What is Goodbye?

by Nikki Grimes, Raúl Colón (Illustrator)

Jerilyn and Jesse have lost their beloved older brother. But each of them deals with Jaron's death differently. Jerilyn tries to keep it in and hold it together; Jesse acts out. But after a year of anger, pain, and guilt, they come to understand that it's time to move on. It's time for a new family picture-with one piece missing, yet whole again. Through the alternating voices of a brother and sister, Nikki Grimes eloquently portrays the grieving process in this gem of a book that is honest, powerful, and ultimately hopeful. Nikki Grimes is the distinguished author of more than two-dozen children's books. She received the 2003 Coretta Scott King Award for her novel Bronx Masquerade and a 2003 Coretta Scott King Honor citation for Talkin' About Bessie. Many of her books have been cited as Notable Books by the American Library Association, including Come Sunday, a picture book in verse; Something on My Mind; and Meet Danitra Brown, which also won a Coretta Scott King Honor. She lives in southern California.

Genres: Poetry, Middle Grade, Grief, Novel In Verse, Realistic Fiction, Childrens, Young Adult

64 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2004

Reviews

[K.D. Absolutely · Rating 2 out of 5]

A young family with 3 kids: Jaron, Jerilyn and Jesse. Jaron dies. Jerilyn and Jesse write poems to express their sadness. Their reactions to their loss differ from each other. Jerilyn, older than Jesse, handles her emotion more maturely although she misses her older brother so much. Jesse is angry with Jaron for leaving him.

The poems are short, simple but definitely poignant and at times, heartbreaking because they are supposed to be from child's perspectives. It is also interesting to see how Grimes was able to put a young girl's voice different from a young boy's voice as two writers of the poems. She even put them in the same headers depicting the natural bereavement cycle: shock, denial, acceptance, forgiveness and moving on. As adults, we might think that the children have lesser capacity to understand the loss of a loved one. This book seems to indicate that we might be mistaken in that assumption.

My favorite among Jerilyn's poems:

Dinner - Jerilyn

Dinner used to be
a noisy business
of Mom mining
for information
about everyone's day
and Jesse interrupting
and Lucky barking for
Jaron to drop a few
tasty scraps on the floor
accidentally on purpose
and Jaron trying to cover
by telling a joke so lame
I had to laugh
till Dad called us
to order.
Dinner is noiseless now
except for the clink
of knife and fork,
or functional chatter
like "Pass the butter, please."
As for Dad, he's
got enough order
to last a lifetime.

Grimes ends her book with a note:
"There is no right or wrong way to feel when someone close to you dies. I found that out at fifteen when my father died. Some people cry right away, others don't. Some get angry, others don't. Some can talk about the person, while others find it impossible. Almost everyone asks why, but no one really has the answer. All we know for certain is that when someone we love dies, it hurts.

The way you feel is the way you feel. You have nothing to apologize for. What matters most is finding a healthy way to get your feelings out. I hope this book helps you do that."

This book is recommended for children ages 8-12 but adults will be able to appreciate the simple message and easy-to-read poems. Nice to grab on a lazy weekend and would like to have something to read quickly to lighten up the heaviness you feel inside your overworked brain.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

A verse novel and/or collection of poetry for young people about grief. Two siblings, Jesse and his older sister Jerilyn, lament the death of their brother Jaron. The time span is on year from the time of death, and each sibling responds differently throughout the whole process of grieving, alternating perspectives. No right way to grieve, is the point. I loved the lovely sad small watercolor illustrations by Raul Colon. The color is lovely throughout. I read this for National Poetry Month with my kids, and thought it was good because, though sad, it's a rare and useful topic for kids. Grimes lost her father when she was fifteen.

Why? Jesse

Why did Jaron have to die?
I asked till my lips burned dry.
Mommy sighed and shook her head.
"God scoops up the good," she said.
Then, from now on, I won't be.
Hear that God? Don't come for me.

