A Little Bit of Rob

After Rob's death, his parents and younger sister finally take their boat out crabbing again in an effort to get their lives back to normal

Kindergarten-Grade 4-"We went crabbing last night-just Mom and Dad and me. It was our first time ever without Rob. Rob was my big brother....He died last month." The family is trying to be strong, to pretend nothing has changed, but everything about the familiar activity on the boat reminds Lena of her brother. She finds his old sweatshirt and puts it on, causing her parents to smile. When she catches five crabs in one sweep of the net, her parents speak her brother's name for the first time in weeks. The next morning, before going home, Lena and her parents sit in their truck, nestled together under Rob's sweatshirt, crying, laughing, remembering him. The soft-focus oil paintings follow the mood of the story. At the beginning, the darker blues, purples, and greens of the sea at night echo the somber feelings of Lena and her parents. With morning come the emotional breakthrough and the warmer yellows and reds of a new day. This book does not attempt to deal with all the questions and problems that arise with the death of a family member. It concentrates on the idea of remembering as a way to deal with grief. Healing does not always progress as smoothly as this story portrays, yet the gentle and comforting message, successfully integrated with the descriptions of the family's activities, is one that children can understand.
Karen James, Louisville Free Public Library, KY
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Ages 6^-8. Following the death of her older brother, Rob, young Lena and her parents attempt to assuage their grief and move on with their lives by going on an overnight crabbing expedition. As they step into their boat and set off to sea, they remember many past excursions shared with Rob. Almost every item on the boat reminds them of him, including his old sweatshirt (still smelling of baseball and outdoors) that Lena dons to keep herself warm. Although they have not yet completed the grieving process, by the story's end, they have progressed to the point of finding comfort in remembering and in sharing memories with each other. Backer's dreamy oil illustrations reflect story's time frame and mood, moving from dark, inky hues at the beginning to sunny earth tones at the end. This entry in the Concept Book series should make a useful addition to the parenting shelf and be helpful for families in need of its message. Kay Weisman