Book Review - Tear Soup

This week's book review is on a lovely and timely book, entitled Tear Soup by Pat Schwiebert & Chuck DeKlyen

This book was sent to me as a Secret Sister present at a time it was really needed. My mother-in-law had just passed away and I was lost... still am sometimes. Now just barely two months later her second daughter, my sister-in-law passed away. I have a feeling this book will be a mainstay for awhile. It sits on my coffee table and my granddaughter Andi and I read it frequently.

Andi is a smart little cookie - she seems to sense when grief is taking me and climbs into my lap with the book and says,"time for 'Tear Soup' Nana" or she'll ask me, "will you read 'Tear Soup' Nana?" I'm not sure why she likes the book so much or if she even understands the layers in the book - I do know it seems to help us both.

The book is written in layers, what I mean by this is that though it is written for a child, it speaks to the adult as well. The concept of grief and its steps are often big and difficult for adults to understand, yet in these pages it seems to be easily digested at any age. The story telling is easy to identify with and characters in the story are easily any one of us. I believe this book is a must have in any home library. We all live and part of that life is dealing with death and loss.

The book is written with the purpose of helping children to understand and cope with the grieving process that we all do so differently. The characters, main and supporting, demonstrate the viewpoints of the grieving, friends and family, and those who are removed. The main character Grandy, has just suffered a great loss and she is going through the grieving process - referred to as making 'Tear Soup'. It likens steps in grieving to the cooking steps and components of the emotional side of grief as ingredients. As the story unfolds you can see how others grieve differently, as soups are different. The book gives permission to grieve your way and helps you to understand that others do it differently and allows you to respect their needs as well. It truly is well written. I am glad that we own the book. There is even a "Cook's Tips" section after the story that is helpful in acknowledging the full spectrum of thoughts and emotions and direction. There is also a final section full of resources to help the grieving.  

It is never easy dealing with loss... and truly, it doesn't have to be dealt with alone, unless of course that's how you prefer it.

Blessings