Reviews

"Having lost her mother at a young age, Deb Dickson knows all too well how overwhelming grief can be. In Always Kiss Me Goodnight, Dickson has written a guide for young children, in the form of a children’s book, to acknowledge and manage that grief.

As she describes her loving relationship with her mother, filled with strawberry picking, campfires, and other fun family adventures in her farming community, the reader can picture an idyllic childhood. Then it all changes. 

Deb’s mother used to tell her, 'You have to be strong. There will be difficult times that you will face during your life and you need to use the strength you have inside of you.' Faced with the loss of her mother, these words become even more powerful as she navigates through the early days of her mother’s death. Death is a difficult subject, and more so with children who cannot always understand the finality of death and have many questions. Always Kiss Me Goodnight outlines strategies to come to terms with death - 'You may need to cry, scream, be afraid, be angry, or be sad' - and how children can honour their loved one - 'I need to keep going, be brave and strong just like you told me. Sometimes being strong isn’t enough, and it’s okay to ask for help. Sometimes I can be brave but if I’m not, I know that it’s okay too.'

Always Kiss Me Goodnight is a beautifully written story that will help young people understand and deal with grief in a healthy way. I highly recommend this book for anyone who works with or has young children. It should be a book that every elementary school has in its library."

Shannon Mercer, English and Cooperative Education Teacher, FEMSS and Mental Health Advocate and Nonprofit Founder, Mental Health Matters Wingham

"I really appreciated that there was permission to have upset feelings and to grieve in your own way. There were constant reminders of the people who were still alive that could support the child and that it was okay to go to them when needed. There were objects mentioned and past memories brought up that would help give comfort and the understanding that the child would always be connected with their mom. This reminded me of the book, 'The Invisible String'. Grief can be difficult at times to navigate, especially for children. Debbie Dickson has given a great example that there is no right or wrong in grieving, and each individual will go through grief in their own way." 

Alyson Hirtle, Registered Psychotherapist, Certified Play Therapist, and Certified Canadian Counsellor, Abilities Rehabilitation Services & Counselling Center 

"I think this is a great resource for adults trying to understand what a child may be experiencing in a time of grief, and how to help the child live through that difficult experience. The kindness, patience, and understanding of the father is a wonderful example of how adults can help children deal with their grief and it provides some excellent responses to the child’s questions and thoughts."

Rev. Colin Snyder, Ordained Minister

"The illustrations in 'Always Kiss Me Goodnight' are powerful and add a dramatic element to the story. I like how there are specific images (e.g., a dragonfly, a cardinal, etc.) that help to show the reader how you can look for/find special objects that you can use to remember/love/grieve your loved one. In the story, the father figure is very supportive to the young girl. He often validates what she is saying or feeling, reassures her that her feelings are okay, and also provides her with advice and support that encompasses love, caring, and a sense of togetherness. He shows her that she’s not alone and that together, they’ll support each other through this. Acknowledging that we can feel more than one emotion at a time is very important, especially to school-aged children. Overall, 'Always Kiss Me Goodnight' is a very impactful and emotional story that models helpful and thoughtful conversational skills for parents and children dealing with the loss of a loved one. This is a story that one would hope they never have to use, but would be grateful to have if they needed to."

Whitney Sweeney, Teacher

"I appreciate the conversations between the parent and child highlighting the various feelings and stages of grief the child may experience due to this trauma. The father’s patience, love, attention and attunement to the child’s questions and needs is outlined exceptionally well and provides a great foundation to readers about the importance of family values found within communication, transparency, support and unconditional love, most particularly during tragedy. Additionally, I valued the narrative the family provided the child with which included: 'I am strong. I can do this,' as a means of passing down innate generational values and beliefs within the family system...but all while acknowledging to the child that it will not be possible to always be strong. This book allows for a more detailed depiction of what a child is navigating, thinking, and processing than other traditional books on death and mortality. I believe this book would be helpful to any youth or adult experiencing the loss of a loved one. As it relates to supporting a younger child’s grief process, the book allows an opportunity for a parent/guardian/caregiver to incorporate the teachings, shared experiences, and education from the book into their narrative, decision making, and navigation of grief with their child and/or children."

Laura M., MSW (Candidate), PMH-C