In The Wake Of Suicide; A Child's Journey

Losing someone to suicide is a tragic and traumatic experience, particularly for children. The enormity of difficult issues surrounding such an untimely death often leaves even adults questioning their faith. All who experience the heartbreaking ordeal must proceed through their own grief process, trying to gain understanding of their loved one s death. This process is doubly hard for a child. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The purpose of this book is to help children touched by suicide find solace and to aid in the initiation of conversation with the child's(children's) supporting adults. From a Christian standpoint, the story leads to discovery of God s everlasting presence and His promises to bring joy in the midst of sorrow. - - - - - - - - - - - - - In The Wake Of Suicide; A Chilld's Journey follows Max, a young boy living with a depressed father. His dad eventually commits suicide, and readers see how the tragedy changes the young man's life, the gamut of his emotions run wild, and his constant questioning. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Is he to blame? How much more could his mother or the doctors have done to help his dad? And where exactly is God in all this? - - - - - - - - - - - His father s act shakes the very core of his family s Christian faith, but Max learns how he can draw on God s strength and His Word to help him survive and find his way through the darkness and despair back into God s wonderful light. - - - - - - - - - The hard cover picture book is beautifully illustrated with bright colorful watercolors that chronicle Max and his family's days before and after the dreadful, life-altering event. They help draw and maintain the attention of the youngest as parents read the story. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - While the characters in the book are fictional, the story is based on a real experience when the author's sister and nephews lost their husband and father to suicide. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - According to the American Association of Suicidology, every sixteen minutes, someone in the United States takes their own life. And only one in twenty-five attempts result in death, so an attempt is made every thirty-nine seconds! - - - - - - - Suicide is ranked eleventh in causes of death in the United States, homicide falls four points behind in the fifteenth position. Taking your own life is the third cause of death among the young, ages fifteen through twenty-four. - - - - - - - - - - - - Men are obviously far more serious about the act. While three males commit suicide to every one female, there are three times the survived attempts by females. Every suicide intimately affects six other people, and those affected are more likely to attempt suicide later in their lives. - - - - It is on the rise. Unfortunately, more and more children are survivors of a loved one's suicide and must cope with the devastating loss. In The Wake Of Suicide; A Child's Journey is a timely, well written book that will help every child in this unimaginable position.