The Grief Rock

March 15, 2023
When a loved one dies, the grief rock appears. A nameless young protagonist with light tan skin and shoulder-length brown hair copes with this rock, which is so large that it's unwieldy. Holding it makes it hard to do basic things like eating and sleeping. "Sometimes all you can do is breathe," but that's not easy either. Other people hold the rock for the child for a little bit. Others, afraid they don't know the right things to do or say, avoid them and their rock. Time passes, and the child is able to do basic activities again. "Sometimes you forget the rock is even there." Other times, it becomes oppressively large again. As the narrator explains, you cannot escape the rock or hide it--you can only accept it, and when you do, its true form reveals itself: love. In a note, Daniels, a therapist, shares that this metaphor for loss was inspired by the death of her husband. The strong central theme carries the protagonist--and readers--through the difficulties of grief and the realization that these feelings stem from our love of the deceased person. Fossett's painterly crosshatching evokes a lot of interest on the page, as do her organic shapes. The succinct writing and effective images result in a tale that will speak to children grappling with these feelings. Daniels directs adults to check out her website for conversation starters on grief. (This book was reviewed digitally.) An honest, sensitive exploration of loss. (Picture book. 4-8)

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