A counsellor from Liss hopes to reach more people experiencing grief through her new book. 

Nic Dove’s Little Bird and the Sky that got Bigger explores the grieving process while showing how the world gets brighter once more. Told through the story of a Little Bird who has lost her mother and she slowly learns how to live again.

“She comes to understand that her memories and her love for her mom will be with her always,” Nic said.

“I've used some recognised grief models within the story and it's to start that conversation around grief. I lost my parents and I have found that people really struggle to talk about their grief or their emotions.”

Nic added that while the book is primarily aimed at children it extends to adults as well. She has found that younger people struggle about how they should feel and might not talk to adults, which leads to repression of emotions. 

One of the grief models known as the dual process model is particularly beneficial for children. 

She explained: “It is the idea that when we're grieving we can go between sadness and let happier moments come in and we don't have to throw that out completely.”

Nic wants to donate as many copies of Little Bird as she can to local schools to help bereaved children and some of the money to Cruse Bereavement Support. A book launch to celebrate Little Bird’s release will be held at One Tree Books in Petersfield on November 7.