Book excerpt: This versatile story gives children permission to grieve and helps them develop positive coping skills. When third grader Jerzie wakes up the day after her birthday, she feels grumpy. Her birthday cheer is gone, and she knows today is going to be nothing but boring—until she hears a knock at her door. Grandma’s here! Grandma, Jerzie, and her little brother, Josiah, spend all day outside building and playing with Violet, a snowgirl that becomes a pilot, a teacher, a vet, and even their late granddad throughout the day. But when a warm day comes and Violet melts, Jerzie must learn to cope with her grief and develop positive coping skills. The stages of grief are complex, but using the simple analogy of building a snowman, Violet the Snowgirl is accessible and versatile. It helps children develop positive coping skills so they can process change, like moving to a new school. It also offers strategies for dealing with more difficult loss, like divorce or death. At the back of the book, you will find conversation prompts and resources to support children experiencing grief.