Saying Goodbye to Daddy
Kindergarten-Grade 3-- Through a third-person narration, readers learn of Clare's emotions after her father dies in a car accident. What she experiences are universal stages of grief, all explored realistically. Her grandfather is a strong, sensitive character who knows how to re-direct her actions. He tries to answer her questions; when he cannot, he provides her with avenues of thought. The illustrations--a combination of watercolor, colored pencil, and ink--are childlike in perspective and placed on the right-hand page, opposite the text. Overall, the drawings are competent, although the location of the pipe organ in the church is highly unlikely. The writing is weak and not at all eloquent. Grammar is questionable, word order is discordant and does not read aloud well, and there are inconsistencies in the use of action words. However, the subject is addressed in a straightforward, accurate manner, and the book will suit those who need to explain the death of a parent. Acceptable for collections that can support another book on the grieving process. --Carolyn Vang Schuler, Monroe County Library System, Rochester, NYCopyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.