SAAAAAAAAAAD. Who writes a book for kids about a toddler dying? Seriously? Unless a kid or parent specifically asks for a book about dealing with a death, I probably won't be recommending this. It's just too depressing, which is a shame because the writing is clear and lovely. I will happily read another book by Jo Knowles, but I kind of regret reading this one. It put too many morbid thoughts in my head.

I'm not 100% opposed to death in children's fiction, obviously. When I think about [b:Bridge to Terabithia|2839|Bridge to Terabithia|Katherine Paterson|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327880087s/2839.jpg|2237401], for example, I see it as a classic that I would recommend to almost any eleven- or twelve-year-old kid. What's the difference between BTT and SYAH? BTT is mostly about friendship and imagination and ends tragically. SYAH is tragic almost the whole way through.

A few more things about this book:

1. Not only was the loss of three-year-old Charlie terrible to read about, but the relationship between the main character, twelve-year-old Fern, and her mother was upsetting, too. While the Charlie issue is handled in a way that hopefully gives young readers closure at the end, the distant mom thing didn't get resolved. Fern's mom isn't abusive or anything, she just doesn't pay much attention to Fern, which really hurts Fern. Why is Fern's mom cold to Fern? We never really know, though the implication is that Fern is just a classic middle child who's always overlooked by everyone. Sad.

2. I really liked the plot about Fern's gay 14-year-old brother Holden. His whole journey with coming out, as witnessed by Fern, felt very authentic and, in the end, triumphant.

3. I might have liked this more if I'd read it instead of listening to the audiobook. The narrator was good, but it's really hard to listen to/read in a mock-sob for twenty chapters.
( )

Have a box of tissues handy. ( )

I grabbed this book at a garage sale when I was 14. They were just giving them away, and I didn't even bother to read the summary before I dove into it. A few hours later I was detailing the events to my mother since I had finally stopped crying. I feel extremely lucky to have been given such a wonderful work! ( )

Good, but hard to read.... ( )

Okay I literally could not finish this book because I was crying too much. I knew there was character death but I didn't expect it be the three year old. In hindsight, I should have because it's always the baby in these stories. ( )