My Special Different Friend

The first part of the book introduces the reader to what it is like to be a child who is different. The reader experiences how exceptional this is through Mia, who had a special different friend whom she loved spending days together with at school. As the story continues on, one day something dark happens, and Mia learns that she needs her mama to help her understand and cope with the grief of the tragic news. The middle of the story focuses on tough questions and the feelings that often come when someone experiences a life-changing event. Mia shows the different emotions we may go through after losing someone while also providing opportunities to express them through reflection, stopping and talking about our own experiences and comforting each other. The author includes the ideas of how diverse cultures have their own traditions of coping and cherishing the times we have had with a loved one. The story also shows how the concepts of faith in God, a parent's love, and the healing process of remembrance aid in managing the feelings and emotions that one feels. The author examines the importance of life's challenges and how it affects lives every day through uncertainty, which lingers at the beginning and end of life's journey. The story depicts how appreciating the importance of friendship, kindness, love and respect for someone who is different shows a caring sentiment. It opens the door to discuss a theme that can be hard to talk about with young children after the loss of a loved one. It encourages parents and children to be open about their feelings and emotions in times of a crisis and that unforeseen conditions sometimes visit us suddenly in life. At the end of the story, the author explains these occurrences through the memories of the ones who had and lost a special different friend and how empathy and compassion through this tough time empowered healing.