Sage and the Journey of Griefby Liv Lorkin (Goodreads Author)
Jill Smith's review copyright Mar 04, 2025

Sage hid in her wardrobe. She could hear noises in the house. Mr and Mrs Mac had come over. They were noisy, Mr Mac pounded on their old piano. Sage didn't want to talk to anyone, only her faithful dog Snowy who snuck in beside her.
Confused, Sage didn't want to do anything but stay in bed. Dad came to her and told her it was okay to cry, they could cry together. He gave her a green diary with the five stages of grief written inside. She read them. She didn't know how she felt. Would she get through the winding path to the other end?
She wrote in her diary Acceptance. She kept going to school as if nothing was wrong. Everything was wrong. She ran out of the classroom when others talked about their mothers. She didn't want to talk to anyone. She was taken to the school councillor Mrs Vaughan. She couldn't be bothered at soccer practice trying to get on the team. She was angry with her friends.
She kept writing in her diary. Sage met a new friend who'd been through the same experience. Sage thought she was being strong. They talked together about how they felt, and that helped.
This is an exceptionally good book for children and adults navigating grief. Having lost my father at an early age, I would have found this cathartic at the time. Even now many years later, it helps me see the stages I went through.
Thank you Liv Lorkin for writing such an insightful book.
Jill Smith
Coordinator
The Ten Penners
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