Always My Brother by Jean Reagan and Illustrated by Phyllis Pollema-Cahill (with a giveaway)
Always My Brother by Jean Reagan and illustrated by Phyllis Pollema-Cahill is a very touching book and fills a need for books written for grieving children. In this lovingly written story, Becky and her brother John do everything together. Like running barefoot in the snow, playing soccer, and making her laugh with his knock-knock jokes if she’s grumpy. But that was all before John died.
After the funeral Becky and her family are expected to go back to normal. But normal doesn’t exist anymore. No one is happy anymore. Becky stopped playing soccer and at school her friends don’t know what to say. By the time winter rolls around again, Becky doesn’t feel so sad when looking at pictures of John. One morning she laughed while watching her dog roll around in the snow. And then one day, she had so much fun at a birthday party that she came home feeling guilty for “forgetting to miss John.”
Becky’s parents help her realize that John will always be her brother and that he’d want her to be happy. While John’s memories would always make him a part of their family, Becky comes to know that she can still enjoy the things that they used to do together.
My only regret for the book is the cover art. I don’t care for the orange and green background with the scrapbooking type photo holders. It feels as though it doesn’t give justice to the story. The illustrations are lovingly and realistically portrayed in watercolor.
I’d highly recommend Always My Brother for those who are seeking a sensitive story that doesn’t discount the memory of a loved one after death and addresses the complex subject of loss, grieving and the recovery process. I found myself very touched with Becky’s and John’s relationship and appreciated that the journey wasn’t an easy one by any means.
Jean Reagan is able to give an authentic voice to the book as she lost her own nineteen-year-old son a few years ago and draws upon her grieving experience and that of her daughter. Jean is a local Utah author and it’s been my pleasure to chat with her a couple of times. It is also my pleasure to have an interview with Jean which will be posted today. Jean’s story is fascinating and it’s an interview that you don’t want to miss.
Blog Comment Prizes: Tilbury House will draw 7 lucky winners from all of those who leave comments on any of the participating tour posts (Nov.1-13) to win one of the following prizes:
- A copy of Always My Brother signed by author Jean Reagan (5 available)*
- A set of 10 winter notecards with art by illustrator Phyllis Pollema-Cahill (2 available)
* Winners are welcome to designate a grief center, school, or library to receive their signed copy in their place. All winners will be announced after the tour. US/Canada addresses only, please.
Twitter Prize: Everyone that tweets about the tour using the hashtag #AlwaysTour from November 1-13 will be entered to win a set of three children’s books from Tilbury House — your choice! Winners will be announced after the tour, US/Canada addresses only, please.
Do you have any additional titles to recommend on this subject? Jean will be sharing her own, but I’d be curious to hear yours as well. Any other ways that literature can help ease a child’s pain?
Links of interest: Jean Reagan website. Always My Brother is a fiction picture book Cybil’s nominee for which I’m a panelist.
Genre: Picture book, ages 4-8.
Publisher: Tilbury House. May 21, 2009.
Hardcover, 32 pages. ISBN 0884483134.
Always My Brother is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.
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Tags: A-D Title, Cybils 2009 picture book nomination, Fiction, published 2009, Q-T Author, review copy, Utah author
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Thanks for the info. My son is a cancer survivor and regularly visits the nurses and patients where he received treatment. I know this book has an important place in the lives of too many children.
on November 11th, 2009 at 12:27 pmThis sounds like a good book on a sensitive topic and one that would help a younger child cope with feelings of grief and loss. Thank you for sharing it with us as I’m sure there is someone out there right now that knows someone that could use this one.
on November 11th, 2009 at 2:50 pmThis is an incredibly important book for families that lose a child. Siblings in this situation feel an enormous loss and need to be comforted in this time of sorrow. This book fills part of this gap. My children have not faced such a situation but they certainly needed the same type of emotional support when their grandparents died. This book could have helped even with this experience.
on November 11th, 2009 at 2:54 pmI tweeted about the Tour Posts for November 1-13:
http://twitter.com/pine1211/status/5629053889
on November 11th, 2009 at 3:01 pm[...] if I make it up to the Teton National Park I must have Jean Reagan as my guide. I’ve just reviewed Jean’s picture book Always My Brother which was written after the death of her own nineteen-year-old son and is a fantastic book for [...]
on November 11th, 2009 at 4:27 pmNatasha,
on November 16th, 2009 at 12:17 pmThanks for all your work with the Cybils Nominations. Mighty time consuming, no doubt! Glad to hear you’re having some fun with it and your boys also!
See you in the Tetons, if not before!
Jean Reagan