You Could Have Been...

'You Could Have Been...' is a children's picture book for bereaved parents to read to their child who died, or didn't survive a pregnancy. It's filled with a parent's wonder of who their child could have been if they'd had the chance to grow up. The book is written to the child, so a parent can talk to them about their lost hopes and dreams, but most importantly, their love.

"You could have been an astronaut, up among the stars
And you would have been a pioneer - the first to go to Mars"...

..."You could have lived much longer, but this was not to be
Not among the human world - instead you're flying free"...

The watercolour illustrations are by artist, Zheng Qu, and beautifully depict the essence of our very special children who are no longer with us.

About the Author
Imrie, Ann-Maree: - "Ann-Maree is an author and advocate for families dealing with the loss of a baby. She is a Social Worker, who worked with young people experiencing grief and bereavement, but did not realise its full devastation until her first son was stillborn - a baby boy named Xavier, in 2015. Ann-Maree wrote 'You Could Have Been...', a children's picture book for bereaved parents to read to their baby who died, no matter the gestation or age. The book is about a parent's wonder of who their child could have been if they'd had the chance to grow up. The book's release coincided with what would've been Xavier's third birthday. Ann-Maree and her husband Wade are also the proud parents of Kai, who was born in 2017. In a special co-incidence he arrived at 2:18 pm - the same time as his older brother, Xavier. Through this life changing time Ann-Maree has become a voice for her son, through speaking engagements and campaigning in the media. She is committed to corporations and individuals with compassionate, well considered, and economically sensible solutions for supporting women and men who have experienced pregnancy loss and stillbirth.Ann-Maree supports organisations by providing resources to help employers respond proactively, and exceptionally well to pregnancy loss and stillbirth."Qu, Zheng: - Zheng is a Chinese-Kiwi-Australian illustrator with a passion for visual storytelling. His works range in animation, film, and publishing. He loves history, video games and binge watching Pixar and Studio Ghibli movies. You can follow his art on instagram @zqu_art