Wind and Waves by Michael Lucido

An Eagle’s Journey Through Grief and Loss

Children’s author, Michael Lucido, takes flight in new book about grief and loss

 TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN— Clinical psychologist and children’s author, Michael Lucido, is all about early intervention - both in the office and out. “The idea of trying to help earlier on and with younger people can be a preventative for challenges later [in life],” he explained. “It’s always been an important aspect of what I want to do in this field.” In fact, it was with this goal in mind that Lucido started writing; first, in the midst of the Covid pandemic to help his young daughter navigate global change (which is what inspired his debut kids’ book, Little Drop, 2022), and now, to support readers of all ages in approaching - and healing from - the trauma of bereavement in his sophomore title, Wind and Waves: An Eagle’s Journey through Grief and Loss. 

Wind and Waves

“Being able to capture [that experience] and process it allows people to really work through [something that can be] very traumatic; and [in doing so], move beyond it so that they can look back on it as part of their story, but without hurt and pain,” he added. 

Grief, Loss, and Dreamlike Illustrations

Modeled after such classic kids’ titles as Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree and The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse, by Charles Mackesy, Wind and Waves follows the journey of young Brother Eagle, who’s struggling after losing both parents, as he navigates the five stages of grief - denial, anger, bargaining, depression (or as Lucido explained, intense emotion), and finally, acceptance - to build the strength and confidence he needs to earn his crown of emotional growth. Led by older Sister Eagle, who’s already obtained her crown, the pair explore how the challenges Brother Eagle has faced, represented by the wind and waves, have helped him build up the strength and courage he needs to continue, Lucido explained; thereby laying the literary groundwork for readers to replace their negative distortions surrounding grief and loss with more adaptive ones. 

Featuring the dreamlike illustrations of artist, Emery Dong, and interspersed with functional extras, like conversation prompts for each chapter and dedications for Lucido’s own “eagle” tribe, including his professional mentor, as well as his late brother and three sisters, this whimsical story for “kids” aged 5 to 90 aims to contextualize the lived experience of grief and loss so that readers can manage, and ultimately heal from, those experiences. At its core, Lucido added, Wind and Waves is also a book about hope. “It’s about being able to overcome something that might be so impactful on our lives that we feel like we won’t be able to, but we can,” he said. “We can, and our story continues.” 

The Author

Michael Lucido, PhD, is a clinical psychologist who has worked with children and families in Detroit and northern Michigan since 2003. He holds a doctorate in clinical psychology and master’s degrees in both child psychology and clinical psychopharmacology. Drawing from personal and professional experience, Dr. Lucido writes with deep empathy and insight to help young readers process trauma and loss. Wind and Waves reflects his commitment to offering children hope, healing, and understanding. He lives in northern Michigan with his wife and best friend, Dr. Melissa Makowski; their daughter, Carmela, an imaginative artist and dancer; and their beloved fur babies, Circe, True, and Zeus. 

The Illustrator

Emery Dong is a fine artist specializing in graphite and oil whose award-winning work has been exhibited and honored throughout Michigan. A former member and award recipient of the Portrait Society of America, Emery brings emotion and memory to life through visual storytelling. 

The Book

Wind and Waves: An Eagle’s Journey through Grief and Loss

Written by Michael J. Lucido, PhD., illustrations by Emery Dong

58 pages, 6 x 9, Color

Juvenile Fiction/Death, Grief, Bereavement/Animals/Mental Health I

SBN: 978-1-965278-51-2, $29.95 (Hardcover)

ISBN: 978-1-965278-50-5, $22.95 (Softcover)

Publication Date: October 30, 2025 Nightlight Stories, an imprint of Mission Point Press 

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