Why? Jerilyn

Why give God
a bad name?
Why not blame
the moon,
if you must pretend
to have an answer?
We both know sense
is like shadow.
Chase it till you sweat,
and all you'll get
is a handful
of nothing.
Besides, what difference
does it make?
Just concentrate
on breathing.

from What is Goodbye?
Nikki Grimes

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Original post at One More Page

I read and loved Nikki Grimes' A Girl Named Mister so I was very excited to get this book from Kuya Doni during one of our Goodreads meet ups. A slim volume with illustrated pages, this is a book that discusses griefs and its different effects on people struggling with it. Jerilyn and Jesse just lost their older brother -- too much too soon that they are at a loss at how to deal. Jerilyn holds it all together, showing an unruffled exterior but inside she is just as broken as how Jesse acts out. Questions about life, death and family surface and we get to see how the siblings and the rest of the family dealt with this loss. It will never be the same again, but it doesn't mean they can't be whole.

Nikki Grimes' poetry was easy to read and the illustrations were a good complement to the story. True to form, I found myself shedding some tears at a certain page, and I honestly cannot imagine losing my one and only brother too soon to death. While this book offers no solutions on how to handle grief and death and loss, it shows a hopeful picture that someday, it will all be okay.

[Maria Ella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author's Note: There is no right or wrong way to feel when someone close to you dies. Some people cry away, others don't. Some get angry, others don't.

POIGNANT. HEARTFELT. and though my sister and brothers are alive and well, I CRIED AND FELT THEIR FEAR, MADNESS, and THEIR TIRED HEARTS learning to finally LET GO OF SADNESS and move along with their lives.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Annotated Bibliography Entry: What is Goodbye? By: Nikki Grimes

Summary:

When their brother Jaron dies unexpectedly, his mom, dad and siblings, Jerilyn and Jesse are left to pick up the pieces of what he left behind. Both Jerilyn and Jesse have a hard time picking up the pieces that Jaron left behind in his passing. Both write poems to express their heartache and anger over their brother’s death. Poems are written from the perspectives of Jeri and Jesse who both handle their grief in different ways. Jeri is older than Jesse so she kinda has to pick herself up to care for her parents who are beyond devastated. She tries to keep a straight face and not show much emotion, but the death of her brother has hurt her. Jesse, on the other hand is the youngest of the siblings and often expresses his grief with anger and lashing out at other people. Basically these poems detail the grieving process and how such a process can differ amongst different people.

Personal Response:

I definitely enjoyed reading these poems and I think even adults could take something away from them. The poems are mature in a way so I would not share this with younger students as the ideas and metaphors used may go over their heads, but for older students who have lost someone they love I feel that they will connect more to these poems. I personally think these poems can help those students along in the healing process. What I love the most about this book is that it features poems from both Jeri and Jesse’s perspectives so the reader gets an idea as to how both of the siblings deal with their brother’s passing. In their case they handle it extremely different. I think this portrayal is both great and realistic. Some people think that everyone grieves the same way and that there should be a set period of grief and once that period is over they should just “get over it”. I think this attitude is both wrong and insensitive and I’m glad this book steered away from that. I also like the progression through the grieving process. I like how it ended with everyone in the family beginning to heal again.


Descriptions of Illustrations:

There are not a whole lot of illustrations. This is mostly just a book of poetry, but there are small illustrations that are rather abstract. When I looked at them closely they seemed to represent the metaphors mentioned in the poem. For example, one poem talked about what I mentioned above: people thinking there is a set time for the grieving process. To illustrate this there was a picture of a girl (Jeri) trapped in an hourglass to illustrate that time for her grief is running out, but she is not quite ready to let go. I think the illustrations that are there are great. They are simple, yet abstract and illustrate metaphors mentioned in the poems, which I think will help students.


Classroom Connections:

This poetry book is more for older students, but it is one that I would include in my classroom library because there is probably one student that will be able to relate to it. Everyone has lost somebody they love so I’m pretty sure they will be able to relate and connect to it. It can also help these students ease their grief. In terms of incorporating it into the classroom, teachers can use the poems to illustrate metaphor as metaphors are a staple in all the poems and most of the metaphors are pretty deep. Teachers could also talk and introduce all types of figurative language, such as similes and such. Teachers could also read a poem aloud to students and have students write a visual of what they are hearing or feeling. This is similar to what we did in class for Each Kindness and the chart board. I think teachers could easily have students do the same for these poems. Students could also draw pictures as to what they think the metaphors in the poems mean to them, which I think will extend their thinking. Definitely a useful and powerful book of poetry to include in the classroom!

