The Mood Swing, by
Ages 4-8
A boy named Peter suffers the loss of his father and discovers a magical swing in this touching story about grief. The swing, tethered to a Moon Tree, allows Peter to go on adventures that reflect his emotions: a happy Peter ventures into outer space, his parents by his side; a year after losing his father, the swing plunges Peter into quicksand, mirroring the drowning feelings of grief and loss. His mother helps Peter learn to find balance and enjoy riding the swing, just as he must learn to navigate the ups and downs of life after loss. The rhyming storytelling falls into a soothing cadence and the colorful illustrations bring readers on fantastic and emotional journeys. A good addition to social-emotional collections and collections that help soothe children experiencing loss.
As an somewhat related aside, I’ve just gotten off my own mood swing. I had to take a brief hiatus as I got used to Nana Life (SO awesome!) and looking for a new home for our family (not entirely awesome). Long story short, my granddaughter is amazing, my family is healthy and happy, and we’ve finally signed the lease on a new place to live. The blog marches on!
