When Parents Die

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Brilliant. - Rated
I first read this book at 23, seven years after my father died. I found it enormously helpful, reassuring and well written. I only wish I had read it sooner. Strongly recommended to anyone dealing with the loss of a parent.

Finally someone understands - Rated
- A very tough subject to write on, but this book is so honestly written, heartwarming, tear jerking and comforting at the same time.

All those feeling you go through are normal- other people feel them too, and this book highlights the tragic loss of a loved one, but re-itterates you are allowed to have a rollercoaster of emotions, and that you are perfectly entitled to feel what you want. Some bits are tough to deal with, but this really really helped me realise I am not a freak!
I would reccomend it to anyone in this horrible situation

Empathetic and helpful - Rated
Having lost both my parents before the age of 21, I had searched for a book that could help me with the (what seemed like endless) process of making sense of it all. This book is fantastic - it includes the acknowledgement of pain and sorrow, but the promise of better things to come. Written in a fantastic style which is neither patronising or overly formal, I would heartily recommend this to anyone who has experienced losing a parent and has wondered from time to time if they are actually going mad - this book normalises and offers reasons why everything can seem a bit wonky.

Essential reading for dealing with bereaved youngsters - Rated
I was profoundly humbled by this book. After almost two years the turmoil of my late friend's 12 year old daughter was suddenly and painfully unraveled. I began to absorb how her father and I falling in love only months after her mother's death had pushed the weight of her life shattering bereavement into a black hole of isolated despair. I had to reassure myself that all the 'help' and 'understanding', which I now realised had been so hopelessly inept, had been well intentioned. Everything had been based on the misguided belief, reinforced by all around us, that making her father happy and his life easier must somehow be 'good for her' and help her to 'get over it'.

I only wish I had read this book sooner - but better late than never.

an excellent and understandable book for any bereaved child - Rated
I first picked this book shortly after my mother died from cancer. I am 24 and was very sceptical that any book could offer me words of comfort or reassurance during my time of grieving. Yet this book offered both of these and more. A very well written book which is understandable and reaches out to the reader, explaining that many of the taboo feelings that they may be experiencing are normal and to be expected. It also takes the reader through the different stages of grief, from the immediate feelings through to two years later, therefore preparing the reader to expect their grief to last longer than society allows.

A very practical book written for the grieving child of any age, though particularly useful to the teenager/young adult.