I Remember Miss Perry by Pat Brisson

Illustrated by Stéphane Jorisch.32 p., Dial, 2006.

The sudden death of a caring teacher is a painful loss. As this caring, warm-hearted story begins, Stevie has just moved and started attending a new school. He feels lonely and worried until his teacher, Miss Perry, empathizes with him and invites him to join her for lunch, using the charming phrase that this is her "fondest wish." It turns out that Miss Perry has fondest wishes about many things, including classroom activities and appropriate behavior. Then, one day, Miss Perry isn't at school. The principal teaches the children in the morning, and after lunch, all of their parents are there. Gently, the prinicipal explains that Miss Perry died in a head-on collision on her way to school that day. Children cling to their parents, cry, and ask questions, which the principal answers kindly. The principal and school counselor spend the next day with the class. Normalizing the children's tears, the counselor asks them to tell her about Miss Perry. With the principal's encouragement, they recall together the good times they'd had with her - and her fondest wishes. The counselor invites the children to consider what Miss Perry's fondest wish would be for that day. Although they're sad, the children are able to suggest tributes to Miss Perry: not being too sad, remembering the fun they'd had with her, getting along well with one another, learning a lot in school, and finally, being happy the way Miss Perry had been. The gentle ink, watercolor, and gouache illustrations clearly convey the characters' emotions. Children who have had a loss like Stevie's will feel supported and will better understand the process of grieving.

Ages 5-8