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Finding Your Own Way to Grieve: A Creative Activity Workbook for Kids and Teens on the Autism Spectrum ISBN: 9781849059220
Helbert, Karla
Published by Jessica Kingsley Pub, 2012
While this book is addressed directly to the child, I do feel that for younger children it will only be useful with a carer or therapist. The information is very detailed and it will be a quite sophisticated child who could use it on his or her own. Although it is intended for children with high-functioning autism, it will be useful to any child who has lost someone they love. The book begins with a two page 'story' - a sort of factual and emotional run-through of what death is all about - and the following chapters in this long book (179pp) take sentences and paragraphs from that story and explain them in great detail. These chapters also include numerous activities and crafts that can be helpful to sufferers. For instance, lots of suggestions for coping with anger cover things like making a 'scream box', making a hole and burying your anger, or running very fast. In the section on ways of remembering, we learn about how other countries remember their dead - the Mexican Day of the Dead, the Japanese Obon, the Chinese Teng Chieh, etc. There is a detailed glossary and a superb list of organisations that can provide help, including a State by State list of American charities; also Canadian, Australian and the UK. Advice is included for parents and carers, and altogether, this is a splendid resource book. Karla Helbert lost her own son and well understands the fullness of grief. Her experience as a therapist adds to her understanding. Available from Amazon or from the publisher: www.jkp.com (Tel: 7837 2917)
Age: 6+