Saying Goodbye to Daddy

by Judith Vigna

Book Overview

Frightened, lonely, and angry after her father is killed in a car accident, Clare is helped through the grieving process by her mother and grandfather. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0807572535
• ISBN13: 9780807572535
• Release Date: January 1991
• Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.69 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 8.3" x 9.3"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

The power of feelings

I purchased this book for a four-year-old little boy who lost his father in a car accident last month. Although Andrew is not ready to finish the book yet, introducing the book to him has allowed him to try to process this tragedy in his life. Andrew IS angry, and this book not only acknowledges his feelings, but shows that they are legitimate and OK. How appropriate that the author also goes through the wake and funeral so that children will understand that their experiences and feelings are shared by other children facing this situation. The author helps children who must face sudden death by presenting the step by step ritual of mourning in a way that gives children the opportunity to share their feelings and talk through them.

Saying Goodbye to Daddy

Saying Goodbye to Daddy is a good resource for when a child has lost a parent suddenly. It starts off with breaking the news to the child. The feelings of confusion, saddness and anger are well described in this book. It gently discusses the finality of death in a way that mimimizes the fear. It also discusses the funeral home and the funeral. The child is given the opportunity to deside if she wanted to go to the calling hours and the funeral. The child was allowed to be angry. She was allowed to discuss her fear that she had somehow caused the accident because her father was upset with her breaking a cup. She was supported by a sensitive and loving family. She was assured that she would always be taken care of. The story showed that the adults were also grieving but they were able to provide the needed support this child.. There was an adult always present with the child and the adult was supportive, kind and loving. Overall, the story shows the need for a child and their family to talk openly about death, reminissice about the person who died , discuss the rituals following the death...ie calling hours, funeral and to discuss feelings after a significant loss. Due to the support given by the family, the child has a degree of peace by the end of the book. Good book for schools, churches and other community resources that might be tapped by people in the community who may be faced with having to provide some support to a child who has had a parent die. I will be adding this book to our Hospice library.