The Children Who Lived: Using Harry Potter and Other Fictional Characters to Help Grieving Children and Adolescents

Harry Potter’s encounters with grief, as well as the grief experiences of other fictional characters, can be used by educators, counselors, and parents to help children and adolescents deal with their own loss issues. The Children Who Lived is a unique approach toward grief and loss in children. Focusing on fictional child and adolescent characters experiencing grief, this book uses classic tales and the Harry Potter books to help grieving children and adolescents. Included in the text and the companion CD are a number of activities, discussion questions, and games that could be used with grieving children and adolescents, based on the fictional characters in these books.

Table of Contents:
Introduction: The Children Who Lived. Using the Harry Potter Books by J. K. Rowling to Help Grieving Children and Adolescents. Hogwarts Houses and Other Ways to Identify with Characters. Thestrals and Ghosts: Death in the Harry Potter Books. Riddikulus: Helping Grieving Children and Adolescents Deal with their Anxieties and Fears. Using Magical Objects to Cope with Grief. Four Other Novels to Help Grieving Children and Adolescents. Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson. Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. Ordinary People by Judith Guest. Wizard Challenge Game Rules and Guidelines. Word Games. Solace the Story Dragon Activity. More Craft Ideas. No-sew Themed Scarves or Blankets. Other No-sew Fabric Projects. Making Memory Boxes. Decorating Picture Frames. Decorating Porcelain Objects. Harry Potter Glossary.

Review :
"This is an unusual book that usefully occupies a gap in the current literature on therapy with grieving children and teenagers. Loaded with thought-provoking material for direct use with clients. This book offers rich material and I would recommend it both to clinics and for personal use.The illustrations are charming and the suggestions for engaging with growing children are clearly and sympathetically presented." -Jean Harris Hendriks, honorary consultant psychiatrist and senior lecturer, Traumatic Stress Clinic, in Bereavement Care "As siblings, the authors Kathryn Markell and Marc Markell experienced the loss of their father at a young age. This profound event shaped their lives the,n as well as their adult lives. At young ages, they were able to find guidance and consolation in books. The books they read involved characters that had suffered losses and found healing; they were "the children who lived." The authors found power in literature to guide them through their own grief and on to healing. It was the occurence of their loss and road through children's literature and novels, which led these authors to develop an interest in helping children and adolescents through their work as a psychologist and educator. These elements laid the foundation for The Children Who Lived...It is always inspiring and encouraging to discover new and creative ways to approach the healing process, especially when dealing with grief and loss. This book opens new avenues for counselors and therapists to consider...[the] book provides creative and expressive approaches for dealing with children and adolescents who have suffered death and loss." - Elsa Soto Leggett, The Family Journal: Counseling and Therapy for Couples and Families