SuitabookInstructions on how to lose a mother
Hope Anita Smith
- Reading
- Read a few poems at a time, allowing space after the mother’s death rather than rushing through. Return to the artwork and invite the child to choose a line, image or feeling to discuss.
- Themes
- Love and memory within bereavement: The child first experiences a close, loving relationship with her mother; after the death, memories remain important as she learns to carry on. The poems present grief as complicated and gradual rather than as a single moment, while keeping the relationship emotionally central.
- Poetry and visual expression: The story is told through poems, supported by artwork that is described as powerful and emotionally stimulating. The form allows both a continuous story and separate moments, potentially making emotion available through language, rhythm and visual imagery.
- Worth knowing
- The mother’s death is central and is followed by overwhelming sadness, grief and a gradual healing process. If bereavement is especially tender in your family, consider reading alongside the child rather than presenting it unexpectedly.