Books for Children
The Invisible String by Patrice Karst is a comforting story about two siblings who learn that everyone has an invisible string connecting them to everyone they love — anywhere, anytime — through separation, anger, and even death. “Even though you can’t see it with your eyes, you can feel it deep in your heart, and know that you are always connected to the ones you love.”
Ida, Always by Caron Levis shares the beautiful story of two city zoo polar bears, Gus and Ida, and their feelings when Ida becomes sick with an illness that cannot be healed and later dies. It beautifully explores the turbulent range of emotions felt when a loved one becomes terminally ill, with a focus on making the most of the time we have left with sick loved ones. This is one of the most poignant books about love and loss I have read.
I Miss You: A First Look at Death by Pat Thomas explains what we know about death and grief in a simple, factual manner. It outlines reasons why people die, introduces what a funeral is, and explores the difficult feelings and emotions of saying goodbye and missing someone very much.
The Scar by Charlotte Moundic. When the boy in this story wakes to find that his mother has died, he is overwhelmed with sadness, anger, and fear that he will forget her. He shuts all the windows to keep in his mother’s familiar smell and scratches open the cut on his knee to remember her comforting voice. He doesn’t know how to speak to his dad anymore, and when Grandma visits and throws open the windows, it’s more than the boy can take – until his grandmother shows him another way to feel that his mom’s love is near. With tenderness, touches of humor, and unflinching emotional truth, Charlotte Moundlic captures the loneliness of grief through the eyes of a child, rendered with sympathy and charm in Olivier Tallec’s expressive illustrations.
I’ll Always Love You by Hans Wilhelm explores the love between humans and their pets through the story shared by a young narrator about his dog, Elfie, and their life together. The book shows the boy caring for Elfie as she ages and his family’s grief when she dies of old age. The boy is sad that Elfie is gone but consoles himself that his dog always knew how much she was loved.
In his signature simple style, Todd Parr explores the range of emotions and responses when we experience loss in The Goodbye Book. Parr guides young readers through the feelings most commonly felt when struggling with a goodbye, with the reassurance that with time things will get better, and a reminder that they are always loved.
When Dinosaurs Die by Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown
A straightforward explanation about what it means to be alive or dead, different cultural customs, and ways to remember people who have died.
I Miss You: A First Look at Death by Pat Thomas
Written by a therapist, this book lays out the facts about both the physical realities and emotional complexities of death with candid, true-to-life examples.
Death Is Stupid by Anastasia Higginbotham
An explanation of the feelings many young people experience when someone dies, plus an explanation of ways to celebrate love and life.
Where are you Lydie? is a special picture book, sensitively written and illustrated for children between 3 and 7 years old. It is a facilitative story and guide for young children and their parents to explore death and bereavement together and to start those difficult conversations or explore the questions that may come up after the death of a baby in a safe and inspiring space.
Where Do They Go? by Julia Alvarez
Open-ended questions and abstract illustrations lead children gently into a deep discussion of death and its aftermath. “When somebody dies, / where do they go? Who can I ask? / Does anyone know?”
Lifetimes: The Beautiful Way to Explain Death to Children by Bryan Mellonie – a beautifully moving book for children of all ages, even parents too. It lets us explain life and death in a sensitive, caring, beautiful way. Lifetimes tells us about beginnings. And about endings. And about living in between. With large, wonderful illustrations, it tells about plants, animals, and people. It tells that dying is as much a part of living as being born.
The Fall of Freddie the Leaf: A Story of Life for All Ages by Leo Buscaglia – This lovely story follows Freddie the leaf throughout his life cycle. It’s a wonderful book that explains the cycle of life, and death.
Water Bugs and Dragonflies: Explaining Death to Young Children, A Coloring Book by Doris Stickney – This is a coloring book folks! It’s a coloring book that tells the story of a waterbug that completes her metamorphosis into a dragonfly and leaves the pond. But that starts a conversation with the other water bugs about where she went when she transformed.Recommended for grades Pre-school-3rd
Always Remember by Cece Meng – Without mentioning a deity or religion this book gently helps children with the loss of a friend. The old sea turtle has passed away and is has been carried away by the waves. His friends remember him and how their lives were made better because of his kindness to them.
Chester Raccoon and the Acorn Full of Memories by Audrey Penn – Chester Raccoon’s good friend Skiddel Squirrel has had an accident and will not be returning – ever. Chester is upset that he won’t get to play with his friend anymore. Mrs. Raccoon suggests that Chester and his friends create some memories of Skiddel, so that they will have good memories when they miss him. Chester, his brother Ronny, and their friends decide to gather at the pond, where they combine their memories and create a touching celebration of their friend’s life. Recommended for grades Kindergarten-3rd
Rudi’s Pond by Eve Bunting – Based on a true story of friendship. The narrator’s friend, Rudi, gets sick and dies. Grieving the narrator and her classmates build a pond in memory of Rudi. These grieving steps are so important in the healing process and sets a good example of things that can be done when someone dies. Recommended for grades Pre-school-3rd
