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Rice, Bebe Faas. My Sister, My Sorrow. London, U.K.: Lions, 1993.
Beth has always been jealous of her older sister, Janna, but now Beth has leukaemia and needs all the family support she can get. Janna is acting strangely with her life taken up with after school activities she previously wasn't interested in. Beth's friends at Hope House keep her sane, but the death of Danny, a little boy Beth was close to, hits her hard. At the end of the book Beth's treatment looks to have worked, including a transplant with her sisters bone marrow.
PEER CANCER
Rodowsky, Colby. Remembering Mog. New York, N.Y.: Farrar Straus Giroux, 1996.
This book is written from Annie's point of view, two years after the murder of her older sister Mog. Details of the time are referred to in flashbacks. Annie's mother reacts to the death by denying Mog's death and acting as if it hadn't happened, or that Mog hadn't really existed. Two years on Annie now has to make her own way and not follow in Mog's footsteps. It is at this point Annie needs counselling. By setting the time two years after the death the author shows how grief is a long-term issue and that grief is often hardest the second year.
SIBLING MURDER
Rottman, S. L. Rough Waters. Atlanta, Ga: Peachtree Publishers, 1997.
Scott and Greg are sent to live with their uncle Rocky, who they can't remember, following their parents' deaths in a car accident. Both boys are grieving, but in their own ways. Scott acts more mature than his years while Greg rebels. Rocky grieves for the brother he had lost contact with and for the relationship he will never be able to re-establish. Greg's rebellion results in the drama which drives the book, although by the end Greg and Rocky have established communication. The different portraits of grief are well drawn.
PARENT ACCIDENT
Rylant, Cynthia. Missing May. New York, N.Y.: Yearling, 1992.
A touching and gentle book which details Ob and Summer's life after May's, Ob's wife, death. Ob believes May is still there and enlists the help of Cletus, a misfit from Summer's school, in order to communicate with May. Cletus was chosen as he had been through a near-death experience as a child. In order to bring May to them Ob talks about May, and the little things that made her special. For Summer it was "more comfort, more real ... than May's true funeral had been. Seems once people bring in outsiders who make a career of bereavement - undertakers, preachers - their grieving gets turned into a kind of system." Ob and Summer's search for peace and the strength to continue is finally rewarded, but not in the way Ob was expecting.
PARENT ILLNESS
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Spies, Karen. Everything You Need to Know about Grieving. New York, N.Y.: The Rosen Publishing Group, 1997.
A basic guide to grieving for teens, especially younger teens. The emotions around grief are explained, including anger, guilt and relief. There is also a small section on suicide.
NON-FICTION
Stuart, Duncan. The Whole of the Moon. Dunedin, N.Z.: Longacre Press, 1997.
New Zealand
A hard-hitting novel, set in Auckland mainly in the Starship Hospital. It tells the story of Kirk, whose life is going really well until a rollerblade accident reveals he has cancer. Kirk's relationships with his fellow patients is realistically drawn, particularly that with Marty, a female street kid. During the course of the book two of the patients, Owen the Terrible and Marty, die. Kirk's grief is realistically portrayed. The novel is based on the Ian Mune film of the same name.
PEER CANCER
Taylor, William. Jerome. Dunedin, N.Z.: Longacre Press, 1999.
New Zealand
This novel is composed mainly of letters and emails between Marco and Katie after their friend Jerome's death. The major theme of the novel is the necessity for truthfulness in grief, as Jerome had never told Marco of his homosexuality. This inability to tell Marco how he feels leads Jerome to commit suicide, disguised as an accident. Katie finally tells Marco the truth, at which point Marco realises that he had felt the same for Jerome. The strong language and swearing, as well as Marco's constant drinking as an aid in his grief, can be off putting.
PEER SUICIDE
Tonkin, Lois. Everybody Hurts Sometimes: a Book about Grief for Children and Teenagers. Christchurch, N.Z.: Port Hills Press, 1997.
New Zealand
This book is also recommended for the 7-12 Age Group.
This book discusses grief and all its manifestations, including: numbness; regret; anger; fear; feeling normal. It also discusses coping mechanisms. For teenagers it provides Disaster Notes. Simple text adequately describes the messages and information the author wishes to convey.
NON-FICTION
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Williams, Guinevere and Julia Ross. When People Die. Edinburgh, U.K.: Macdonald Publishers, 1983.
A basic introduction to the practicalities and terminology of death. Chapters include: Why do People Die?; What is Death; What has to be Done; Facing Loss; Coping with Loss and Helping Others; Beliefs and Rituals; No Easy Answers; It Doesn't Have to be Bad. In Beliefs and Rituals beliefs other than Judeo-Christian are discussed, most notably Tibetan Buddhist. In No Easy Answers ethical questions are discussed, such as abortion, suicide and euthanasia.NON-FICTION
Young, Alida E. Losing David. London, U.K.: Lions, 1993.Kim became HIV-Positive after a blood transfusion following a car accident seven years earlier. Once the news was spread through her school no one would speak to her. As her condition deteriorates her parents move closer to Hope House, a home and outpatients unit for children with terminal illness. Kim attends a new school and, to avoid the pain of her previous school, she doesn't tell anyone she is developing AIDS. Kim is in a state of denial about her condition. But David, an outpatient and volunteer at Hope House, helps Kim see her way through. Kim is doing okay until a young patient dies, followed soon after by David. The lessons David had passed on to Kim help her survive.
PEER CANCER
Zalben, Jane Breskin. Maybe It Will Rain Tomorrow. New York, N.Y.: Farrar Straus Giroux, 1982.
Beth is having to adjust to life with her father and stepmother following her mother's suicide. Beth has the support of her aunt, Ellen, in her grief, and the beginning of a relationship with Jonathon. Due to her mother's suicide Beth doesn't want a relationship with Jonathon unless it has a future. When Jonathon leaves for a summer job, Beth fells abandoned again.
PARENT SUICIDE
Zalben, Jane Breskin. Unfinished Dreams. New York, N.Y.: Simon & Schuster, 1996.
A touching book which shows the power an inspirational teacher can have over students. Jason's principal, Mr Carr, has always encouraged Jason's love of the violin. Now Mr Carr has resigned as he is dying of AIDS. As the reality of Mr Carr's death comes nearer Jason reminiscences about the other losses he has survived, that of his pet rabbit, Sniffles, and his grandfather. The strength found in memories, and living a life by the examples given is strong in this novel. Discussions about prejudice and myths about AIDS are integrated into the text.
PEER AIDS
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