[Kaitlyn Richard]

MY HEART! This book had me experience everything each of the characters felt. I am usually not comfortable with reading poetry, but this book was easy to follow and powerful! I picked this book because of my own grief that I am currently still experiencing. Every feeling the characters portrayed I understand and connected with. I also love how the book shows multiple perspectives and emphasizes the idea that everyone deals with things in different ways. At the end of the book the author writes, "The way you feel is the way you feel. You have nothing to apologize for. What matters most is finding a healthy way to get your feelings out. I hope this book helps you do that." That had me stop and think even more on the subject. I think this would be a great book to have in the class library for a student who may be struggling with similar feelings. I think it would also be a great text to talk about various perspectives and understanding others. I would recommend this book!

[Kaitlin]

When I was younger I read and reread this many times. Still so sad, but lovely writing.

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is AMAZING! This is currently my favorite book because of the emotions portrayed. "What is Goodbye?" by Nikki Grimes is a book that shows 4 different ways that people can grieve. The message behind the story is that everyone handles grief in their own way and no one should feel guilty for doing so. I was able to make so many connections to this story because of how well the poetry is written. Lately, I have been looking into Graduate School so that I can become a School Counselor. I think this book would be an amazing tool for me to have in my office. If I were to use this book, I would use it to discuss grief and to talk about the many ways that our emotions can differ even in similar situations. This would also be a great book for learning how to make text-to-self connections for students who have been through grief themselves. Lastly, this book could be used for a comprehension lesson study focused on text comparison. Because the story is written from two perspectives, the students could compare and contrast the two versions. Once again, I highly recommend this book! WOW!

[(NS) Brea M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nikki Grimes tells a story of Jesse and Jerilyn mourning their brother’s death in What is Goodbye? Alternating pages have poems from each child’s perspective on the same topic. The first poems are titled Getting the News, featuring the sibling’s different emotions when they first learned of their brother’s death. The poems continue through the year long mourning process of each child. Some of the interesting poem titles are; First Fear which discusses each of their fears of death, Regrets, which discusses each of their regret after they expressed anger toward their brother for leaving them, and Ordinary Day which depicts an ordinary day that each of them has as they move closer to healing. The small illustrations, by Raul Colon truly add to the emotion in an abstract and thoughtful way.
In the author’s notes, Grimes explains to her readers that the purpose of her book was to honor the different ways that people cope with death. There is no right or wrong way to grieve, as she learned through her own father’s death at age fifteen. This book truly gets inside the heads of two very different children who do not always react the way people want or expect them to. An example of this would be the poem called Rush in which Jesse discusses his frustration that everyone expects him to be better because a certain amount of time has passed. I found this poem especially powerful with words like, “They’re telling me my heart is wrong for hurting past the date they set? Well I’m not ready to move on yet.” I found this to be very accurate with outsiders who feel more comfortable if the person just moved on already. This poem would be amazing for children and families who have experienced loss, especially a child who is having difficulty sharing their feelings. This book could introduce any child to the emotional outlet of poetry in order to share deeper and private thoughts. Ages 9-14.

[L13_Allison Safran · Rating 5 out of 5]

"What is Goodbye?" written by Nikki Grimes and Raul Colon is a powerful text about a little boy who loses his older brother. The book is divided into poems between alternating voices of the brother and sister. The book uncovers the grief and confusion of the young authors, and it reveals very raw emotions.

I enjoyed this book because although it is sad, it has a sense of hope near the end of the book. I would use this in a classroom that is older, probably fifth grade and up, because the topic of death is very heavy. The reading level isn't very challenging, but the topic of death and grieving is a more mature topic. This text would be a good teaching tool for students who may have recently lost a family member or close friend. It would provide some sense of understanding of others, and it could be a nice text for someone who felt that nobody understood what they were going through.

I would recommend this for upper elementary and middle school students. I would have it available in my classroom library, or as a mentor text for students who were going through a loss in their own life.

[Shelaswau Crier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly Inspired! A truly helpful book for those dealing with grief and to help explain grief to others. Thank you, Nikki Grimes.

