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A Beginner's Guide to Goodbye

A Beginner's Guide to Goodbye

Every summer, Laney’s family visits their cottage on Tidnish Beach. Summertime on Nova Scotia’s north shore is slow and sweet: there are long days in the water until fingers turn pruney, bottomless glasses of cherry Kool-Aid, and bonfires with the other families summering along the shore. But this year the baking heat and bright red sand provide cold comfort. This year Laney’s little sister, Jenny, is gone.

Ten-year-old Laney grapples with the loss. She carries immense, secret guilt that she can only work out by writing letters to her sister. Laney’s mother won’t even say Jenny’s name, so writing quickly becomes Laney’s coping mechanism, to the detriment of her social skills. She avoids the other kids until she makes a new friend—one who doesn’t look at her with pity.

It’s a tough lesson for a preteen, but Laney must learn to acknowledge her grief in order to overcome it. When a situation arises and Laney needs to help her new friend, she finally understands that even though she will miss Jenny forever, she can find happiness again. A tender meditation on life and loss through the lens of a childhood summer, A Beginner’s Guide to Goodbye will fill readers with warmth and spark important conversations.

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Julia

Location:

Nl

average rating is 5 out of 5

Time Published

Book review

Hey Y’all,

I hope everyone had a relaxing weekend reading lots of great books! Today I am sharing my review of A Beginner’s Guide To Goodbye by Melanie Mosher. This book follows Laney, a ten year old girl who has been through a lot during her life. Her sister dies which leaves the whole family on high alert but when Laney meets a new friend, everything changes for the better.

This book is set in rural Nova Scotia which is a great setting. It feels very similar to rural Newfoundland which I found really cool.

A Beginner’s Guide to Goodbye is a very thoughtful novel that deals with the very delicate subject of love and loss. Laney, a ten year old girl feels responsible for the death of her younger sister Jenny. She’s finding it extremely hard to grapple with the fact that she’s never going to see her younger sister again, and it’s even tougher for her because she blames herself. I thought that this book dealt with loss and grief in a very respectful and easy to read way. As I said before, the subject is delicate, but it’s something that everybody goes through. I think that this novel can offer a source of comfort to those who are grieving, especially younger children for which this book is more suited for. It doesn’t get easier to deal with losing someone as you get older, but this book presents it in a way that it’s good for kids to understand. I feel like you can read this book and be comforted by it.

I thought the writing style was really nice, and it’s got a good story to support it’s main message. I also thought it was really cool on how Laney was writing to Jenny in her diary, and that those entries were included in the book. The whole book was just very sweet and sincere. It’s also just got a lot of fun kid stuff that makes you smile. It really makes you think about summer vacations and swimming in the ocean under the sun. I really could not find anything wrong with this book.

As I said, this book gives off really good summer vibes, and I can look at the cover and I can feel the sea breeze on my face and in my hair, and the smell of the ocean and the soft colour pallet-you get the idea. Breezey summer beach vibes <3 So I think it’s safe to say that I really admired this book, and that I also enjoyed it as well. It was really easy to read, and I think that it could bet really good for anyone dealing with a loss, especially children. I feel like adults or teens can even read it too, I like to think that middle grade means that it’s suited for all ages. I really hope you consider checking out A Beginners Guide to Goodbye by Melanie Mosher, and I think that it’s a really good book that can really be enjoyed by everyone!

Overall, this is the perfect summer read for anyone who wishes to simply lose themselves in a book that successfully deals with grief in a gentle way. I would recommend this book to everyone!

I recommend this book.

arielaonthego

Location:

Saint John, New Brunswick

average rating is 5 out of 5

Time Published

A Beginners Guide to Goodbye Book Review

A Beginner’s Guide to Goodbye is a very thoughtful novel that deals with the very delicate subject of love and loss. Laney, a ten year old girl feels responsible for the death of her younger sister Jenny. She’s finding it extremely hard to grapple with the fact that she’s never going to see her younger sister again, and it’s even tougher for her because she blames herself. I thought that this book dealt with loss and grief in a very respectful and easy to read way. As I said before, the subject is delicate, but it’s something that everybody goes through. I think that this novel can offer a source of comfort to those who are grieving, especially younger children for which this book is more suited for. It doesn’t get easier to deal with losing someone as you get older, but this book presents it in a way that it’s good for kids to understand. I feel like you can read this book and be comforted by it.

