Sunday 18 September 2011

,

Further Reading

If you would like to read more books on death and bereavement, the following may be something you'd be interested in reading.

Elsewhere by Gabrielle ZevinElsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin - How do you describe ELSEWHERE? A novel so astoundingly original and carefully crafted that its complexities become common place and the common place resounds with poetry? In this delightful novel death is a begining, a new start. Liz is killed in a hit a run accident and her 'life' takes a very unexpected turn. At nearly sixteen she knows she will never get married, never have children, and perhaps never fall in love. But in Elsewhere all things carry on almost as they did on earth except that the inhabitants get younger, dogs and humans can communicate (at last) new relationships are formed and old ones sadly interrupted on earth are renewed. Full of the most ingenious detail and woven around the most touching and charming relationships this is a novel of hope, of redemption and re-birth. It is a novel that tells of sadness with heart-breaking honesty and of love and happiness with uplifting brilliance. From Amazon UK

The Everafter by Amy HuntleyThe Everafter by Amy Huntley - Madison Stanton doesn't know where she is or how she got there. But she does know this—she is dead. And alone, in a vast, dark space. The only company she has in this place are luminescent objects that turn out to be all the things Maddy lost while she was alive. And soon she discovers that with these artifacts, she can reexperience—and sometimes even change—moments from her life.

Her first kiss.
A trip to Disney World.
Her sister's wedding.
A disastrous sleepover.

In reliving these moments, Maddy learns illuminating and sometimes frightening truths about her life—and death.

This is a haunting and ultimately hopeful novel about the beauty of even the most insignificant moments—and the strength of true love even beyond death.
From Amazon US

Love, Aubrey by Suzanne La FleurLove, Aubrey by Suzanne La Fleur - Something terrible has happened. Eleven-year-old Aubrey is on her own.

'It was fun at first, playing house. Nothing to think about but TV and cheese. A perfect world.'

She's determined to hide away and take care of herself, because facing the truth is too much to bear.

'I couldn't let anyone know that I was alone. I was staying right here.'

But with the love of her grandmother and the letters she writes, can Aubrey begin to see that even though she's lost everything - all is not lost?
From Amazon UK

Sharing Sam by Katherine ApplegateSharing Sam by Katherine Applegate - Sam is gorgeous and Alison can't resist him. So when Sam asks her to the Valentine's Day dance she is elated, until she finds out her dying friend Isabella, has fallen for him too. She wants Isabella's last days to be happy, even if she and Sam have to hide their love. But can they keep it secret? From Amazon UK

Slog's Dad by David Almond and Dave McKeanSlog's Dad by David Almond and Dave McKean - Do you believe there’s life after death? Slog does. He reckons that the scruffy bloke sitting outside the pork shop is his dad come back to visit him for one last time – just like he’d said he would, just before he died. Slog’s mate Davie isn’t convinced. But how does this man know everything Slog’s dad would know? Because Slog says it really is his dad, that’s how. From Amazon UK

The Book Theif by Markuz ZusakThe Book Theif by Markuz Zusak - HERE IS A SMALL FACT - YOU ARE GOING TO DIE

1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier.

Liesel, a nine-year-old girl, is living with a foster family on Himmel Street. Her parents have been taken away to a concentration camp. Liesel steals books. This is her story and the story of the inhabitants of her street when the bombs begin to fall.

SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION - THIS NOVEL IS NARRATED BY DEATH

It’s a small story, about:
a girl
an accordionist
some fanatical Germans
a Jewish fist fighter
and quite a lot of thievery.

ANOTHER THING YOU SHOULD KNOW - DEATH WILL VISIT THE BOOK THIEF THREE TIMES
From Amazon UK

The Last Summer of the Death Warriors by Franciso X. StorkThe Last Summer of the Death Warriors by Franciso X. Stork - When Pancho arrives at St. Anthony's Home, he knows his time there will be short. If his plans succeed, he'll soon be arrested for the murder of his sister's killer. But then he's assigned to hep DQ, whose brain cancer has slowed neither his spirit nor his mouth. DQ tells Pancho all about his "Death Warrior's Manifesto", which will help him to live out his last days fully - ideally, he says with the love of the beautiful Marisol. As Pancho tracks down his sister's murderer, he finds himself falling under the influence of DQ and Marisol, and beginning to understand that there's more to life than revenge and more to death than sadness. From Amazon UK

The Truth About Forever by Sarah DessenThe Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen - On the outside, Macy Queen is cool and calm. On the inside, she's breaking. Silently struggling with her Dad's death, and spending the summer apart from her oh-so-perfect boyfriend, Macy is smiling her way through - she's 'fine'. It's only when she meets a group of new friends - and artistic, sexy Wes catches her eye - she realizes she can wear her heart on her sleeve sometimes. Because life doesn't stop when someone disappears - and even though she's lost so much, can Macy see what she has to gain?