This book is truly inspired. I came across this book at a library book sale and it was incredibly helpful when my son passed away. I didn't read the book all at once but picked it up in pieces as my family and I traveled our own journey through grief. Grimes' words helped remind me to be present for my other children when I felt I couldn't go on in a world without my son. Many of the sentiments expressed by the children in Grimes' book, like concern for their parents, were feelings and sentiments I heard my own children voice as well. She captures the anger, the "you left me," the confusion, memories, and pain. I highly recommend this book for people dealing with the death of a child - siblings, parents, grandparents, and other loved ones. The book may also be helpful for educators to share with students when one of the students has experienced the loss of a sibling. The interaction with peers who had no understanding of such grief was very difficult and often painful for my kids, middle school through college, following their brother's passing. I could see this book providing those children some insight into grief and helping them to be more compassionate and thoughtful towards classmates who have lost a close family member and are "just not over it."

Excellent work! I will forever be grateful for this book and to Nikki Grimes for writing it. I have since shared this amazing book with another mother who lost her son.

[Steph Lovelady · Rating 4 out of 5]

It should go without saying that a book about two siblings dealing with the death of their older brother would be sad, but this was even sadder than I expected, heartbreaking in places. Grimes tells the story in poems, juxtaposing each of the surviving siblings' reactions to the same events in poems on facing pages. The brother and sister have different ways of experiencing grief and different voices. The book is moving and well done.

[Stephanie Ziebarth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heavy topic, but one that needs to be addressed. Nikki Grimes does this in a powerful, poetic way. She portrays the stages and styles of grief well. Would be a particularly useful tool in opening doors for discussion.

[Pam Bartholomew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, honest poems tell about the death of a loved one from the point of view of the younger brother and sister. Wonderful and unforgetable!

[Mell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poignant and moving. Grimes does a great job addressing death, mourning, and sadness. Colo`n's illustrations are beautiful.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

All about grief and supportive that everyone grieves in their own way for their own length of time.

[Lindsey Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book to help kids understand grief. Also offers study on perspective

[Beverlee Jobrack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful. The mix of emotions. The burning questions. Dealing with the death of someone close.

[Juso · Rating 5 out of 5]

"What is Goodbye?" by Nikki Grimes is such an emotional collection of poems! This book is a collect of poems that are all connected. Jerilyn and Jesse have lost their older brother, but each of them is handling their brother’s death differently. Jerilyn tries to keep all of the emotions in, while Jesse expresses his emotions. However, after a year of pain, anger, and misunderstanding, the family is moving forward and attempting to feel like a family again. The one poem from this collection that stuck with me is called, “Photograph”. This poem comes as the last poem in the collection. It is written twice, once from Jesse’s point of view and again from Jerilyn’s point of view. The poem is about a family picture that is taken after the anniversary of their brother’s death.

The two aspects of writing that are present throughout this poem are author’s voice and conflict. Fletcher states that a writer’s voice is unique as his or her own fingerprints. The author does a great job of having voice because he shows the distinction in voice of one child, then has a completely distinct voice present in another child. For example, a part of one child’s poem is written like this:
It’s time

for a new photograph

Say “cheese.”

While that same part of the other child’s poem is written like this:

It’s time
For a new photograph.
Squeeze in close.

In the first poem, these is spacing between each line and the child says “cheese.” While the other child has no spacing between lines and says squeeze in close. These two different styles of writing the poem show how the author’s voice is different between the two children. Another aspect of writing that was done really well in this poem is conflict, specifically internal conflict. Although it is not evident much in this poem, most of the poems prior deal with anger and confusion, which drives each child to have to experience internal conflict. By the time this last poem comes, the children have dealt with their brother’s death and can move on, allowing them to resolve that conflict. As a teacher, I could use this collection of poems, particularly this poem as a mentor poem to help students feel comfortable with developing their own unique voice in their writing. I could show students that each person writes differently and that it is okay to write how you feel comfortable writing.

