How I Coped When Mommy Died

13-year-old Brett Hardy Blake created this documentary to help other kids who are dealing with the loss of a loved one. Brett's mother died of breast cancer after a prolonged battle with the disease when he was 10, and here he explains what happened to his mom and how it effected him, as other elements--home movies, artwork and photos--are intercut with the narrative. An engaging and intelligent guy (in some ways a bit too wise for his age, though the sad truth is that he came by this wisdom the hard way), Brett's story is a painful one, but simply by telling it viewers can see that he is coming to grips with his loss and getting on with life. It is difficult to imagine a better, more helpful, tool for a child who has suffered a terrible personal loss than this 26-minute video. As Brett points out, the best people to help kids who've lost a loved one are kids who've lost a loved one. You can't argue with that logic, especially when it is backed by such an exemplary program. A solid complement to Tomorrows Children Face When a Parent Dies (VL-11/97), this is highly recommended and an Editor's Choice. Aud: E, I, J, P. (P. Van Vleck)