Rachel and the upside down heart by Eileen Douglas

Rachel and the upside down heart by Eileen Douglas, illustrated by Katherine Potter. Price Stern Sloan, 1998.

Written by Rachel's mother, this book details Rachel's grief and her growing acceptance of her father's death. After her father's death, when Rachel is four, she and her mother move to a new lifestyle in New York.At seven Rachel passes on the lessons she has learnt to classmate, who has lost his father: [Y]ou might have a few sad dreams and a few bad feelings, like that you will die or your mommy will leave you, but - after a LONG, long time, you will get over it, like I did.  He's still inside you, but if you're having a good time, then you don't remember.