When you purchase Missing by Best Friend from this site it will be a SIGNED copy! Email Norma at knappspringjoy@gmail.com to buy!

Price: $60.00
(+tax & shipping)
ISBN: 978-0-9846314-0-7
First Addition
Ages: 3 – 9 yrs.
Size: 8″ x 10″
Published: June 2011
2nd printing: June 2012
Missing My Best Friend is now a collectible! Only a few left!

Click here to see the Dust Jacket

In Missing my Best Friend author Norma Thorstad Knapp has crafted a story about the power of friendship between two young boys, the subsequent grief when one boy dies, and the power of a family’s love. Told through the eyes of a young boy, this is a beautifully written and illustrated book about one boy’s grief, how his family is affected, and how parents and grandparents gently help him cope and heal. With honesty, compassion, and sensitivity, Knapp’s evocative and comforting words address issues children have when someone they care about dies unexpectedly. Missing my Best Friend is an insightful story to read aloud with children to encourage a conversation about an important and challenging topic; and Faythe Mills’ soft pastel drawings poignantly capture the tender nature of children’s friendships and the healing power of love.

How does a family cope with unexpected loss? Told through the eyes of the young boy, this story addresses his grief and shows how parents and grandparents can help a child mourn and cope with the unexpected loss of someone close. Feelings of sadness and anger that the child has are sensitively portrayed, and the book further shows ways adults can help a young child commemorate the loss of a special life, and eventually heal. This warm and gentle gift of love, Missing My Best Friend is mirrored by its understated, realistic pastel drawings. The book not only celebrates the resilience of children, but the help and love that caring adults can bring to the life of a child during a time of tragedy.

Praise and Reviews

“I have been waiting my entire career for a book like this.”
— Barb, a social worker from Alexandria, MN

“It may not happen right away, but your book is destined to become a classic.”
— a Bismarck, ND, librarian

“I love your book! I salute your talent!”
–A leading watercolorist in Hawaii. Sherri Reeve, Makawao, Maui, Hawaii

“Norma and I were co-workers in the Special Ed. Dept. at our local school. As she saw children/students’ academic and social needs, she was able to empathize with them. And she continues to expand her experiences. Coupled with her writing talent, it did not surprise me that she wrote this kind of insightful book about families and their needs in specific situations.”
—former Special Ed educator Adeline Beltz, Bagley, MN

“Norma combines two qualities. One is common in a writer: good writing. One is not so common but much appreciated: compassion and wisdom.”
–freelance writer Rina Szwarc

“Yes, I do have boys, but this book is not for them. My brother just died. He was my best friend. This book is for me.”
—Shannon, a service consultant, Mandan, ND

“Your book is chock-full of artistic and literary devices. For example, there’s foreshadowing on page 13, symmetry–both vertical and horizontal on many pages, and that last page is filled with symbolism. You both are probably intuitive healers.”
–writer, art therapist, and social worker M. Porter, Minneapolis, MN

“Missing My Best Friend is a wonderful achievement. My ten-year-old grandson is enamored with it and often reads it while visiting. Children have many questions about death and loss. Norma’s excellent book is a tool for parents, grandparents, and adults to share with children going through grief issues. I look forward to more of Ms. Knapp’s expertise on this topic.”
—Candace Simar, author of The Abercrombie Trail Series

“This is a lovely and touching book that honors how painful it is to lose a best friend — at any age. But rarely can one find a book that addresses this kind of loss so simply and beautifully for children. The story brought tears to my eyes. It is a valuable addition to grief literature for children.”
–Judy Tatelbaum, LCSW, Grief Therapist and author of THE COURAGE TO GRIEVE and YOU DON’T HAVE TO SUFFER

“We used your book “Missing My Best Friend” with the kids at our Kids Grief Camp. I read it to the younger ones (ages 4-7) . . . and they talked about how they felt after their loved ones had died. We will continue to use this book at camp and are recommending it to families.”
–Lindsey Peterson, LSW Rice Hospice Social Worker Granite Falls/Montevideo

