Death is a reality of life, though the younger you are, the less likely you are to have experienced it first-hand. When you do suffer the death of a close loved one, it shifts the world on its axis and leads to a period of recovery that changes you in myriad ways.
Glitter Gets Everywhere is the story of a young girl named Kitty who loses her mother to lung cancer. Spanning the time of her mother’s death when Kitty is ten years old to a year and a half later, readers experience Kitty’s transformation through the grief of her mother’s departure and her navigation of a new life across the Atlantic Ocean. When Kitty’s dad moves her family to New York City for his job from her home in London, Kitty meets new friends and experiences life without her mother’s physical presence. Like a flower emerging from the ashes of a fire, Kitty finds resilience and love through her pain. Please see my full review here.
This story is presented beautifully, artfully navigating Kitty’s growth and maturity as she processes the grief left in her mother’s wake. Thanks to the help of supportive family and friends, Kitty finds ways to process the “grief glitter” she uncovers in unexpected places every day. Emotional memories and letters bring tears to the reader’s eyes, feeling first-hand the deep wounds Kitty is experiencing. I cried at least three times as I read this book, and as a mother myself, I connected both with Kitty’s experience and with her mother’s.
Though written with a middle grade audience in mind, this story will resonate with readers of all ages. Threads of color, comforting books, and memory wind their way through this story, guiding readers to a conclusion that opens the door for further growth as Kitty emerges into a brighter future.
The concept of “grief glitter” is one that will stay with me for a long time. Even years after the death of a loved one, this glitter can be uncovered, bringing memories to the surface that have not been seen for a long time. I love the presentation of this story because it embraces the realities of grief and shows one way of moving through sadness and finding joy. I highly recommend this lovely story to readers of all ages.
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