Customer Reviews

Alicia Afterimage

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People please don't miss this book--it's so important for us all, young & old alike! I'm sure just about everyone has lost someone close to them in a tragic way & even if you have not, please read this book to add to your arsenal of how to deal with life. So many of us faced with tragic circumstances stumble & flounder, but Lulu Delacre has given us a guide to help put one foot in front of the other & try to handle grief. Not only a tribute to her beloved daughter, Alicia Afterimage can help us learn how think about even little things in our lives to avoid disasterous reactions to stressful situations.
Cathy Bonnell, Librarian
Phoenix, AZ

Alicia Afterimage sat next to my bed for a bit before I finally cracked it open. I'm not sure if I was avoiding becoming emotional or that I thought the stories would open deeper pains. I did indeed cry, but they were predominantly tears of joy in celebration of Alicia's marvelous life. For the chapters on people I know, their story resonated with me the most. I could picture exactly the bouncing ladybug dilly boppers in Baltimore, Alicia & Vicky's daily search for poptarts, and Alicia's expressive face that shared sympathy, excitement, and truth all wrapped into one. Although I could not fully relate to the stories of her other friends, I found comfort in knowing that other people experienced Alicia the way I did: full of love, heart, energy, and joie de vivre. She was gifted with the sincere ability to befriend all types of people and to add a unique spark to each of their lives. Her homemade cards and talent of listening was bestowed on all. The book provided me with a heartfelt snapshot into Alicia's multiplying effect of compassion on this world. No matter the social niche someone fit into, Alicia was there with a genuine smile. Thank you Lulu for creating such a beautiful work. You meld humor with sadness, joy with pain, and the result is a retrospective not only on God's great gift of Alicia, but a truthful narrative on teenage suffering. You did not shy away from the pain of Alicia's death, but you proved that celebration of her life and cherishing of our memories with her is one way that we can grieve. We cannot repress our emotions, rather in sharing them we can come closer together and ease the agony of Alicia's loss.

This book is primarily a book for teens about teens grieving the death of their friend. I could see how the process (the interviews and writing of it) would be healing for Alicia's family, friends, and classmates at school. It is written in 3rd person, which makes the mother seem a little detached, but it also makes for a kind of separation which is probably easier for a grieving teen to read and deal with. A book like this would have been very helpful for my teenage friends and I when we found out a week after graduation our friend Scott Boland had been killed in a car accident. I remember acutely the pain and confusion we felt. And how going to his funeral was the saddest thing I had ever had to do in my 17 years of living.

As I read through the book I noticed that many similar themes with those of us dealing with the death of a smaller child. Seeing or hearing messages from our lost loved ones. Anger- and I was very curious how that would be resolved as to the driver of the car, who was a student at the same school. Not being able to say goodbye. Time too short with our child

And then I came to the final chapter, the perspective of Mama. And was struck once again with the fact that the death of a child is the worst thing a mother can go through. No matter what age the child. And I felt I related to the changes the mother describes.

"She had gone through an event that shattered life as she had known it, and her priorites had shifted...She was no longer afraid of being hurt, for there could not possibly be any pain depper than that of losing a child. Her empathy grew..."

"In time Mama began to recognize the signs of a spiritual connection to Alicia- a ladybug in the most unlikely of places...And more vivid dreams. Mama became acutely aware of all these surprising occurrences that seemed to carry messages. So she began to heed her inner voice: She learned to act on her instincts, following her heart instead of her head."

I'm glad I didn't just discard this book as a book for grieving teens. I'm glad to have read it; to again realize that our children are our children and their leaving us too early causes pain that a mother feels no matter how long she has with her child.

SteppingStonesBlog.blogspot.com

I have other books written by the author and read this fictional account to the loss of Alicia was suggested as a way to deal with the loss of my father. As I read each account of the various friends, what was quite apparent was the beauty of Alicia's soul. She affected the lives of those around her in such a positive and loving way, which is why her passing is a tragic loss.

As parents, we give our children the character, morals, values and ethics wrapped in love to be great assets to this world as we raise them. What Alicia's parents gave her made her a "gift" to those that were honored to know her. What Mrs. Delacre and Dr. Betancourt experienced by losing their precious daughter is something that can never fully be understood or accepted. Mrs. Delacre did a wonderful job putting together a fictional account of how those that knew Alicia felt being apart of her life and how her passing affected them. This book is a beautiful tribute to a child...made of love, who lived each day of her life with love and was happy sharing her love with the world. Alicia was a precious child whose life here on Earth left all wanting more.

This book is a special gift to help all understand the way grief affects a person that has experienced the loss of a loved one. Whether the loss was due to an illness or a tragic accident, this book puts grief into perspective because grief affects people differently as they try to justify the loss in their minds. This book lets the reader know that "sadness, pain, anger, the incessant crying, as well as the numbness" are all steps needed for HEALING.

The author of this book suffered a terrible loss. Her daughter was killed in a car accident at the young age of 16. This is happening to teens each day all over the world. This book is a memoir of the author's daughter Alicia. It shares stories from her friends and family. It tells of how they are dealing with the loss and trying to heal each in their own way. I like the fact that it listed resources on teen grief and driver's safety at the end of the book. I would recommend this to all teens. I feel like they can all learn a lot from this memoir.

Sixteen years is way too short to live in. "Alicia Afterimage" is a story of overcoming the loss of such a short life. Her family grieves over the loss of a daughter and a sister, her school mourns the loss of a friend. Her loved ones battle their grief, in this tale that illustrates the effects of it in the hearts of many. Each chapter covers a important person in her life and what she had left behind. "Alicia Afterimage" is much recommended to any teenager who has lost a close friend.

A moving story and a great resource for teenagers, Alicia Afterimage is a fictionalized account of the death of 16-year-old Alicia Betancourt, who was killed in a car crash. The book chronicles the reactions of her friends and family to this tragedy; each chapter is told from a different point of view and reflects on a different aspect of grief, loss, and healing. The author, Lulu Delacre, has written and illustrated dozens of books for children, and her understanding of the interests and needs of young people is evident throughout this book. Teenagers look for books that reflect their own experiences, and this true story will hit home for any teen who has ever faced the death of someone close, particularly the death of a friend. Counselors, teachers, and parents might also encourage young readers to make use of the detailed resource list in the back of the book. It contains useful books, organizations, and web sites on teen grief and teen driver safety. This book is many things--a moving tribute to a beloved daughter and friend; an exploration of grief; and a useful resource for grieving teens. It is also a quick and interesting read (the chapter told from the point of view of the driver is particularly powerful). Highly recommended for teens.

Alicia Afterimage touched me in so many ways. As a parent of one of many children who has been deeply and forever changed by Alicia's amazing life and tragic death, I found the book to be so real. It truly captured the feelings of my child in a way that I didn't think anyone besides me could. The kind, sweet, and ever-smiling spirit of Alicia will always live on through the lives of her friends and family. How each child has dealt with her absence has made me realize how much of an impact a truly good person can make on the world. The chapter entitled "The Driver" is sad and haunting and gave me a new perspective of the person who must live with the burden of causing a horrible accident, and how his life will never be the same either. I think everyone should read this book because it is a true testament to the strength of the author, Alicia's mom, and because it will give the reader an understanding of the aftermath of loss and the grieving process. A must read.