Lolo’s Light
Lolo’s Light by Liz Garton Scanlon, published by Chronicle Books LLC in 2022, is a middle grade novel that explores themes of grief and redemption through the eyes of a young girl named Millie. With 232 pages, this book delves into the complexities of growing up and the unique challenges that arise during childhood, particularly when faced with unexpected loss. Millie’s experience of babysitting her neighbors’ infant daughter, Lolo, takes a tragic turn when Lolo dies suddenly, leaving Millie grappling with feelings of guilt and responsibility.
Readers will find a poignant narrative that addresses the difficult emotions surrounding death and bereavement. This story presents an honest portrayal of Millie’s journey as she navigates her grief, ultimately seeking acceptance and understanding of her feelings. The book serves as a valuable resource for young readers, helping them process their emotions related to loss and self-esteem. Lolo’s Light is an empathetic exploration of childhood vulnerability, making it a relevant read for middle grade audiences, educators, and parents looking for literature that addresses the complexities of grief.
Official synopsis Publisher
For readers who love The Thing About Jellyfish and Counting By 7s, Lolo’s Light is a deeply honest middle grade novel about grief, redemption, and life as a kid facing both.
This is a truth about growing up: Once in your life, sometime after your first memory but before you can drive a car, something is going to happen to you that doesn’t happen to anyone else you know. It might be something good. It might be something bad, or special, or funny, or shocking. For Millie, it’s something really sad. Lolo, her neighbors’ infant daughter, dies unexpectedly, suddenly, inexplicably, on the night Millie babysits.
It’s not Millie’s fault. There’s nothing she could have done. And there’s nothing she can do now.
So how does she go on?
She does what you’ll do. She finds her way.
This poignant and profound coming-of-age story portrays a tragic experience of responsibility and its poisonous flip side: guilt. Emotional and important, this is an honest and empathetic portrait of a girl at her most vulnerable–a mess of grief, love, and ultimately, acceptance–who must reckon with those most difficult of demons: death . . . and life.
A GREAT WAY TO UNDERSTAND DIFFICULT FEELINGS: Coming to terms with one’s responsibility for things both our fault and not is a universal experience that can be difficult to process, particularly when grief is involved. Millie offers a great blueprint for young readers who don’t understand the surrounding emotions and need help working through them.
A MAIN CHARACTER KIDS WILL LOVE: Millie makes mistakes as she navigates grief. It’s often not pretty, but it is very relatable. The author’s honest portrayal of this experience will resonate with young readers, whether grieving or not.
Perfect for:
Middle grade readers
Educators and librarians
Parents looking for books on loss or grief
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