Central Skagit Library District

The life of a ten-year-old boy in rural Virginia expands when he becomes friends with a newcomer who subsequently meets an untimely death trying to reach their hideaway, Terabithia, during a storm. All summer, Jess pushed himself to be the fastest boy in the fifth grade, and when the year's first school-yard race was run, he was going to win. But his victory was stolen by a newcomer, by a girl, one who didn't even know enough to stay on the girls'...

"Up to the 1970s, most Americans died swiftly: of heart attacks, strokes, cancer, or in accidents. But in the past three decades, medical advances have extended our lives and changed the way we die. Journalist Kiernan reveals the disconnect between how patients want to live the end of life--pain-free, functioning mentally and physically, surrounded by family and friends--and how the medical system continues to treat the dying--with extreme interventions,...

In this book, the Pulitzer Prize winner and National Book Award finalist Studs Terkel, author of the New York Times bestseller Working, turns to the ultimate human experience: death. Here a wide range of people address the unknowable culmination of our lives, the possibilities of an afterlife, and their impact on the way we live, with memorable grace and poignancy. Included in this remarkable treasury are Terkel's interviews with such famed figures...

Even in this confessional age, we've been conditioned to avoid discussions of death--which is why, when the end nears, most of us are inadequately prepared to deal with it. The cost of that is great: many are haunted by memories of how inappropriately or painfully or uncomfortably their parents and grandparents died. Yet many of us avoid even considering the options, in all their complexity, that we will face one day. With its compelling argument...

"On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They're going to die today. Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they're both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: There's an app for that. It's called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure--to live a lifetime in a single...

When four year old Colton Burpo made it through an emergency appendectomy his family was overjoyed at his miraculous survival. What they weren't expecting, though, was the story that emerged in the following months, a story as beautiful as it was extraordinary, detailing their little boy's trip to heaven and back. This true story, retold by his father but using Colton's uniquely simple words, offers a glimpse of the world that awaits us, where as...

Everyone experiences grief, but few books offer real help with the debilitating emotions of bereavement.

Aware their grandmother is gravely ill, four siblings learn to realize the value of loss, life, and the importance of being able to say goodbye.

If you're like most people, you've probably wondered what will happen after you're gone. What will you wear to your funeral? What will your obituary say? Will the people in your life know that you loved them? Formatted like a journal and intermingled with charmingly helpful tips and witty, expert advice, My Last Wishes provides you with the chance to leave behind the answers to these questions and many more. It's the ultimate gift to give yourself...

"The death of a friend is a wrenching event for anyone at any age and can spark feelings that range from sadness to guilt to anxiety. Teenagers especially need help coping with grief and loss. This sensitive book answers questions grieving teens often have, like "How should I be acting?" "How long will this last?" and "What if I can't handle my grief on my own?" The book also addresses the complicated emotions that can accompany the death of an acquaintance,...