Make room for a new picture book on your child’s bookshelf. Always My Brother by Jean Reagan, with illustrations by Phyllis Pollema-Cahill.

As the story unfolds, we see Becky playing a game of soccer with her brother, John, joined by their pet dog, Toby. They skip and they laugh. They love life and each other. It is a moment captured magically in soft language by Jean Reagan with delicate illustrations by Phyllis Pollema-Cahill.

We soon learn about Becky and how changed her life is after the death of her beloved brother, John. No longer is John here to cheer her up in difficult times, or help her out with soccer practice. She is left to miss her brother and work through her grief, alone. When Becky returns to school, we feel her pain–Becky is uncomfortable facing friends, has difficulty playing a favorite game, and feels guilty for laughing at a friend’s birthday party. She wants everything to be the way it was before her brother’s death.

Time inches forward, seasons change, and so does Becky. Dressed in bathrobe, gazing out a window one wintry day, she stands alongside her mother and announces, “One morning, watching Toby roll in the snow, I actually laughed out loud.”

Through Always My Brother a young reader learns the valuable lesson that there is life after death, as well as joy and laughter, and that it is okay to remember a dead loved one. It is a lump-in-your-throat book that will tug at your heartstrings and leave you feeling glad all over long after you have returned it to its place on your bookshelf.

Always My Brother available at Amazon (Hardcover – May 2009) $13.22.

The following is the book tour schedule for “Always My Brother.”

Won’t you please follow this wonderful book as it makes the rounds on its internet journey.

Also, if you enjoyed reading my review, or just wish to say, “Hi,” I would appreciate it if you would leave a comment.If you do, you just might win a prize.

How about it?

Thanks.

And Heeeeeeeeeere’s the schedule!:

Nov. 1 — Welcome from Tilbury House
Nov. 2 — Griefcase
Nov. 3 — Author Jean Reagan’s
Nov. 4 — Healing the Grieving Heart
Nov. 5 — Grief Speaks
Nov. 6 — Chronicles of an Infant Bibliophile
Nov. 7 — heartfeltwords4kids
Nov. 8 — I Did Not Know What to Say
Nov. 9 — Moziesme
Nov. 10 — Anastasia Suen
Nov. 11 – Maw Books
Nov. 12 — Author Emily Wing Smith
Nov. 13 — Bri Meets Books

Just to let you know–

7 lucky winners from all of those who leave comments on participating tour posts (Nov.1-13) are eligible to win one of the following prizes:

- A copy of Always My Brother signed by author Jean Reagan (5 available)*
- A set of 10 winter notecards with art by illustrator Phyllis Pollema-Cahill (2 available)

* Winners are welcome to designate a grief center, school, or library to receive their signed copy in their place.

All winners will be announced after the tour. US/Canada addresses only, please.

Twitter Prize

Everyone that tweets about the tour using the hashtag #AlwaysTour from November 1-13 will be entered to win a set of three children’s books from Tilbury House — your choice! Winners will be announced after the tour, US/Canada addresses only, please.

For More Information :

Tilbury House, Publishers: http://tilburyhouse.com/childrens/always-my-brother.htm
Teachers Take Note (educational resources) for Always My Brother: http://tilburyhouse.com/childrens/always-my-brother-teachers-take-note.htm
The story behind Always My Brother: http://jeanreagan.com/story_behind.htm
Phyllis Pollema-Cahill’s illustration process: http://www.phylliscahill.com/alwaysstepbystep/alwaysstepbystep.html

As 2009 comes to an end, and 2010 looms brightly on the horizon, I’m taking time out to honor the memory of Edward Louis Sclier.

How about you? What about your loved one? What will you do to honor His memory before the New Year?

Why not do what I do. Open what I lovingly refer to as a JOY-nal, set a clock timer for ten minutes, and write something.

Go ahead. I dare you.

*tying string around my finger* May we never forget, and may we always remember.

Mourning Quote:

“Don’t be afraid your life will end. Be afraid that it will never begin.” –Grace Hansen

Mourning Joy:

Q: What’s round, has teeth, and bites?

A: A vicious circle.

Have a joy-filled day, Everyone. And just remember, always, we’re not alone.

Linda Della Donna
…And sometime when I wasn’t looking, I got a new life.

Please know, that I welcome your comments. Feel free to send for my free ebook, Treasury of Quotations. Just drop me a line at my name, the at sign, 7th letter of the alphabet with a dotcom at the end.

“One of the great things about being a writer is that you can make dead people come alive again.”–Anna Quindlen

I’ve been busy working hard at fulfilling my promise to my late husband to write a book. I’m doing better than that, I’m working hard at writing two books. One is a big book, well, not so big, but that one’s a memoir about the life and times spent with the best friend a girl ever had. The other book is a different book and for widows only, some little book giving words of encouragement, reminding us all that we’re not alone, because when you’re a widow, life is different, if you know what I mean. Anyway, I’m muddling through the process, applying the grief steps to writing, making it through one baby step, er, word, at a time.

I’m putting away my writing stuff for the next few days–Got gifts to wrap, pies to bake, and a tree to decorate. But, before I do, I’m stopping by to extend a joyous holiday greeting to Griefcase readers and thank you one and all for supporting Griefcase in 2009.

I’ve lit a candle for Edward Louis Sclier, I share it here with you and yours, and on behalf of Griefcase, post a holiday greeting especially for you.

Happy Holidays and a Joyous 2010.