As a reader, I tend to shy away from reading books about dead family members. It hits a little too close to home and brings up sad memories. This time of year, however, the sadness is here whether I read the books or not, so I thought I would pick up a book that had been recommended to me several times by different librarian friends of mine.... and that book is Love, Aubrey.
Love, Aubrey is about a young girl whose father and sister are killed in a car accident and whose mother is so consumed with grief she leaves home not remembering that Aubrey is still there. For weeks, Aubrey is left alone in here house until her Grandmother comes to rescue her. The book chronicles that first summer and school year after the accident as Aubrey makes new friends, learns to deal with her grief, and to forgive her mother for the things that are out of her control.
I found the book to be incredibly realistic and heartfelt, much as it was described to me, however, I also found the book comforting. Unlike in some books about children dealing with grief or about families dealing with a stressful situation, all adults did not abandon Aubrey. Although I loved reading it, the book Captain Nobody's main character Newt is basically ignored by every adult in his life. A fact that I found almost disturbing. In this book, I found the fact that Aubrey's grandmother, aunts, uncles, and counselor were all supporting her recovery much more attuned to what might actually happen. I also thought that the portrayal of Aubrey's mother as she dealt with an all-consuming grief and could not help Aubrey recover very realistic.
As Aubrey learns, it isn't just accidents that take your family members away, grief can do it as well. It is hard to deal with situations that don't turn out the way you expect them, and it is even harder when they are completely out of your control. This book offers a little bit of hope that although we all deal with grief in our own way, even the worst grief can be overcome and we all can be happy again. The end of the book doesn't come all 'tied up in a big red bow', but it is as happy as a sad situation can possibly get.
