All the Pieces: When a Loved One Dies from Substance Use by Hallie Riggs – PPBF

All the Pieces: When a Loved One Dies from Substance Use

Hallie Riggs, Author

Adrianana Predol, Illustrator

Magination Press, Fiction,  May 7, 2024

Suitable for ages: 4-8

Themes: Parental illness, Death, Substance Use, Grief, Anger, Confusion

Opening: “I wish you could have met my dad.  I miss him every day. He died because he took more medicine than the doctor told him to. He took more than was safe for his body. That’s call an overdose.”

Book Jacket Synopsis:

His dad was like a puzzle — there were many pieces, Some of the pieces were really fun, like the silly jokes and stories he told! Some pieces were beautiful, like the birdhouse they hung together and the great hugs he gave. But some pieces were confusing and upsetting, like when Dad would forget to come home, or was too sad to get out of bed, or lost his temper. Remembering some of those pies is really hard.

Often, children who lose a loved one to overdose are not truthfully told what happened to the person who died, because of the stigma associated with this type of death. They often assume that the death was their fault (rather than that it was the symptom of a disease) and that it’s not okay to remember their loved one, nor is it okay to feel angry about the death.

This book aims to help parents and practitioners address these specific areas and provide validation/ normalization of these grief responses.

Why I like All the Pieces:

What an opening line!  So straightforward, realistic and honest. It breaks one’s heart to see a child suffering with such a loss.  This is the first time I’ve reviewed a grief book about a child losing a parent to  substance abuse, which carries with it a stigma.  It is long over due because there are a lot of children who will benefit from this story. And I like the term “substance use.”    

Hallie Riggs has written a sensitive picture book designed to help children understand the loss of a loved one to drug overdose. I especially love how she uses puzzle pieces to help the boy share his positive and sad memories  about his dad. His father was patient, when the boy learned to ride his bike. He was a great storyteller. He was silly. He loved nature and gave the best hugs. But there are pieces of his dad that were sad, slept a lot, lost his temper and forgot to come home. He also carries the memories of their special projects and favorite walks.

Fortunately the boy’s Grammy explains that his father has a disease and helps the boy deal with his guilt,  anger and confusion over his loss. With Grammy validating his feelings, the boy is able to move forward and visit his favorite Dad projects and walks. 

Adrianna Predol’s illustrations are magnificent and really support the story. They are colorful, yet show the range of emotions that the boy and his family are dealing with. I especially love her drawing of the father as Grammy explains the boy’s father’s disease. Thank you to Riggs, Predol and Magination Press for publishing this book! 

Resources: The book alone is a resource. There is a two-page  Note to Adult Readers, about helping children deal with grief that parents and practitioners will find useful. Subtitles include: Meet Them Where They Are; Validate Their Feelings: Be Honest; Take Care of Yourself: and Seek Professional Support if Needed.

Hallie Riggs, MSW, LICSW is a clinical social worker specializing in childhood trauma and healing. Since 2014, Hallie has provided support to children and families impacted by traumatic events, providing training to mental heal professionals, educators and caregivers. Her work with bereaved children and families has taught her that every person possesses the ability to heal and that this healing is best supported through connection with other people. Hallie lives in Rhode Island, on the ancestral homelands of the Narragansett and Wampanoag peoples.

Every Friday, authors and KidLit bloggers post a favorite picture book. To see a complete listing of all the Perfect Picture Books (PPB) with resources, please visit author Susanna Leonard Hill’s website.

*Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for a review.