The Grieving Child: A Parent's Guide »

Helen Fitzgerald is an author and lecturer certified in thanatology by the Association for Death Education and Counseling. For twenty-three years she was the coordinator of the Grief Program for Mental Health Services in Fairfax County, Virginia, where she conducted many groups for adults, as well as for grieving children ranging from preschool age through the high school years. In July 2000 she retired from that position and she is now the director of training for the American Hospice Foundation. Her books include The Grieving Child, The Mourning Handbook, and The Grieving Teen.

Making a Child's World Whole Again

Explaining death to a child is one of the most difficult tasks a parent or other relative can face. The Grieving Child offers practical, compassionate advice for helping a child cope with the death of a parent or other loved one. Parents of children from preschool age to the teen years will find much-needed guidance, covering:

• Helping a child visit the seriously ill or dying

• Using language appropriate to a child's age level

• Selecting useful books about death

• Handling especially difficult situations, including murder and suicide

• Deciding whether a child should attend a funeral

With a new chapter devoted to the special issues of the bereaved toddler, The Grieving Child provides invaluable suggestions for dealing with a child's emotional responses (including anger, guilt, and depression) and helping a child adjust to a new life.

Library Journal

This excellent book, written by the director of a grief program in a community health center, is intended as a guide for parents seeking to explain the death of a parent, relative, friend, or even a pet to a child. The book's format employs a paragraph numbering system, which allows readers to turn to relevant information easily. All subjects are listed in the table of contents and index. Suggestions are given for dealing with emotional responses and helping in the child's adjustment to a new life. Fitzgerald believes in using a clear, direct approach when explaining death to a child, yet her tone is gentle and loving. Recommended for most parenting collections.-- Jan Wiedemann, Vernon, Tex.