"Sometimes when I feel this way, I make
myself even sadder. It's like my brain wants
to pile up every sad thing on top of each
other at once.
It reminds me of when I have a mosquito bite,
and Dad says to quit scratching, but I can't.
It feels good.
Until it doesn't."
Losing a friend for whatever reason, or reasons, is never easy. Yet, it happens. The two girls whose story is told here, were best friends for a long time. They had fights sometimes; then made up, or forgot to be mad at each other. When the fighting got really bad, the friendship ended. It happens.
It's hard to get over the mad the narrator feels; and she's also sad. Once, they had fun together. Now, she plays with other kids, and avoids looking for her friend when she passes her house. Her dad tries to reassure her when he says that friendships occasionally end. Now, the two choose different activities, while still seeing each other at school.
"I don't know if we will be
best friends again.
Or sometimes friends.
Or not friends at all."
I would love to be there for the conversations that this book inspires. It offers a different take on friendships, and how they work or don't. For those kids who have experienced the loss of a friend under similar circumstances, this book allows them to think more deeply about what happened and to talk about their feelings. Shifting emotions are captured in mixed-media art that explores the changes friendship can bring. It may make some kids feel less alone.
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