Help Me Say Goodbye: Activities for Helping Kids Cope When a Special Person Dies [Paperback]

Janis Silverman (Author)

Book Description

An art therapy and activity book for children coping with death. Sensitive exercises address all the questions children may have during this emotional and troubling crisis. Children are encouraged to express in pictures what they are often incapable of expressing in words.

Product Details

• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Fairview Press; 1 edition (February 23, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1577490851
• ISBN-13: 978-1577490852
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 10 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #16,150 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #2 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Health, Mind & Body > Death & Grief > Grief & Bereavement
  • #3 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Health, Mind & Body > Death & Grief > General
  • #6 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Religion & Spirituality > Spirituality > Inspirational

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

176 of 177 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful keepsake, October 16, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Help Me Say Goodbye: Activities for Helping Kids Cope When a Special Person Dies (Paperback)

My 5 yr old son was having a hard time coping with losing his mother to cancer. A friend recommended this book, and I thought it was abosultely wonderful. My son, who couldn't or wouldn't open up about his feelings, took to this book like he would a favorite coloring book, letting all his feeling and perceptions just flow out right there on paper. I bought it to help HIM, but it helped ME just as much--I wept when I looked at what he had drawn. After he finished it, he forgot about the book for a while. So I took it and put it in our hope chest for him to look back on years from now, as a keepsake and memory of the wonderful woman who brought him into this world, and who brought us both so much happiness.

107 of 108 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For you or your child to Write /draw out your feelings, March 9, 2005

By 

KSL "emma-and-me" (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Help Me Say Goodbye: Activities for Helping Kids Cope When a Special Person Dies (Paperback)

I purchased this book for my daughter and now also plan to purchase it for my niece and nephew. After reading the other reviews I knew I needed to get this book and set it aside for when one or both of her grandparents pass away.

Basically this book is a place for your child to express what they might not be able to do by saying but can do so in drawing. Each page has a few sentences to help your child write or draw "out" their feelings of loss onto each page. I am even thinking of also in a blank notebook doing this as well for my daughter to see that adults too grieve and miss loved ones.

A few pages:

1st page reads:
Some things, like sand and sea shells, don't change, but people change. Is there someone you loved who has changed? Has this someone been sick or hurt? Draw you special someone.

Page 16:
Sometimes, when a special person dies, we feel like it is our fault. We think this person died because of something we did or didn't do. Death is not something you can control. It is not your fault that your special person died. Draw about some of the things you cannot control.

Page 24:
When a loved one dies, birthdays, holidays, and other special days can be very hard. You might feel mixed up, scared, angry, and sad all over again. On these days, you may want to plant a tree or do something in memory of your special someone. Draw or write your ideas.

Pages 26 & 27
Keep something that belonged to your special person so you can touch it and look at it and remember. Write or draw the things you have kept that belonged to your special person. Think about why these things are important to you.

Do you have a good box to keep memories in? You could put photos and objects from your special someone in this box and look at them anytime you'd like. Draw or write about what you might collect to put in your memory box.

Midway though this book there are also some helpful sugguestions for the reader and for younger children as well.

If you are looking for something for a preteen or teen and up there is also an excellent book called Angel Catcher - a journal of loss and remembrance by Kathy & Amy Eldon from Cronicle Books ISBN: 0811817318

45 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Help Me Say Goodbye:Activities forHelping Kids Cope When, June 9, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Help Me Say Goodbye: Activities for Helping Kids Cope When a Special Person Dies (Paperback)

This is a very good book for young children who have lost a special person. There are many suggestions for remembering this person and pages for writing down feelings as you and youngster explore this book.I used this book to explain to my four year old grandson about the loss of his father to murder. Put special pictures of my son and grandson on front pages so he could always nave his special pictures to look at whenever he missed his dad.