SuitabookHow to Make Friends with the Dark
Kathleen Glasgow
- Reading
- Consider reading together or checking in afterwards, especially if bereavement or care placements are close to home. Let the reader set the pace and pause if the sustained focus on grief feels heavy.
- Themes
- Grief and a way forward: Tiger mourns her mother while facing regret, changes in care and the practical tasks that follow a death. Friendships and kindness provide some glimmers of hope. Tiger’s grief is intimate and painful, while the story later moves towards a sense of optimism rather than a quick resolution.
- Family and care: After her mother's death, Tiger moves between foster homes; friends and the possibility of newly found relatives become part of her changing family landscape. Care placements and potential relatives are part of Tiger’s difficult adjustment.
- Worth knowing
- A parent's sudden death and sustained grief are central. The story also includes state care, foster homes, Tiger's refusal to eat, outbursts of violence, risky behaviour and some strong language.