“Several of my close relatives died and my mother abandoned my siblings and I at a young age," says Trauco. "And so I know what it feels like to have major losses as a child.”
Forsyth, Georgia (PRWEB) October 10, 2017
For children, the loss of a loved one, friend, or family pet can be both devastating and extremely sad. A new book series by grief expert Gail Trauco, R.N. is now available to provide comfort, guidance and reassurance to children and their families experiencing the cycles and stages of grieving.
LuLu’s Journey is a children’s book series featuring a young, little unicorn named LuLu, who has a soft white coat and a rainbow-colored twirling horn. After losing her mother, a number of animals in the forest come to LuLu’s side and help her through this very tough time of her life. The sweet, simple and down home approach Trauco brings to LuLu’s Journey is inspired by her Southern upbringing and informed by her own healing after numerous losses and trauma during childhood.
“Several of my close relatives died and my mother abandoned my siblings and I at a young age and so I know what it feels like to have major losses as a child,” says Trauco, a licensed Grief Mediator and Registered Nurse who has helped more than 5,000 families through the grieving process. “Growing up in the rural south, I was always surrounded by animals that were my loving support system through all of the heartbreak. The story of LuLu and the other helpful animals is an ode to that time and my experience is that most children feel a sense of ease and safety when it comes to animals.”
LuLu’s Journey is a heartfelt, sensitive series of seven books that echo the seven stages of grief for youngsters that can be read on two levels. They tell a simple story about a young unicorn who has lost her mama and is trying to find her. On another level, the books can be used as a tool to help children who have been affected by the loss of a loved one. Each of the books are written to help youngsters cope with loss in a child-friendly way.
According to Trauco, it is very natural for any person and especially children to want to “run and hide” in the face of grief and loss. The LuLu’s Journey book series is consciously designed to help introduce the seven stages of grief and the feelings that go with them in terms that make sense to a child. The character of LuLu, her friend Magic—a young fox, and the other forest animals created by Trauco and brought to life by illustrator Ms. Mahfuja Selim, are archetypes that boys and girls of all ages can relate to and learn from.
The first two books, LuLu Faces Fear and LuLu’s Denial, are available now, The remaining five LuLu’s Journey books will be published one after the other between now and Spring 2018. Each of the books will be available via Amazon.com and in select bookstores and hospital gift shops around the country. For more information about LuLu’s Journey series and/or author Gail Trauco visit: http://www.FrontPorchTherapy.com.
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LuLu Faces Fear (the first in the series) is 39 pages.
Retail cost: $16.95 for paperback and $6.99 for Kindle version. ISBN: 13-Digit: 9781547006830
LuLu’s Denial (the second in the series) is 39 pages.
Retail cost: $16.95 for paperback and $6.99 for Kindle version. ISBN: 13-Digit: 9781548901639
About the Author
Gail Trauco endured more loss and sadness in the first 12 years of her life than most people do in a lifetime, yet you will not hear her complain about the past. Instead, Trauco considers it all part of the path she is on as an advocate for people going through challenging times. During the past 30 years, Trauco has helped more than 5,000 families navigate the grieving process following a variety of losses, including deaths and divorces. She is a mother of three grown sons and now calls her ranch with a multitude of animals and a lovely front porch in Forsyth, Georgia her home.
