Review of How to say a Good-bye!

[Seetha E]

[Following is a volunteer review of "How to say a Good-bye!" by Dr Maria Stylianou.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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This children’s book introduces us to three kids: Pete, Zoe, and John. Pete appears to have recently lost his grandfather and is visibly heartbroken. Zoe is also mourning the loss of her beloved pet dog, Chippy, and appears confused. John seems to have lost his grandmother some time ago and is better placed compared to the other two. All of them are at a different stage of the loss of a loved one and are also dealing with it differently.

Understandably, young kids are not equipped to navigate these mixed feelings that can range from absolute sadness to loneliness and even anger. One might even feel guilty. In this story, Zoe struggles to love Spotty after losing Chippy, and John is unable to relish the cookies made by his mother that refresh his grandmother’s memories.

Coping with the loss of a loved one can be challenging for us as adults. Although we may have experienced loss in different forms a couple of times, very few have found effective ways to address the pain that engulfs us, let alone guide our little ones. This book helps bridge the gap.

The author thoughtfully suggests ways to help children and even equips parents with words and other strategies. The simple conversations among the kids highlight how it is alright to feel sorrow, loneliness, anger, or even guilt. The kids’ innocent conversation helps us understand that a little compassion, communication, and time are essential for healing.

I concur with the author’s suggestion to engage with memories. The narrative rightly emphasizes the importance of understanding and explaining that the feeling of loss comes from the deep love shared. Although it may take time to reach the acceptance stage, once there, it will help gradually ease the pain and move on. These learnings will help adults offer comfort and support to the kids while they console themselves.

The author and doctor Maria Stylianou’s passion for the overall well-being of young children and her years of experience as an educational psychologist shine through in this book. Tender minds require gentle handling, and hence, age-appropriate conversations go a long way in comforting the kids and helping them cope with their emotions. My experiences in the past and the lessons I learned made me appreciate this book even more.

The vocabulary and the font size used are just perfect. The book was free from any errors. Overall, I commend the exceptional editing. The illustrations by Andreas Chasomeris beautifully complemented the content and effectively conveyed every emotion. The illustrations of Pete and Joe in tears are sure to melt you. To find out how they managed the challenging phase, I urge you to pick up a copy of Dr. Maria Stylianou’s How to Say a Good-Bye! I have no negative comments on any aspect of the book. I gladly rate it five out of five stars and recommend it for homes and educational spaces.

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How to say a Good-bye!
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[Priya Murugesan]

I always look forward to children's books and this looks like a wonderful one! Coping with a loss is difficult even for adults. So, I really appreciate the author for writing a book on this topic. Thanks for introducing this book, Seetha!