Corinne Fenton and Hannah Sommervilles Chasing Shadows is the kind and honest story of a young girl Beth, who is navigating her way through the shadows of grief after the loss of her mum. It begins with a touching moment, showing a fathers attempt to make his daughters path a gentler one by bringing home a puppy. Beth thinks it is too soon, so on the surface his effort appears futile. But grief is deep and complex and Corinne Fentons lyrical words and Hannah Sommervilles soft illustrations allow the reader to tread gently through the theme and discover its many layers.

The dad, dealing with his own grief, knows it is a solitary journey that one can only negotiate alone. He can only watch out for his daughter as she is overwhelmed by sadness and silenced by grief. The puppy provides cathartic relief. Whilst Beth is consumed by shadows, Patchs exuberance overflows with abundance, drawing Beth out slowly and gently into the sunshine, as only a puppy can.

The text and illustrations are subtly layered, and gain in complexity through multiple readings, opening a doorway into deeper discussions. Corinne Fenton approaches the topic with care but remains honest without being precious, while Hannah Sommervilles illustrations fill out the details in basic but subtle ways. For instance the identity shift involved when losing a parent can be seen throughout the book as we see Beth focusing on her mothers necklace and her eventual ownership of it.

This wonderful book would be of great benefit to children coming to terms with the loss of a family member or any other times of great sadness.