[Elsie]

What is Goodbye? is a poetry book with poem entries entered by two adolescent boys. Jesse wrote a poem titled, Places. This poem is about his brother and their trips to the barber. Jesse has never liked the barber, but his brother always tried to make it a positive experience. He did this by playing with Jesse. They would take a bus and play fight and grin. Jesse may not have liked the barber, but he did love his brother and the trip they would take together. The rhythm reinforces Jesse's happiness with his brother even with his hatred toward the barber. The rhythm is created with the flow of entertainment with his brother.
This poem does not have any rhyme, but the sound of the poem is lighthearted, despite Jesse's hate towards the barber. The tone is happy because of the fun Jesse and his brother have. It is nice to hear the brothers are getting along. There is no presence of figurative language within this poem nor the use of imagery. The idea of the poem can be related back to children's experience with getting their hair cut. Children can relate because of the description of the barber. Jesse exclaims that he does not like the barber. Children can also relate to this because of the strong relationship between Jesse and his brother. Jesse mentioned their play gun fights and laughter. Children may have siblings like Jesse's brother that they enjoy being with.
The poet created a happy emotional relation to the poem because of the love and fun the two brothers share for one another. The poet uses the word 'grin' instead of smile or happy because he truly enjoys his time with his brother which we can see through this poem.
I think the purpose of the poem is to give a better memory to the barber rather than just hatred. Jesse started by expressing his dislike to the barber, yet the whole poem is about the fun he and his brother share. The message is conveyed which is easy for children to relate. As a teacher you could pose the question, "Have any of you students ever had an experience like Jesse?" This will trigger memories and show that happiness can overturn your negative feelings.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

In what is essentially a short novel told in verse, Grimes creates two distinct voices, that of Jesse and of his older sister, Jerilyn. Not only do two different text colors indicate the different characters, but also Grimes’ use of form and language. Jesse’s poems tend to have more rhythm and a stronger sense of rhyme, as well as a faster, less reflective tone – all appropriate for a boy his age. Jerilyn’s poems are written in free verse with more emphasis on her emotions and reactions to both her brother’s death and events that occur after his death. All of the poems are emotionally laden and filled with metaphors, similes and symbolism. These poems would appeal to emotionally charged middle school readers and could be especially helpful for young readers dealing with grief in their own lives. Colon’s illustrations enhance the poetry with their surreal, dreamlike artistry. The illustrations are largely colored with greens, blues and yellows, colors which emanate both sadness and a calming quality. Symbols in the pictures – doves, clocks, hourglasses – echo the symbolism in the poems. The collection ends with a note from the author on dealing with grief after the death of a loved on.

Note: Got tears in my eyes while reading this one. I like Grimes’ poetry for older children.

Booktalk:
(intro poem)
What is goodbye?
Where is the good in it?
One leaves
And many hearts
Are broken.
There must be
A better arithmetic
Somewhere.

Goodbye is often a difficult word to say, even more when it is to someone you love, even more when it is forever. Jesse and Jerilyn struggle to say goodbye to their brother – a forever kind of goodbye – in poems of sadness, grief, anger, remembrance, and eventually acceptance and hope in What is Goodbye by Nikki Grimes, with illustrations by Raul Colon.

[Esther · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published in 2004 by Hyperion.
Interest Level: 6th-10th Grade

This book of poetry follows two siblings and their family through the entire grieving process. This family suffers the loss of the eldest son in the family and each sibling deals with this loss differently, which is expressed through the tone and theme of each poem. Although each set of poems has the same title, the expression of grief through each poem is extremely different in form and function. The tone and rhythm of each poem is varied and move the grieving process along quite quickly. This book concludes quite quickly and at times I was left wanting to linger on a specific theme or wanting a longer poem. Most poems are accompanied by an illustration by Raul Colon that conveys a symbolic picture that is relevant to each poem's theme.

What I particularly enjoyed was the seriousness and honesty that was conveyed in each poem and how the grieving process was not covered up or hidden, but instead that process was displayed openly and showed appropriate reactions to such a serious loss. I connected with the characters and family portrayed through this account and the intense emotions and reactions that accompany each character's reaction. This would be a great starting point to discuss the theme of grief and loss and also how to use expressive, emotive poetry to address a specific topic or theme.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't even know I had this in my classroom library until today! I was glad I came across a story told in poems so I gave it a go and read the whole thing in one sitting.

It's a sad story. Two siblings (a boy named Jesse and a girl named Jerilyn) tell what life is like after their brother Jaron dies. I think you'd have to read the Author's Note at the back to really appreciate why this book exists: "There is no right or wrong way to feel when someone close to you dies. I found that out at fifteen when my father died. Some people cry right away, others don't. Some get angry, others don't. Some can talk about the person, while others find it impossible. Almost everyone asks why, but no one really has the answer. All we know for certain is that when someone we love dies, it hurts."

