This is definitely a picture book with a European sensibility. Death comes to a duck, and follows her around chatting. It turns out that death is quite nice when you don't think about who he is. They go to the pond and climb a tree together. Then he sends her on her way on "the great river" when she dies.

The illustrations were simple and a bit old fashioned. Death is depicted with a skull for a head, and wears a long smock with off white and gray stripes over one with red checks.

This book certainly provides a realistic view of death and could be a good jumping off point for a discussion with a child. I am not sure I would give it to someone who had just lost someone close to them.