Elizabeth Vercoe with Kerry Abromowski (text) and Grace Fraraccio (illustrator), This is Not a Sad Book (but it’s OK to Feel Sad) : A guide to grief, loss and getting through hard times, (Updated ed.), Affirm Press, August 2024, 240 pp., ISBN 9781922930019
This is Not a Sad Book is an updated edition of The Grief Book which was published in 2004 and received a CBCA Honour Book 2005 award. It is filled with practical and expert advice on how to support yourself or someone else experiencing grief, and is especially suited for the adolescent stage of life. This new edition is revised to include more recent mental health challenges, including the pandemic, digital technology and climate change.
In a writing style that is relevant to teens, and at times also appropriately upbeat and playful, Vercoe and Abromowski compassionately explain typical grief reactions and suggest fifty-eight helpful “tricks” to choose from, for finding ones’ own path through grief.
Vercoe lends her writing expertise to the book. I was especially impressed with her original and relatable metaphorical descriptions of grief experiences. Whilst Vercoe isn’t a mental health practitioner, she contributes her first-hand experience of surviving some awful grief experiences.
Abromowski, on the other hand, was the expert mental health adviser with many years of social work experience with teenagers. Abromowski sadly recently passed away and the story of her death makes a relevant inclusion in this new edition.
Fraraccio’s delicate line drawings exude care and gentleness whilst illustrating ideas in the book. I love the inclusion of her playful doodles and the expressiveness in drawings of faces and body postures.
The book is cleverly organised into short, 1-to-3-page chapters, with a full page dedicated to each chapter heading, and there is a clear front contents page. This makes it easy to dip into now and then, browse and find tips relevant to the reader.
This is Not a Sad Book is a valuable resource for anyone experiencing difficult emotions. Being a compassionate and validating guide tailored for teenagers, as well as practical, accessible and well compiled, it is a must-have for Australian public libraries and high school libraries. It would also be a great gift for a teen going through a difficult time.
Reviewed by Barbara Swartz
