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Author:Betty Monthei

Type or emotional/crisis issue(s) addressed: Suicide, Death of Parents, Family Relationship Problems, Grief
Year of Publication: 2005

Publisher & Location: Harper Collins

ISBN#:0060725052
978-0060725051

Target Age Level: Mature Teen

# of Pages: 192

Quality of Illustrations: none

Brief Summary:

After being called out of class by the principal, 12-year-old Annie is told that her father shot and killed her mother and then turned the gun on himself. Annie and younger brother Ted experience all the stages of grief (shock, denial, sadness, acceptance) as they transition to living with grandparents who hated their father. Rather than pulling together, the family's healing is slowed by Grandma's drinking and misplaced anger, Grandpa's increasing absences from the home, and the children's disenfranchisement from their friends. Only after Grandma spirals out of control does the family finally begin to deal with its problems.

This book deals with some serious issues.

Saying goodbye to daddy

Author: Judith Vigna

Type or emotional/crisis issue addressed: death

Year of Publication: 1991
Publisher and Location: Albert Whitman & Company
# ISBN-10: 0807572535
# ISBN-13: 978-0807572535
Target Age Level: 4-8 Kindergarden, low elementary
# of Pages: 32
Quality of Illustrations: excelent
Brief Summary: Through a third-person narration, readers learn of Clare's emotions after her father dies in a car accident. What she experiences are universal stages of grief, all explored realistically. Her grandfather is a strong, sensitive character who knows how to re-direct her actions. He tries to answer her questions; when he cannot, he provides her with avenues of thought.
However, the subject is addressed in a straightforward, accurate manner, and the book will suit those who need to explain the death of a parent.
Activity: Reading out loud

A Pillow For Mom

Author: Charissa Sgouros
Type or emotional/crisis issue addressed: Death, Illness, Emotional Instability of a Parent
Year of Publication: 1998
Publisher and Location: Houghton Mifflin: Boston
ISBN# 0-395-82280-7
Target Age Level: Lower/Upper Elementary
# of Pages: 30
Quality of Illustrations: Nice and in color
Brief Summary: A little girl misses her mom, who is sick in a hospital. She describes the changes that has happened because of it, and so she decides to make her mother a pillow which brings comfort.
Personal Comments/Biases, and/or Things to Consider When Using This Book With Children: This book just says that her mother is in a hospital, and can't be with the main character. It can be interpreted as a physical illness, or a mental illness.
Activity: Have the student(s) create something for their parent, whether it is a picture, a blanket, etc. Then have the students talk/write about why they made what they made.

The Accident

Author: Carol Carrick:

Type or emotional/crisis issue addressed: death

Year of Publication: 1981
Publisher and Location: Houghton Miffin
# ISBN-10: 0899190413
# ISBN-13: 978-0899190419
Target Age Level: 4-8 Kindergarden, low elementary
# of Pages: 32
Quality of Illustrations: excelent

Brief Summary: Christofer, a young boy, takes his dog Bodger out for a walk in the country. The dog is hit and killed by a truck. Christopher must deal with his feelings about Bodger’s death. How will he overcome his own guilt and feelings of depression in the matter?

Personal Comments/Biases, and/or Things to Consider When Using This Book With Children:
This books is a touching and realistic story and a great way to broach the subject of death with a young person.

Activity: Reading out loud to children

Goodnight, Mr. Tom

Author: Michelle Magorian

Type or emotional/crisis issue(s) addressed: Abuse, War, Loss, Adoption

Year of Publication: 1981

Publisher & Location: HarperCollins Publishers Inc. New York

ISBN#:0-06-440174-X

Target Age Level: Junior High, High School

# of Pages: 318

Quality of Illustrations: NA

Brief Summary: William comes from an abusive home during world war II and is placed as an evacuee with a man whom he calls Mr.Tom. Mr. Tom is struggling with the loss of his wife and later on both experience another loss of a loved one.

Personal Comments/Biases, and/or Things to Consider When Using This Book With Children: One scene in the book becomes very descriptive which may be too much for a student who still is or recently has been in an abusive home.

Activities: Discuss some challenges that may come from being in an abusive home/a loss and how over time the pain gets softer (sea glass analogy).

The Day I Saw My Father Cry

Type of emotional/crisis issues addressed: Grief

Author/authors: Bill Cosby

Year of Publication: 2000

Book Title: The Day I Saw My Father Cry

ISBN #: 0-590-52197-7

Age level: Lower Elementary

# of pages: 31

Quality of illustrations: Good

Brief summary: Little Bill and his family have a neighbor die, but they are able to deal with it by remembering the good things about their neighbor.

Activity: Have the child draw a picture of the person that they lost and explain why they loved them. Ask the child what their favorite characteristic of the person was and help them think of a way they can remember that characteristic.