Tomorrow, 9th November, marks the sixth year since my lovely Dad died with me and my sister by his side, and I miss him just as much now as I did then. In tribute to him, I am reviewing I Miss You by Gioia Guerzoni and illustrated by Rosie Leech which was sent to me as surprise book post from lovely Lefki at Cicada Books.

Published on 21st April 2022 by Cicada, I Miss You is available from all good bookshops and online including here.

I Miss You

With a gentle and considerate style, this evocative little gift book proposes a series of conceptual activities to help the reader work through the sense of loss that arises when someone or something is missing from their lives. For example;

Spend one minute writing a list of all the things you can remember doing with the person that you miss. Simple everyday events can make as many memories as big adventures. Write as fast as you can. When one minute is up, stick the list to a window pane so that it can be seen from outside.

With beautiful, stripped back illustration and elegant packaging, this book is a striking and affordable gift for a friend or for yourself.

My Review of I Miss You

A slim volume of exercises to heal sadness.

I Miss You may only have around 40 pages with more than half of them given over to illustrations but it certainly packs a punch. I loved the way the introduction acknowledges that it isn’t just a person we can miss, but a place, feeling or object too. It is as if I Miss You is giving the reader important permission to be themselves. And that reader can be of any age. Whilst the publisher specialises in children’s books, I Miss You works for any age group.

There are activities and suggestions in I Miss You that mean there is something here for everyone to help them in their grieving process. I especially connected with Words it’s one of the ways I remember my Dad. He always used the word ‘mulfrey’ to describe warm, humid weather and it seemed to sum it up perfectly. Other suggestions of ways to deal with missing someone or something are more contemplative and some very active. The way they are written is accessible and as the author uses the pronoun you throughout it makes the reader feel they are being given attention and that someone understands how they might be feeling. I think for those who can’t articulate their feelings to those around them I Miss You could be incredibly cathartic.

However, for me it is the illustrations that turn a lovely little book into a work of art. There’s an ephemeral looseness to their style that matches the words and themes of I Miss You so beautifully. I loved I Miss You. I think it would make a wonderful gift –  especially for those to whom you don’t know how to offer support but what to show you care. It’s a charming, helpful, beautiful little book.

About Gioia Guerzoni

Gioia Guerzoni was born in Milan but currently lives in Greece. She has worked as a translator for thirty years, mostly from English to English, as well as being a freelance consultant to several Italian publishing houses, reading manuscripts and writing reports.

For further information, visit Gioia’s website, or find her on Twitter @GioiaGuerzoni and Instagram.

About Rosie Leech

Rosie Leech is an illustrator, designer and ceramicist currently living in the UK. Her work is created using both digital and analogue processes, including traditional printmaking, hand building with porcelain and drawing.

For more information, visit Rosie’s website, or find her on Instagram.