A parent would reach for this book when their child is processing the sudden death or serious injury of a classmate or friend. Dorothy's boisterous family life is upended when a classmate dies in a tragic accident, and the story follows her as she navigates the confusing waves of sadness, fear, and grief that follow. It gently explores how a community, a school, and a family cope with loss. For children ages 8 to 11, this book is a quiet, reassuring guide through the process of grieving a peer. It validates a child's complex feelings and shows that while life changes after a tragedy, joy and normalcy can slowly and gently return.
The book deals directly with the death of a child. The approach is secular and realistic, portraying the death as a tragic accident. There is no metaphorical language; the event and its aftermath are handled frankly but gently. The resolution is hopeful and realistic, emphasizing that the sadness doesn't disappear but that life continues and joy can coexist with grief.
Ideal Reader
An 8 to 11-year-old who has recently learned of the death or serious injury of a peer, whether a classmate, teammate, or neighborhood friend. It is especially suited for an introspective child who is struggling with anxiety and confusion, and needs to see their own complicated feelings mirrored in a story.
Parent Prep
The entire premise is the death of a child in an accident, so parents should be prepared for the conversations this will naturally provoke about mortality and safety. The book can be read cold, as it provides its own context, but a parent should be available to talk through the feelings it brings up. No specific pages are more intense than the overall theme. A parent learns from the school or their child that a student has died or been in a serious accident. The child may be unusually quiet, ask direct and difficult questions about death, or express new fears about their own or their family's safety.
Age Experience
A younger reader (8-9) will focus on Dorothy's concrete fears, like her brother riding his bike, and the tangible changes at school. They will connect with the core feeling of sadness. An older reader (10-11) will better understand the nuances of community grief, the adults' attempts to protect the children, and the idea of life finding a 'new normal' rather than returning to how it was before.
What Makes It Special
This book's uniqueness lies in its focus on the death of a peer, a topic less common than stories about losing a grandparent or pet. It powerfully captures the specific experience of a child processing a tragedy from within their own generation. It avoids melodrama, instead offering a quiet, realistic, and reassuring depiction of the slow, non-linear path of healing within a family and school.
Read plot summary
Fourth-grader Dorothy enjoys her chaotic, loving family life. Her world is abruptly fractured when a classmate, Scott, is killed in a bike accident. The narrative follows Dorothy's internal experience as she, her family, and her school community process the shock and grief. The story focuses on the small, everyday moments: her parents' sadness, her own new anxieties about safety, the somber atmosphere in her classroom, and the gradual, gentle return to a new version of normal life.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
After Scott's accident, Dorothy's mom holds her 'like a china doll.' Why do you think adults sometimes act differently toward kids after something sad happens? How did it make Dorothy feel?
2
Dorothy's teacher, Mrs. Mallow, is also very sad, and it changes how she acts in the classroom. Was it helpful for the students to see that the grown-ups were grieving, too? Why or why not?
3
The family decides to go ahead with their planned trip to the lake house even though they are sad. Do you think this was a good idea? Why is it sometimes important to do normal things, even during a hard time?
4
At the end of the book, Dorothy feels like things are 'almost the way they were.' What do you think she means by 'almost'? In what ways had life returned to normal, and in what ways was it forever changed?
