With You and Without You

Book excerpt: Liza thought she was prepared to lose her father—but coping is harder than she ever imagined When Liza’s dad finds out he has less than a year to live, he asks his family to help him make his remaining time as happy as possible. After the initial shock, twelve-year-old Liza, her three siblings, and their mother resolve to make her dad’s last year wonderful—especially on Christmas, his favorite holiday. Liza tries hard to prepare herself for living without him. But after he’s gone, she finds that she is still not ready—and maybe she never will be. The family, now faced with financial problems, has to move into a smaller home, which adds to their tension and anger. As another holiday season approaches, Liza feels celebrating without her dad is disloyal, and boycotts the holiday. Liza’s search for the courage to face her grief, anger, and guilt will resonate with readers of any age who have survived the loss of a loved one. This ebook features an illustrated personal history of Ann M. Martin, including rare images from the author’s collection.