I’ll Be Waiting by Kelley Armstrong

4 stars Wasn’t sure what to expect with this one, but I was pleasantly surprised. This is the first I’ve read of Armstrong’s work. Nicola is grieving over the loss of her husband, Anton. Due to her cystic fibrosis, she always expected to die first. In an effort for closure, Nicola dabbles in the world…

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Morgan Morning by Stephen Cosgrove

Illustrated by Robin James 3 stars A tragic tale that tells the backstory of Morgan the unicorn. Morgan is a curious colt who lives with his mother in the Meadows of Morning. One day, his curiosity gets the better of him and he must make a difficult sacrifice in order to survive. Definitely darker than…

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See You on the Other Side by Rachel Montez Minor

Illustrated by Mariyah Rahman 3 stars A sweet, lyrical book about remembering those you’ve lost and their continuing love. Nice rhymes. The text works well for talking about belief in an afterlife and different ways to connect to loved ones after they’re gone such as writing letters to them or singing their favorite songs. The…

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Mid-Air by Alicia D. Williams

Illustrated by Danica Novgorodoff 5 stars I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. The novel-in-verse genre at its finest. I absolutely loved this book. Well-written with engaging characters, powerful themes, and a wonderful story. Includes themes of friends growing apart, loss, grief, guilt, racism, crushes, masculinity, family, and societal expectations. There was…

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The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes by Mei Hachimoku

Illustrated by Kukka Translated by Evan Ward 3 stars A mysterious tunnel rumored to grant wishes, a pair of teens with troubled pasts, and an unexpected friendship born from the desire to know more. I’ve been really loving the manga of this and enjoyed the anime so I figured I’d check out the original light…

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Because I Already Loved You by Andrée-Anne Cyr

Illustrated by Bérengère Delaporte Translated by Karen Li 3.5 stars Told from the perspective of a child, this book is a touching story of grief, loss, and recovery. Everyone is excited about the new baby. They all prepare for the upcoming arrival. But when his parents come home from the hospital without his new sibling,…

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The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes: Ultramarine Vol. 1

Story by Mei Hachimoku Illustrated by Koudon Translated by Alexa Frank 5 stars Definitely grabbed this one for its gorgeous cover. I didn’t initially realize it was based on a light novel that was made into an anime. Even without background though, I thoroughly enjoyed this manga. When Kaoru overhears a legend about a tunnel…

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Goodbye: A First Conversation About Grief

by Megan Madison & Jessica Ralli Illustrated by Isabel Roxas 5 stars A wonderful introduction to talking about death, dying, and grief with young ones. Told in kid-friendly language, this book provides talking points for caregivers to introduce concepts of death and grief. The book is broken down into different common questions such as what…

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