Wow. This book blew me away. It was so heart wrenching to listen to and never before have I cried so much during one single book.

This is the story of a man who has lost a brother to the consequences of 9-11 and a daughter to a school shooting, and what he has done with his life since. It shows his incredible strength in moving forward with a beautiful goal in mind without ever forgetting the tragedies that set him on that path.

I received this ARC before I became a mother but due to various reasons, I just now got to this book. My own daughter is two years old now and despite being a few years out, sending her to school in the US has been a topic of much anxiety for me, partially because of the issue of gun violence. I grew up in Europe in a country that doesn’t have this issue and the contrast since moving here has grown more and more in my mind over the last decade and a half.

Reading this book was terrifying, emotional, and informative for me. I am so glad there are people like Fred Guttenberg that are putting so much energy into changing things for the better in regards to gun violence. I hate that he had to go through these harrowing experiences but I am thankful for having been able to listen to this book to learn about the various ways people can stand and have stood up for a cause that is so personal and important to so many people.

Find the Helpers by Fred Guttenberg is an important read. In a culture of violence and nerves it is important to have stories to go back to that remind us of our common humanity.

This is a wonderful book. I highly recommend it. It's beautifully written. I cried while reading it, and I also felt so inspired by the author.

Find the Helpers is a written by a father who lost his teenage daughter in the Parkland shooting. It’s unbelievably beautiful - shining a light on hope and how other people can be a beacon when you need it most. The book talks about his passion for gun control and how we cannot let anymore lives be taken in this way.

Heartwarming, heartbreaking and so important that as many people read it. May it inspire others to fight for what they believe in and to help others.

FIND THE HELPERS is a book that never should have had to be written. What I mean is that Fred Guttenberg should never have had to lose his daughter in a "school shooting." His daughter, Jaime, should be at home right now thinking about her life goals, competing in dance competitions, and giggling with her friends over boys. Instead, she has been dead for the past two years and her family is grieving the loss of a vibrant, intelligent, and caring young woman.

Gun violence and mass shootings have become commonplace in the United States and that is the horrific truth.

After losing his daughter in a school shooting in Parkland, Florida, grief-stricken father Fred Guttenberg dedicated himself to fighting against gun violence in America. He did not want any other family to have to lose a loved one to gun violence.

This book does talk about the shooting and it's aftermath, and does talk about the epidemic of gun violence in America today. However, FIND THE HELPERS is more about the people he has met and who have appeared in his life at the exact moment he needed someone.

"This book is not about gun safety or what happened at Parkland. Instead, [the Author] share[s] the story of the journey [he has] been on since Jaime's death and how [he's] been able to get through the worst of times thanks to the love and kindness of others." Fred Guttenberg states that his book: "...focuses on when good things happen to good people at the hands of other good people." He states that "To fight, you have to have hope. And this book is about nourishing the soul so that you have the stamina to fight. This book is meant to be a beacon of love and hope and compassion."

The stories he relates in FINDING THE HELPERS all speak of the people he has met since his daughter's death and how each of those people have been "helpers" to him and to his fight against gun violence.

"Guns don't discriminate; bullets don't discriminate. When they hit you, they do not know if you are a Republican or a Democrat. They do not know if you are for or against gun safety. They don't know if you are black or white. When they hit you, all that you know is that they are likely to kill you."

"We do have a real crisis in this country, a real emergency. In the United States of America, over 40,000 people now die every year from gun violence. That is a higher rate of death than from traffic accidents."

The two quotes I included above are, to my mind, very telling. Now, just to make it clear, I am a Canadian, not an American. Being Canadian means I grew up in a country where gun violence happens, but nowhere near as often as it does in the United States. Fred Guttenberg asks a question in his book that I, and millions of others, would love to have answered. Fred asks: "Why doesn't President Trump consider 40,000 people dying a national emergency?" The author also writes: "It is sad to realize that if all gun violence were only committed by illegal aliens, this President would be working overtime to do something about it." I believe that to be true.

Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, invited Fred to the 2019 State of the Union address, and once again invited Fred Guttenberg to be her guest at the 2020 State of the Union address. He was hopeful, but knew it was unlikely, that the President might address the gun violence issue during his speech. Fred Guttenberg was right to be skeptical. During the speech, Fred's emotions got the better of him when Trump's only reference to violence against American citizens was once again blamed on illegal immigrants. "He was blaming violence on them, and that was inaccurate." When Trump announced that he would protect the second amendment, and Republicans in the audience jumped up and cheered, "... [Fred] lost it. [He] had been quiet all night, but at that, [he] stood up and yelled back, saying only nine words: 'What about victims of gun violence like my daughter?' Within seconds, [he] was confronted by security... [His] outburst got [him] handcuffed and detained by the Capitol Police." He was detained and questioned, but was ultimately released (but not until Trump's speech had concluded) when Speaker Pelosi intervened on his behalf. These events made national and international news. I say, GOOD FOR HIM. Someone needed to say something to the current President who seems to care only about violence caused by illegal immigrants and ignores the epidemic of gun violence that is prevalent in U.S. society.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Fred Guttenberg, his family, and his mission to stop other parents from having to bury their children due to some 🤬 with a gun.

I am rating FIND THE HELPERS as 5 OUT OF 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

My only semi-negative comment is that the title can be misconstrued and I hope that people will look past that and will run out and buy this book. In fact, Christmas is coming soon and this book (along with a t-shirt and orange enamel pin from the ORANGE RIBBONS FOR JAIME charity) would make a fabulous gift for every parent, first responder, and educator on your shopping list.

*** Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book. ***

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read and review Find the Helpers. On February 14, 2018 the innocence of Valentines Day ended for Broward County, Florida and beyond. As a teacher in Broward County, Valentines Day was always dreaded. The popular kids roamed the halls with balloons,candy, and stuffed animals. Then there were the other children who had nothing to show for the day. It all ended on that Valentines Day in 2018. The innocence of the day would never be the same. Nothing would ever be the same for anyone... especially the families of the victims of the MSD High School in Parkland, Fl.

Thanks to Netgalley and Mango Publishing Group for an advance copy of this book.

Find the Helpers details the courageous and intimate journey of Fred Guttenberg and his family navigating life after his daughter, Jaime, is murdered in the 2018 Parkland shooting.

The book revolves around a central theme, based on a quote by Fred Rogers “Always look for the helpers. There will always be helpers. Because if you look for the helpers, you’ll know there’s hope.”

It follows Fred's passion for gun reform in the hope that no family has to go through what he has. He also speaks eloquently and humbly about the people that have helped him and given him hope. I also felt that the book was important for him in coming to terms with what happened.

Unfortunately, while I really wanted to like this book, I sadly didn't. I felt large parts of the book were not always relevant to the central theme, and a lack of discussion about intersectionality when it comes to gun reform was frustrating.

There is a point near to the end where Fred talks about the presidential nominee Joe Biden extensively, and his praise for him. I found this to be strange and at points, uncomfortable. I follow American politics enough to know that Biden has a number of sexual assault allegations against him.

On the whole, I don't think I could recommend this book. While it is written from the heart, I felt like I struggled to sometimes connect large parts of the book to the central explored theme of "finding the helpers".

I will admit that I found it difficult at times to remain impartial in my review. I'm not sure if as a result I was focused on sections e.g. the discussions about Biden, which may have contributed to my overall feeling of a lack of connection to the central theme.

Just read this book. It is difficult to read at times but Fred Guttenberg is telling a very important story. His story!