A family gradually moves forward after the loss of a child—a story for readers of all ages
When someone you love dies, you know what doesn’t die? Love. On the hot beach, among colorful umbrellas blooming beneath a bright sun, no one saw a little girl walk into the water. Now, many months later, her bedroom remains empty, her drawers hold her clothes, her pillows and sheets still have her scent, and her mother and father, brothers and sister carry her in their hearts, along with their grief, which takes up so much space. Then one snowy day, the mother and father ask the girl’s older brother, “Would you like a room of your own?” He wants to know, “Whose?” They say, “Your sister’s.”
Tenderly, and with refreshing authenticity, beloved Minnesota writer Kao Kalia Yang tells the story of a Hmong American family living with loss and tremendous love. Her direct and poignant words are accompanied by the evocative and expressive drawings of Hmong American artist Xee Reiter. The Shared Room brings a message of comfort and hope to readers young and old.
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Please note that while this is a picture book, it is not appropriate for very young readers. It is the story of a family coping after their daughter passed away in a drowning accident, leaving behind her parents and three siblings. Understandably, there's a dark shadow that covers everything. And then one day, months later, the parents ask their one son if he would like to have his sister's room after having been sharing one with his brother all of these years. You can feel the pain of the parents as they are cleaning the room. One particular picture of the father really pierced my heart. So it's a small snippet of how a family tried to move on after such a horrific tragedy.
It's a very moving story and the pictures in particular really elicit a lot of emotion. I can't help but think that it is based on a true story. It captures some of the confusion and conflict that her older brother must have been feeling. But I felt like something was still missing. It felt like such a small snippet of the story that I wanted more from it. My cousin lost his son at a very young age in a tragic accident, so I know there would be more to the story that could be told. And yet reading it multiple times, I know that it was about how the family found a bit of peace while moving on.
It's not a book that I would just randomly read to kids. I think it would be best for an older child who is dealing with loss in some kind of way, most likely also the death of a sibling. There's a lot to unpack in its simplicity. And this book is going to just barely scratch the surface. There's still a lot of discussion to be had. I gave it 2.5 stars. Beautiful, emotional pictures and a good concept that just fell a little short for me.
Thank you to the publisher for fulfilling my review request via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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