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Friday 5 Dec 2025

Dad's heartfelt book on hope and grief now helping children across the country

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North West & Central

A dad who has written a book about bereavement to help his daughter deal with the loss of her mum has spoken of his surprise after being asked to do a live read of his work to thousands of schoolchildren across the country. 

Matt Dawkins, a project manager with Network Rail’s West Coast South route team, decided to pen his book Alba and the Sunshine to help his daughter Issie, seven, following the death of her mum.

Matt’s wife Chan passed away after a sudden underlying health issue that she hadn’t been aware of in November 2021. 

But, after searching for a book which would help Issie understand the bereavement, Matt found that there was nothing appropriate for her. So, he decided to write his own. 

His work, Alba and the Sunshine is a heart-warming tale of loss and resilience which follows the tale of Alba, who explores the world after losing her Sunshine. She deals with the feelings of grief and loss in a world that now seems scary and lonely. 

Following its release last year, Matt was asked to do a reading of the book for children across the country. His reading for youth organisation Learn Live was available to teachers and school staff who want to introduce the difficult topic to their own children. 

More than 45,000 schoolchildren watched the reading live across the country, and it is still available to view for parents and teachers who want to broach this difficult topic with their children. 

Speaking following the reading, Matt said: “I was really surprised and excited when I was asked to do this and to think that more than 45,000 children saw it is just amazing. 

“I hope that the book can help families who are going through these incredibly difficult times.” 

Watch Matt’s reading and find out more about the book here.