I Remember Mommy's Smile:

Format: paperback
ISBN: 9780-6154-4752-0
Cover price: $11.95
Available at: I Remember Mommy's Smile
Availability: E-book Edition
Publisher: Baker's Dozen Press

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars. 

The words were simplistic and easy for children to connect with. I commend the amount of strength it took to writ this book; I don't think I could talk about my grandfather in such a way. The thing about loss is that the person who's been lost is important to us, it is hard to talk about it because we want to keep what we have left of them to ourselves. A human being needs to know two things about loss: 1.) There was nothing you could do to stop it. 2.) It was not your fault. 

This book made me cry and eternally sorrowful, it is etched into me so profoundly because it is true and raw. That alone is a reason to have this book sitting on your self. Everyone should know that its ok to talk about them but you shouldn't be forced to; you want to keep your grief silent take all the time you feel is necessary.  

The illustrations are quirky, different, and completely the perfect matching with this book. I don't think I could have imaged it better. The rich velvety colors and bold interpretations of the authors words was inspiring. The book itself was well bided and held my interest. The memoir type in which Dina recalled her mother was heart wrenchingly warm. The sheer depth of this children's book entrapped me in the story the words hung in my head heavy and my own memories swirled around them in an unpleasant way. It was deeply troubling to read this because I found so saddened and at the same time enlightening. I found that I learned many things from this book, things that seemed so self-evident to me that I couldn't understand why I'd never understood it before. 

My favorite quote came on page 30 where Dina depicted her mothers funeral and how a funeral parlor man took her hand to leave "I kicked the man's legs to make him go away." it showed Dina's courage while facing something she was saddened or afraid of. I liked how she left nothing out how the first page started out frank and bold. 

If you are to make a memoir make it clear that it's not a fictional romance, because sometimes people believe that losing there high school sweetheart will be the end of the world. What the book clarifies is that though you are sad now; it gets better. The pain ebbs but it's always there, Dina let's the children know that you can still live with the loss and sometimes you can even have fun. 

Complaint department: I didn't particularly enjoy the overly simple wording, but then again I am more leant towards prose in children's books.