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Stages of Grief for Children

Janet Muirhead Hill has written a fictional story of ten year old Danny as he works through the stages of grief after the death of his father in the Iraq war. Danny and his other family members all deal with their personal grief and ensuing healing in different ways in this dramatic account of death and family loss as the result of war.

The loss of the family "breadwinner" the resulted in financial crisis and made it necessary for Danny's mother to sell their farm in Montana. The relocated to Denver to be closer to her parents, Danny had to adjust to a new school and a new way of life. An Iraqi classmate and neighbor befriended Danny. A special classroom study a group was formed around Danny, his new friend and some rowdy boys. The class was designed to be a bridge building experience to help the boys understand other cultures and individual differences.

As the boys worked out their differences through classroom activities and after school sports team participation, Danny found healing from his grief. Hill has captured the pain and sorrow of a child processing grief.

Janet Muirhead Hill is a gifted as a communicator and story teller. Her message is important and timely. I was deeply moved as the plot concluded with a climactic surprise ending.

This book is an important resource tool for counselors, teachers, and anyone dealing with the issue of grief. It is especially helpful when dealing with grieving middle school children. The book opens the way for introducing important dialog. "Danny's Dragon" is a book that should be available in middle school libraries. It is an excellent addition for suggested reading lists provided by crisis counselors.

As reviewed for Midwest Book Review