Review by Karissa Schilling -- Sock Lobsters

[Karissa Schilling]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Sock Lobsters" by Michelle Bulriss.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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“When life puts you through a tumbler, it’s your choice whether you come out polished or crushed” (Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, On Death and Dying). This is the quote that came to mind when I read Sock Lobsters by author and illustrator Michelle Bulriss. Sock Lobsters is an illustrated children’s book depicting the five stages of grief in a simplified manor appropriate for young readers.

Nonnie knits a pair of socks for her granddaughter, Emily, but these are no ordinary socks—they’re magical sock lobsters. Sebastian, the left sock, has a glass-half-empty mentality and Lola, the right sock, has an optimistic and cheerful personality. Emily is enjoying the company of her beloved sock lobsters until she doesn’t notice when Lola falls out of the laundry basket as she leaves the laundromat. Sebastian mourns for his lost sock friend by experiencing the five stages of grief: denial, bargaining, anger, depression, and acceptance. What could Sebastian have done differently? Will he ever be happy again? How can he help find his friend?

As someone with a degree in psychology, I think this is a valuable book for teaching children the stages of grief. Grief is a topic that many parents are likely to avoid until a significant life event occurs, such as a death in the family or the loss of a pet. Having a book like this may be a useful resource for parents and teachers who want to explain grief in an easy-to-understand format with imagery to go along with each of the grief stages.

The illustrations are well-done and depict the scenes of the story with clarity. The sock lobsters are cute and quirky characters, which I think are appealing to children. I found no errors of any kind and feel that this is a quality children’s book. For all the above reasons, I give Sock Lobsters a 4 out of 4 stars.

Based on the writing style and the topic, I suggest this book for children ages 5-8. Younger children may struggle to understand the wording and concept of grief; however, they will still love the pictures. I highly recommend that parents and teachers share this book with their children and students as a means of exposing them to grief. I love that Bulriss illustrated her story and think children will enjoy reading about her magical sock lobsters.

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Sock Lobsters
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