FICTION

Cape

by Kevin Johnson (text) & illus. by Kitt Thomas
Roaring Brook. Jun. 2023. 40p. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9781250840509.
COPY ISBN
K-Gr 3–The story of an African American child and his experience with his father’s death on the day of his funeral. The child moves among various stages of grief, first denial and ultimately ending with acceptance, by finding comfort with his aunt and remembering his father’s love. The full color artwork equally imparts emotional gravitas through dramatic scenes; people are shown grieving in darkness in the foreground or the background, with the child alone, wearing a red cape, distant from others until he begins to remember joyful memories. This book will serve as a private book for grieving children or for a family needing help while facing a loss. The sentences are brief, aptly demonstrating the difficulty of communicating the process of grieving.
VERDICT Purchase for help with social-emotional learning and to give greater guidance to the trauma of loss for young children; this need not be used solely in cases of extreme grief, but to encourage empathy, understanding, and articulation of loss.
Reviewed by Vi Ha , Apr 01, 2023

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