As we put summer in the rearview and prepare to cocoon inside staying cozy and warm, a reminder of those warm summer days can help make the fall/winter a little more bearable. A Beginners Guide to Goodbye by Melanie Mosher will have readers remembering summertime fun while also showing them ways to process grief.

Laney and her family spend every summer at their cottage on the shore. There is a vibrant community of cottage goers on Tidnish Beach and lots of summer friends to hang with. This summer, someone is missing. Jenny, Laney’s little sister, died and Laney and her family must find a way to process their grief and hopefully capture a little summer joy.

Laney is just dreading being at the beach this summer. She is so tired of the “I’m sorrys” and the sad looks she gets from people. She harbours a lot of guilt about the accident that took away her sister. She was watching her the day she was hit by a car. Throughout the story we slowly start to understand that the whole family is holding onto this guilt over Jenny’s death and each person is trying to come to terms on their own when what they really need is each other.

When Laney befriends Miss Lucy, the “crazy” woman down the beach, she finds a kindred spirit. Another person who is grieving and who allows her to express the things she needs to say about Jenny. Melanie Mosher’s writing of the Miss Lucy character is heartfelt and kind but not at all perfect. There are things she has done because of her grief that have left her alone and lonely. Also, the sibling relationships are spot on. Even siblings who get along most of the time will have their moments. I appreciated how those moments were so much bigger especially for Laney and Kate during the summer.

Melanie Mosher also offered another type of grieving in the story with David, whose dad has left. Although his father is still alive, the fact that he left carries with it a different kind of hurt and requires a different grieving process.

Laney is so strong! The way she stands up to her sister Kate and David, another child at the shore. She makes new friends in Heidi and Miss Lucy and works towards conquering her biggest fear! It’s a beautiful story that will have readers dreaming of their own summers of adventure.