we love? Make a class list — songs, foods, places, seasons, objects, traditions.
4
Students draw a firework — any shape, any colors — and inside or around it, write or draw something that reminds them of someone they love (a grandparent, a friend, a pet, anyone). Encourage them to choose colors that feel right for that person.
5
Share as a class or in small groups. Discuss: How does remembering someone help us feel close to them, even when they aren't with us? What does this story teach us about love and memory?

Standards Connections

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K-3.3 — Describe characters and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K-3.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases, including those that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K-3.3 — Write narratives using descriptive details and temporal words to signal event order
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K-3.4 — Describe familiar people, places, things, and events with relevant details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly
SEL — Self-Awareness: Identify and describe a range of emotions, including grief, love, and bittersweet feelings
SEL — Social Awareness: Demonstrate empathy and understanding for others' experiences of loss and memory