This book details sisters', Meg and Molly, relationship. Molly is beautiful and popular, while Meg is shy and sees herself as plain looking. One night everything changes when Molly is rushed to hospital. The book then follows the family's life as Molly's condition worsens and she eventually dies. Meg's friendship with her neighbours sustains her, especially the birth of Ben and Maria's baby. Some aspects of the book betrays its age, but the timeless message more than compensates.

Australian

While Sophie was driving her boyfriend and his siblings around, including her best friend, the car was hit by an out-of-control driver. Sophie reacts very badly to the accident and withdraws into herself and her room. Sophie is smoking, eating junk food and listening to loud music. In despair her mother sends her to her Aunt Fran, living at the family home. During the course of Sophie's stay Sophie is brought back into the world. However, many family quarrels and rifts are brought into the open and finally, the path to closure is found. Eventually Sophie has the courage to visit her boyfriend and his family and everything seems to be fine.

Desi volunteers at Childcare, a hospice for babies born HIV positive. Desi connects with Alicia, who is eight-months-old. Desi feels unloved by her parents, believing that they, her mother particularly, expend all of their love on the oldest child, Valerie. Desi learns this is because her mother didn't want to feel attached to Desi due to the cot death of Desi's brother who died before Desi was born. Old wounds are healed through Desi's experience with Alicia. Alicia's condition worsens and she eventually dies of pneumonia. Many facts about AIDS and HIV are woven into the novel.

This is the story of Beth's survival after the death of her family in a car accident, on the way to a staff picnic, an event Beth missed as she was sick. Beth goes to live with her uncle, aunt and same-aged cousin. Strong feelings run between Beth and her cousin, Terri, especially jealousy and anger. Beth suffers from a measure of survivor guilt. Slowly all adjust to the changes and develop into a family together.

The first short story in this collection, "The Christmas Child," tells of Melanie's joy over the birth of her sister and the loss of her at four-days-old, as she is anencephalic. Melanie's friends offer comfort and support during this time. Melanie comes to realise that baby Jennifers life did have meaning, however short it was, as "[w]e loved her because she belonged to us. To our family."

SIBLING INFANT DEATH

This book is based upon interviews with American High School students, some of whom were studying death as a mini-elective. Chapters include: Talking About Death; Growing Old; Moral and Ethical Dilemmas; Suicide; Burial or Cremation; Telling Children About Death; What Happens When You Die?. The chapters on Growing Old and Moral and Ethical Dilemmas are especially valuable as they are not normally discussed. The latter chapter discusses living wills, the use of marijuana as pain relief and abortion. An interesting book for the questions it raises.

Australian

Written in diary form this book tells the story of a 13-year-old boy following the murder of his father, when he was the only witness. The diary offers a way of honestly exploring the emotions felt, and the way his mother withdraws into herself. The just one tear of the title is the number of tears he shed, showing that grief can be deep, but with no outward signs.

PARENT MURDER

This is the story of Tony's life as his mother enters the final stages of life before she dies of pneumonia, a result of her multiple sclerosis. It also tells of Tony's relationship with Clare, and his rescuing of an injured seagull. Tony's emotions are honestly described, including his anger at his mother for not being like other mothers. He is also angry at those people who expect him to tell them how he feels, or who expect to be reassured that his mother is fine, when it's not the case. The story ends on the morning of his mother's death. The title comes from Tony mother's favourite Bible verse, Isaiah 40:29-31:

Rachel has not always had an easy relationship with her grandfather, but in his last months Rachel spends more time with Grandad Izzy. The family's grief is expressed and memories of Izzy are shared.

Australian

This book follows a year in Mull's life, on in which her mother becomes ill and is bedridden, is hospitalised and then dies of cancer. Mull, at 16 years old, takes over running the family, but this has its ups-and-downs. Her father and youngest brother are heavily involved in a Christian fundamentalist church, which Mull and her older brother, Steven, do not agree with. As her mother comes closer to death, Mull's father becomes more involved in the parenting of the family, eventually taking over after the death, and Mull's breakdown over all the work and expectations placed upon her.