Millie’s slow process through grief and guilt-with help from a family therapist-is extraordinarily well written, taking readers on the heartbreaking, difficult, and necessary journey that follows unthinkable loss. Millie attempts to move forward, but how do you go on after something like this? How can she be with her friends, who can’t truly understand what she’s feeling? Even the class project she had looked forward to, incubating chicken eggs, is now in Millie’s eyes rife with potential for disastrous failure. Millie swears she feels a warm electrical hum as well, although no one else seems to notice it. The only bright spot (figuratively and literally) is the warm yellow light shining from Lolo’s room. Even though the sudden infant death syndrome is not her fault, Millie is transformed overnight from carefree to guilt-ridden and depressed. Everything goes well, and Millie goes home happy and proud of herself only to wake in the morning to find out that Lolo passed away during the night.

Millie’s older sister is their usual sitter, but she can’t make it. Twelve-year-old Millie Donally feels so mature when their neighbors the Acostas ask her to watch their baby daughter, Lolo, when they go out to dinner. She serves on the faculty of the Vermont College of Fine Arts and lives in Austin, Texas.Millie is a genuinely happy person she’s a comedian who loves making other people laugh-until the day she cannot laugh anymore. Scanlon is also a poet, a teacher and a frequent & popular presenter at schools, libraries and conferences. Her many other picture books include the ones she's co-authored with Audrey Vernick, like Bob, Not Bob and World's Best Class Plant. Liz Garton Scanlon is the author of numerous beloved books for young people, including the highly-acclaimed, Caldecott-honored picture book All the World, illustrated by Marla Frazee, two novels for middle grade readers, and an upcoming chapter book series. She serves on the faculty of the Vermont College of Fine Arts and lives in Austin, Texas.

Liz garton scanlon