PEORIA MAGAZINE December 2022

E veryoneexperiencesgrief. It can bring overwhelming physical and emotional suffering. While mental health professionals say this is a natural response to loss, many adults struggle to cope with these feelings. How, then, can they explain grief to a child? Author Susan Reising, 60, of East Peoria and illustrator Missy Shepler, 61, of Chillicothe are making that conversation easier with their book Lola and the Tree of Life . The picture book follows Lola, a little girl whose grandfather is ill. With the friendship of her dog, Skye, and the wise words of an old oak named Tree, Lola comes to understand the cycle of life and death. “I remember early on, we talked about who's going to choose this book and how they’re going to use it,” said Shepler. “For a kid's book you always look at, is this kid-appropriate? Is a child going to understand what this means?”

W O R D C O U N T

LOLA AND THE TREE OF LIFE

Illustrated book helps children – and adults, too – cope with grief

BY LAURIE PILLMAN PHOTOS BY RON JOHNSON

80 DECEMBER 2022 PEORIA MAGAZINE