“In “Missing My Best Friend” Norma Thorstad Knapp brings a gentle touch to a heartbreaking subject: a young boy grieving the death of his best friend. Exquisitely illustrated by Faythe Mills, this beautifully written book will help ease the pain of children experiencing a devastating loss and subtly encourage space to grieve so the healing process can begin. I was deeply moved by this heartfelt story.”
— Denise Bjornson, author “Defining Gray”

“This is a very special book dealing with grief. Wonderful to use with children, but I am a great-grandmother and found much in this book for adults as well. I showed my copy to my Pastor; she was very pleased with it and ordered two copies to be used in their grief counseling. I give it 5 stars!”
— Inez Orthmeyer, retired RN – Sioux Falls, SD

“When my son’s best friend died suddenly and tragically, I was at a loss for words. I read several books to him to try to ease his pain and explain the abstract concept of death to him. Unfortunately, none of the books were exactly right. They were all great books, but none seemed to fit our situation, so they were hard to relate to. And then I found “Missing My Best Friend”. My son and I found it in a bookstore and though we had errands to run and places to be, we sat down in the middle of the bookstore and read this beautiful book. We cried, we laughed, and we connected to the characters in the story, which was so very important to my son. He had been feeling like no one understood him; like no one had ever experienced a loss such as this. But this book helped him see that he’s not alone and he’s not the only one who has ever lost a best friend. This book is a perfect mix of reminding people to celebrate their loved ones, but also to be sad. It reminds us that it’s okay to be sad, but it’s also okay to be happy. Reading this book with my son opened up some conversations and for the first time, he was able to recall happy memories about his friend, rather than dwelling on the sadness of her passing. It also helped my son to recall the last time he had seen his friend and instead of being sad that it was the last time, to be happy that he had experienced that time at all. I love the idea of the memory quilt, and we plan on making one when we are both ready. But for now, we will read this book over and over and allow it to help us heal.”
— Julie Pokrinchak – New Milford, Connecticut

You can also find the book in the following stores!

Trumm Drug, Glenwood, MN
Valley Troll, Glenwood, MN
Mainly Cuts, Glenwood, MN
Cherry Street Books, Alexandria, MN
Trumm Drug, Alexandria, MN
The Mustard Seed, Alexandria, MN
Buffalo Books, Buffalo, MN
Sister Wolf Books, Dorset, MN
Beagle Books, Park Rapids, MN
Melbergs Book Store, Moorhead, MN
Art Galley in Morris, MN
Turtle Town – Nisswa, MN
Book World – Brainerd, MN
Melbergs Bookstore, Moorhead, MN
Good News Bookstore in Willmar, MN
Trumm Pharmacy in the Alexandria Clinic in Alexandria, MN
Trumm Drug, Elbow Lake, MN
Trumm Drug, Parkers Prairie, MN
Snooty Fox Shop, Annandale, MN
Norlein Fine Art near Clearwater, MN
Book World, Willmar, MN
Scandinavian Gifts, Alexandria, MN
Runestone Gifts, Alexandria, MN
Evansville Art Center, Evansville, MN
Beagle Books, Park Rapids, MN
Maple Billy Tree Shop, Milan, MN
Melberg Christian Books, Moorhead, MN
Hjemkost Gift Shop, Moorhead, MN
Eat Your Words Bookstore, Mpls, MN
Little Falls Bookstore, Little Falls, MN
Western Edge Books, Medora, ND
County Museum, Regent, ND
Tower Travel Center, Tower City, ND
Dakota Drug, Stanley, ND
Tioga Drug, Tioga, ND
Books on Broadway, Williston, ND
Ferguson Books, Grand Forks, ND
University of North Dakota Bookstore, Grand Forks, ND
Eagle’s Nest Bookstore, Valley City, ND
Meyers Dept. Store, Watford City, ND
Vintage Point, Fargo, ND
Western Edge Bookstore, Medora, ND
County Historical Museum in Regent, ND
Scandinavian Heritage Center, Minot, ND
Main Street Bookstore, Minot, ND
Sherrie Reeve Gallery, Makawao, Maui, HI