From Booklist Gr. 6^-12. In few pages， this Need to Know volume addresses a difficult topic with clarity and compassion. By briefly acknowledging cultural taboos about death and romanticized depictions of it in the visual media， chapter 1 initiates straightforward communication that is not buoyed by histrionics or weighed down by copious data. Such an approach works effectively throughout， even for difficult issues like brutal gang-related murders. In the sections covering criminal deaths， the brief statistics are simultaneously frightening and engrossing. The same unsentimental delivery also works in the section "Fighting Fear with Facts，" as it allays concern and promotes understanding of the stages of grief. For students seeking help for themselves or others， this resource offers a valuable first step toward identifying emotional reactions to untimely death and taking action to begin healing. Bibliography. Roger Leslie Card catalog description Discusses death and the fear of death， explains the emotions experienced when someone you know is killed， and gives strategies to cope with them.