★ “A heartfelt and expertly written tale of loss, family, and friendship that will have readers blinking back their tears…Beautiful and sincere.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Evie Walman is not obsessed with death. She does think about it a lot, though, but only because her family runs a Jewish funeral home. At twelve, Evie already knows she’s going to be a funeral director when she grows up. So what if the kids at school call her “corpse girl” and say she smells like death? They’re just mean and don’t get how important it is to have someone take care of things when your world is falling apart. Evie loves dusting caskets, polishing pews, and vacuuming the chapel—and on funeral days, she dresses up and hands out tissues and offers her condolences to mourners. She doesn’t normally help her parents with the grieving families directly, until one day when they ask her to help with Oren, a boy who was in a horrific car accident that killed both his parents. Oren refuses to speak and Evie, who is nursing her own private grief, is determined to find a way to help him deal with his loss.
The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.
Praise for previous books by Joanne Levy:
“Levy's narrative is spot on.”—Booklist review for The Sun Will Come Out
“The story gives voice to the experience of Jewish preteens; chronic illness and disability are also sensitively tackled in this complex tale about difference, acceptance, and self-confidence. A heartfelt tear-jerker about love, friendship, and courage.”—Kirkus Reviews review for The Sun Will Come Out
“Uplifting, gentle…Exudes inter-generational warmth, family love, and friendship.”—Association of Jewish Libraries review for Fish Out of Water
“Though brief, this text masterfully connects the toxic masculinity to its roots in deep misogyny, making Fish a hero people of all genders can stand up and cheer for. All readers will appreciate this book’s nuanced messaging around gender roles and trusting yourself.”—Kirkus Reviews, review for Fish Out of Water
The Governor General’s Literary Awards (GGBooks) - Young People’s Literature Text | 2022 | Nominated
The Canadian Jewish Literary Awards - Youth Literature | 2022 | Winner
Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) Sydney Taylor Book Award - Notable Books | 2022 | Commended
CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens, starred selection | 2022 | Commended
Rocky Mountain Book Award (RMBA) | 2023 | Short-listed
Young Readers' Choice Book Awards of British Columbia (YRCABC) Red Cedar Book Awards - Honour Book | 2022 | Commended
Forest of Reading Red Maple Award | 2023 | Nominated
Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice Awards - Diamond Willow | 2023 | Nominated
Customizable Text and Layout
Text and layout can be adjusted for text size and colour, background colour, and layout to support individual reading preferences.
Described Images
Non-text content includes descriptive text, such as alt-text and long descriptions.
Table of Contents and Structured Navigation
Page elements are labelled and structured in a meaningful sequence.
Screen Reader and Text-to-Speech (TTS) friendly
Structured for screen readers and text-to-speech tools, including assistive technologies and browser plugins.
Bookmarks and Highlights
Add bookmarks and save highlighted passages.
ARIA Roles
ARIA roles clarify semantic elements of this ebook, making it easier for screen readers and assistive technologies to understand the contents of the book.
“Gentle and honest…Refreshing and will be valuable for readers no matter their religion. Purchase for elementary and middle school libraries and recommend to fans of The Thing About Jellyfish.
“What comes after the hardest thing in the world? Joanne Levy answers this question the way a ten-year-old needs it to be answered. Sorry For Your Loss is funny, moving, deeply researched, deeply felt and, above all, hopeful. Deceptively simple and simply marvelous.”