Published by Magination Press

Summary:   Sarah misses her big brother, Ethan, but any time she says his name, her parents tell her not to talk about him, or turn away from her.  She interprets this to mean they don’t miss him as much as she does, and thinks that only their cat, who carries around one of Ethan’s old socks and sleeps on his bed, remembers her brother.  When she shows her mother a picture she’s drawn of Ethan giving her and Buttons a piggyback ride, Mom bursts into tears and runs out of the room, her father close behind.  Sarah is sure her parents are mad at her, but later they assure her that they are just sad.  The three of them spend some time looking at pictures of Ethan in their photo album and share some happy memories of him.  Includes a note to readers by Elizabeth McCallum, PhD about helping children cope with the loss of a sibling.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  This gentle and realistic look at a child’s grief and how a family copes with the loss of a child would make an excellent addition to any family therapist’s bookshelf.

Cons:  This is definitely a book that adults and children should read together, allowing plenty of time for discussion and questions.

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