When a nine-year-old boy's beloved big sister dies, he is confused, angry and fearful. For the first time he must face the finality of death and the pain of loss. His parents, also grieving, seem distant, until a counselor teaches them all how to cope and heal.
This is not an easy read because it is heartbreaking. But I'm glad it exists for kiddos who need it, letting them know that their emotions are normal in a really abnormal situation. I don't like the art at all, but the text is a worthy read for those helping children through grief.
Genre: Creative nonfiction, picture book Topic: death Theme: dealing with the death of a family member Illustrations: The illustrations are black and white sketches. They are not highly supportive of the text but they are supportive. Reading level: Transitional Use: independent reading, (read aloud under certain circumstances) Literary Elements:
Thoughts:
The Empty Place is the story of a young boy who has lost his sister, Jennifer, to an illness. The book documents the emotions he is feeling and the thoughts he is having. His babysitter helps him realize that he can begin to live again and gives him ways to cope with his loss.
The Empty Place is one of those nonfiction books disguised as a fiction book. It would be an excellent book for any child who has recently lost a loved one. Because of the information contained in the book, it reads somewhat like a textbook, making it not the best choice for a read aloud.
The Empty Place is a good book for a very advanced early reader or for a transitional reader. Many of the words are common, high frequency words with two syllables or less.