The Hole, written by Lindsay Bonilla and illustrated by Brizida Magro. Penguin Random House, 2025. $24.99 ages 4 and up

 

"I put one foot into the hole. 
I take a deep breath.
Down 
    down
        down 
             I go ... 

until I reach the bottom. 
The hole is hard and cold. 
I shiver and 
       start to cry. 

I'm sad. But I'm also angry. 
I pound my fists against the hole." 

A child awakens to peer down from the top bunk, and see the hole that is left where his brother Matty once slept. There's also a hole on the bathroom stool where Matty stood as his father shaved, and one on the chair where Matty drew smiley faces for his teacher mother on her students' papers. Without Matty each member of their family is dealing with the holes in their hearts left by Matty. 

For this young boy, the hole follows wherever he goes. He learns that others have holes, too ... for a grandma, an aunt, a dad. There are too many reminders. His friend Nora recognizes that his hole is deep and dark. When the child falls into that hole, he is able to express the sadness and the anger he is feeling. Both are palpable. Soon, his anger is spent. 

A sense of calm envelops him. The grief is not gone. When Nora reaches for his hand and offers her company and a listening ear, he tells her about Matty. There is much to tell. As he shares his memories, he is able to smile about some of the funny things his brother did. At home, he brings a touch of Matty to the dinner table which helps his parents as well. He knows that grieving for his brother will never go away. The hole he left can now be filled with many memories of Matty and the joy he brought to all. 

The book is dedicated to Vincent "Vinny" William Baran. For more information, you can check out MightyVincent.org.