Clara

Clara is a gorgeous young girl in a gorgeous pastel world - until, that is, it proves otherwise. The first clue she has is that her parents seem to totally forget her birthday, and she dislikes the stopgap present of a hand-me-down doll. But her response to that is not the only thing that will change in this soul-searing narrative.

In portraying the death of a parent and the grief that follows so well, this creative team have made one of the more easily memorable graphic novels I've seen in years. It's not just the artwork that is spot on, for the relationships are clearly defined, the doubt in the girl's inner monologue narration is perfect, and even the slightly heavy metaphorical journey is actually done very well. Read this to see what a great book looks like, then memorise its details - buying this for any young girl unfortunate enough to be in a similar situation could very well be most beneficial.

This is a beautiful children's book about a daughter losing her mother. This will be helpful for helping children understand loss and illness.