I liked this story because it's simple but still captures the pain that comes with losing someone you love. I hope that doesn't happen to me for a long time but when it does I can see myself rereading this for some comfort.

[J. Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Class 5: April 5; Children's Poetry
Characters: Jesse, Jerilynn, their parents
Setting: The family's house and their school
Interest Level: 5-8

This story outlines the experience of one family--a brother and sister, in particular--who struggles with the loss of a member. After their brother, Jaron, passes away, Jesse seems to cope with the loss through acting out, while his sister, Jerilynn, deals with it by drawing inward. Through it all, the entire family comes to grips with the loss, and the unit is restored to a whole once more.
The poetry in which the story is written gives it a rhythm that lends itself to the sad song that is this family's story; moreover, it presents a lyrical element to the poem which appeals to the intended audience. The interesting author's note sheds light on the purpose of the story (that we all deal with loss differently, and that's okay, as long as we work through it) and I find this a highly relevant and important read for any person who is experiencing the human condition--which is, of course, all of us.

[Erin Forson · Rating 3 out of 5]

What is Goodbye?
By Nikki Grimes
Currently, I am on a mission to read as many "novels in verse" (look like poems on the page) as possible. I like the format; they are short, to the point, and create vivid images in my mind that help me understand the story better. What is Goodbye, by Nikki Grimes, also comes with the added bonus of really cool color illustrations. It's about the way you might feel if your brother or sister died. Like the stages of grieving...denial (no way that happened), anger (why me?), depression (will I ever stop hurting?), and finally acceptance (I can move on with my life). There isn't a whole lot of plotting in this one. It really is less a novel in verse and more a series of poems about feelings in the aftermath of the death of someone in your family that was young and loved. Short, well-written poetry I would recommend to those who enjoy poetry--especially the dark, emo kind.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grimes, Nikki (2004).
Subgroup: Bereavement
Genre:Juvenile Poetry
Topics: Death, Brothers and Sisters, Grief
Synopsis: An absolutely fantastic book. Jesse and Jerilyn are borther and sister, and they recently lost their older brother Jaron. Both siblings each give their own view point to the struggles dealing with a lost sibling. Both are very poetic, but Jesse (the younger brother) has a poetic structure that is more simplistic linguistics for a younger age group, and Jerilyn (the middle sister) has a more advanced poetic structure relating to an adolescent age. The best part about this book is that you can read either sibling's stories individually and the whole plot will still make sense. This is a great book to understand the stages of dealing with death, and how it's normal to feel that way. I would definitely recommend this book!

[529_Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This book is so powerful and sad. This book of poetry deals with the death of an older brother. The two younger siblings, a boy and a girl express themselves as time goes by and their family deals with the grief of losing a loved one. "Dead is dead. Not "lost". The young girl expresses here feelings about how we try to explain death by using words such as lost or passed. When her brother dies she says "Dead is Dead". Death is a horrible experience that we must all go through at one time or another. This book of poetry is a good way for an older child, perhaps someone twelve or older, to read about how a family expresses their grief in different ways.

[Ch_jank-caporale · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection of poems written in two voices, that reflect the emotions of two surviving siblings of a brother who's died. Each poem captures a different phase and aspect of their grief along the road to healing. Sometimes the pain is almost too much to bear.
The illustrations by Raul Colon are also touching; he creates a palette of color and a theme of isolation that resonates along with the poems.
Nikki Grimes says what matters most in grieving, is finding a healthy way to let the feelings out. The book is her attempt to help deal with those feelings. I wonder if they'd help?

[mlb]

The story (written in poem form) of the death of a family's oldest child is told by each of the two remaining siblings. It captures the very real range of emotions each child experiences as the first year after their brothers tragic death goes by. Many of the poems are illustrated. The author draws from her own experience of mourning her father's death as well as research in psychology on counseling children who have experienced a loss. A very moving book for middle school (or older) students.

[ckodama152 · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is Goodbye? is a book of poems by two siblings, a brother and sister, who lost their older brother. Each couplet of poems with the same title are juxtaposed to show each sibling's reaction to their brother's death. What is Goodbye? delves into the myriad of feelings one goes through when they lose someone they love - from anger, to sadness, to hurt, to finally acceptance and moving on.