I thought the writing style was really nice, and it’s got a good story to support it’s main message. I also thought it was really cool on how Laney was writing to Jenny in her diary, and that those entries were included in the book. The whole book was just very sweet and sincere. It’s also just got a lot of fun kid stuff that makes you smile. It really makes you think about summer vacations and swimming in the ocean under the sun. I really could not find anything wrong with this book.

As I said, this book gives off really good summer vibes, and I can look at the cover and I can feel the sea breeze on my face and in my hair, and the smell of the ocean and the soft colour pallet-you get the idea. Breezey summer beach vibes <3 So I think it’s safe to say that I really admired this book, and that I also enjoyed it as well. It was really easy to read, and I think that it could bet really good for anyone dealing with a loss, especially children. I feel like adults or teens can even read it too, I like to think that middle grade means that it’s suited for all ages. I really hope you consider checking out A Beginners Guide to Goodbye by Melanie Mosher, and I think that it’s a really good book that can really be enjoyed by everyone!

Here’s the official synopsis by Nimbus:

Every summer, Laney’s family visits their cottage on Tidnish Beach. Summertime on Nova Scotia’s north shore is slow and sweet: there are long days in the water until fingers turn pruney, bottomless glasses of cherry Kool-Aid, and bonfires with the other families summering along the shore. But this year the baking heat and bright red sand provide cold comfort. This year Laney’s little sister, Jenny, is gone.

Ten-year-old Laney grapples with the loss. She carries immense, secret guilt that she can only work out by writing letters to her sister. Laney’s mother won’t even say Jenny’s name, so writing quickly becomes Laney’s coping mechanism, to the detriment of her social skills. She avoids the other kids until she makes a new friend—one who doesn’t look at her with pity.

It’s a tough lesson for a preteen, but Laney must learn to acknowledge her grief in order to overcome it. When a situation arises and Laney needs to help her new friend, she finally understands that even though she will miss Jenny forever, she can find happiness again. A tender meditation on life and loss through the lens of a childhood summer, A Beginner’s Guide to Goodbye will fill readers with warmth and spark important conversations.

I recommend this book.

Hidayah

Location:

Atlantic Canada

average rating is 4 out of 5

Time Published

A Bittersweet Middle-Grade Read

This book was set in Nova Scotia, Canada where protagonist Laney and her family are vacationing at their cottage. Something is different this summer since Laney's younger sister, Jenny, is no longer with them. Ten-year-old Laney, struggling with this loss, is troubled by hidden guilt that she can only express in letters to her sister. Readers come along as Laney navigates grief and her life without Jenny.

This middle-grade novel was well-paced and filled with adventure. It was a lovely read that would undoubtedly be most enjoyable to readers within the specified age range. This heartfelt book stressed nurturing family ties, overcoming fears, and handling traumatic situations. I fell in love with most of the characters. By the end of the book, each had undergone incredible character development.

Readers vicariously see the tragic effect of loss through a child’s innocent eyes. The book tenderly shows how a traumatic situation can change a family. I loved how the book showcased the different ways the family members heal. The theme of reminiscing about old memories yet not being afraid to make new ones was a prevalent part of the storyline. This book served as a sort of homage to connections developed amidst chaos.

The setting of this book was beautifully described. It really showed off the beauty of Atlantic Canada in the summer. I also loved the way the spirit of childhood summers was captured throughout the book. However, what stood out to me most was the way that symbolism was frequently incorporated in a way that was easy to interpret for children.

This book explored heavy themes such as bullying, grief, and guilt in a light-hearted way. It’s a gently told story about building friendships, increasing empathy, and finding closure. It is a wholesome read with powerful morals. I recommend this wonderful book to younger readers looking to understand grief and heartache.

I recommend this book.

Oliver Hallett

Location:

Newfoundland and Labrador

average rating is 5 out of 5

Time Published

A Beginner's Guide To Goodbye

I just read A Beginner's Guide To Goodbye by Melanie Mosher (which was provided to me by Digitally Lit) and I thought it was fantastic!

It's a great middle-grade novel that was very honest in its emotional beats and contained some of the most accurately written children I've ever seen in fiction. I read it in one sitting and enjoyed it even more than I thought I would.

I recommend this book.

Ellie Wilson

Location:

New Brunswick