Liam's father is dying of AIDS, which has separated the family consisting of Liam and his parents. His mother tells Liam that his father contracted AIDS due to a blood transfusion, but Liam had seen his father with another man years earlier and knows that his mother is lying. This information has poisoned Liam against his father, but comes to a form of acceptance by the end of his father's life.

Perry and his father live in virtual isolation in the woods after his mother left them following the death of Perry's little sister in a car accident. The novel shows how a family can fall apart after a death. Perry's father copes by cutting himself off physically and emotionally, and Perry follows his example. Perry's friendship with the new neighbour, Willow, and her family triggers his memories. He finally releases his grief over his sister's death, his mother's leaving, and his father's emotional distance and current physical absence. During this period his father is also coming to terms with his loss and becoming more open.

Simple, straightforward and concise chapters are designed for dipping into and reading quickly. The book includes quotes from teens who have lived through the experience. It also includes advice on finding a counsellor or therapist, and whether or not one is needed.

Gabe McCloud dies in a car accident, he was driving drunk and not wearing a seatbelt. Each chapter is told by different people including: his brother; his father; his girlfriend; his ex-teacher; his uncle; there are also extracts from letters he had written for English. The book shows how a death can impact on a community. The beginnings of healing are shown in the end of the novel, with a link made between Gabe's father and his girlfriend.

Concise, straightforward information, with minimal text on each page. This book is concerned mainly with how teenagers may feel after the death of a loved one. The emphasis is placed on understanding the feelings and working through the grief. The final chapter In Loving Memory contains worksheets to help teens describe and work through their emotions.NON-FICTION

Australian

Lara goes to live with her father, whom she can barely remember, after the death of her mother. Lara has to adjust to a different lifestyle, one with a hostile stepmother and little half-siblings. Lara's passage is made easier by the existence of Thunderwith, a dingo-looking dog. When Thunderwith is shot and dies, Lara can feel the presence of her mother closer than before, comforting her.

A basic, realistic guide to death and bereavement. Topics discussed include information on the legalities and ceremonies after death. There are different chapters on: Parents; Brothers and Sisters; Grandparents; Friends; Facing Your Own Death; Coping with Bereavement.

Designed for teenagers and older children this book provides information about the concept of death, grief and mourning, and the treatment of death in different cultures. Chapters are: Meeting Death; Ghosts, Superstitions, and Celebrations; What is "Dead"?; Death and the Children; Dying the Good Death; Death by Suicide; Playing God; Caring for the Dead; Grief and Mourning.

Australia

David is diagnosed with melanoma soon after the death of his friend, Gary, from the same disease. More than this issue is dealt with, as David is trying to decide his future and career. Gary's friends had distanced themselves from Gary, as his illness progressed, which is realistically shown. David's cancer is diagnosed and treated in time. Gary's situation was far more difficult and results in legal action, taken by Gary's mother, against the doctors.

A difficult book, in which memories of Ben's dead mother are hidden due to Ben's denial and refusal to remember the events surrounding her murder. Set two years after her murder, the book begins when Ben's father has moved the family to Newfoundland from Ottawa, Canada. Ben distances himself from his family and the small community, creating hostility towards him. Ben imagines himself to be Tor, a Viking settler in Vinland. Tor's imagined life and Ben's real life become entangled, finally allowing Ben to work through his grief and guilt at his mother's murder.