Hugely engaging and with great emotional depth, Sarah Dessen's rich, warm, atmospheric writing makes this the perfect summer read for teenage girls.
From Amazon UK

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah OcklerTwenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler - For sixteen-year-olds Anna Reiley and Frankie Perino, their twenty day-long, minimally supervised California vacation will be the 'Absolute Best Summer Ever' and according to Frankie, if they meet one boy every day, there's a pretty good chance that Anna will get her first real boyfriend.

Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie - she's already had that kind of romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.
From Amazon UK

Ways to Live Forever by Sally NichollsWays to Live Forever by Sally Nicholls - My name is Sam. I am eleven years old. I collect stories and fantastic facts. By the time you read this, I will probably be dead. Sam loves facts. He wants to know about UFOs and horror movies and airships and ghosts and scientists, and how it feels to kiss a girl. And because he has leukaemia he wants to know the facts about dying. Sam needs answers to the questions nobody will answer. WAYS TO LIVE FOREVER is the award-winning novel from an extraordinarily talented young writer. Funny and honest, it is one of the most powerful and uplifting books you will ever read. From Amazon UK

And to be released in January next year:

torn by cat clarkeTorn by Cat Clarke - Four girls. One dead body. A whole lot of guilt.

Alice King isn’t expecting the holiday of a lifetime when she sets off with her classmates on a trip to the Scottish wilderness, but she’s not exactly prepared for an experience beyond her darkest nightmares…

Alice and her best friend Cass are stuck in a cabin with Polly, the social outcast, and Rae, the moody emo-girl. Then there’s Tara – queen of mean. Powerful, beautiful and cruel, she likes nothing better than putting people down.

Cass decides it’s time to teach Tara a lesson she’ll never forget. And so begins a series of events that will change the lives of these girls forever...

A compelling story of guilty secrets, troubled friendship and burgeoning love.
From CatClarke.com

And some others you can look up:

A Beautiful Lie by Ifran Master
A Time for Dancing by Davida Hurwin
After the Death of Alice Bennett by Rowland Molong
After the Wreck, I Picked Myself Up, Spread My Wings, and Flew Away by Joyce Carol Oates
Always and Forever by Lurlene McDaniel
The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove by Lauren Kate
Blind Faith by Ellen Wittlinger
Blowout by Suzan Vaught
Breathing Underwater by Julia Green
Breathing Underwater by Lara M. Zeises
Chanda’s Secrets by Allan Stratton
Crossing the Line by Gillian Philip
Curses for Heartbreak by Margo Rabb
Dear Zoe by Philip Beard
Feels like home by E E Charlton-Trujillo
Flyaway by Lucy Christopher
Flying for Frankie by Pauline Fisk
Frannie in Pieces by Delia Ephron
Freefall by Mindi Scott
Hate List by Jennifer Brown
Heartbreak River by Tricia Mills
Hold On by Alan Gibbons
Invincible Summer by Jean Ferris
Jane in Bloom by Deborah Lytton
Keys to the Golden Firebird by Mauren Johnson
Last Seen Wearing Trainers by Rosie Rushton
Life, Interrupted by Damian Kelleher
Losing Faith by Denise Jayden
Love you, Hate you, Miss you by Elizabeth Scott
Martyn Pig by Kevin Brooks
Memory by Margaret Mahy
Noah Barelywater Runs Away by John Boyle
One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies by Sonya Sones
Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
Rockoholic by C.J. Skuse
Saving June by Hannah Harrington
Saving Zoe by Alyson Notel
Say Goodnight, Gracie by Julie Reece Deaver
Scar Hill by Alan Temperley
Sharing Sam by Katherine Applegate
Slog's Dad
Sparks by Ally Kennen
Starseeker by Tim Bowler
Stay With Me by Garret Freymann-Weyr
Taken By Storm by Angela Morrison
Tell Me What You See by Zoran Dvrenkar
The Beginner’s Guide to Living by Lisa Hills
The Dying Game by Catherine Johnson
The Great Wide Sea by M.H. Herlong
The Pursuit of Happiness by Tara Altebrando
The Road of the Dead by Kevin Brooks
The Rope Ladder by Nigel Richardson
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
Usual Rules by Joyce Maynard
Waves by Sharon Dogar
Whirlgig by Paul Fleischman
Winter Longing by Tricia Mills
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
You Know Where to Find Me by Rachel Cohn
Young Chieftain by Ken Howard

4 comments:

  1. I think this is a great resource for books on the subject! Seeing that list at the bottom makes me a little sad that I didn't carry on and read more.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks! :) There's always time to read them later! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Fab list and definitely something I can use for library lessons. Thanks so much for doing it :D

    ReplyDelete