The books on this bibliography are designed to help parents
and children cope with the death of a loved one. Not every book is appropriate
for every child. We strongly urge caregivers to pre-read a book before sharing
it with a young person.
General Non-Fiction:
155.937 BRO When Dinosaurs Die: a Guide to Understanding Death. Laurene Krasny Brown. Ages
4-8. Explains in simple language the feelings people may have regarding the death of a loved one and the ways to honor the memory of someone who has died.
155.937 KRO Helping Children Cope with the Loss of a Loved One: a Guide for Grownups. William Kroen.
Age-specific advice detailing what children can understand. Includes a bibliography and resource list.
155.937 SCH How Do We Tell the
Children? A Step by Step Guide for Helping Children Two to Ten Cope When Someone
Dies. Dan Schaeffer and Christine Lyons.
A practical guide for anyone who works with children includes a “Crisis
Checklist” with scripted answers to children’s frequently-asked questions.
155.93 JAM When Children Grieve
– For Adults to Help Children Deal with Death, Divorce, Pet Loss, Moving
and Other Losses. John W. James and Russell Friedman.
Concrete suggestions of things to say and do with a child to help acknowledge
the loss and grieve in healthy ways.
155.937
EMS Guiding your Child through Grief. Mary Ann Emswiler.
The New England Center for Loss and Transition offers expert advice to help
a child grieve the death of a parent or sibling.
155.93 TRO Talking with Children about Loss -- Words, Strategies, and Wisdom to Help Children Cope with Death, Divorce, and other Difficult Times. Maria Trozzi.
155.937
THI 35 Ways to Help a Grieving Child. The Dougy Center.
The Dougy Center for the Grieving Child provides 35 practical suggestions for
helping children, teens, and their families cope with the loss of a loved one in
this short but valuable book.
155.937
FRY Part of Me Died, Too – Stories of Creative Survival Among Bereaved
Children and Teenagers. Virginia Fry. Ages 8 and up.
True stories of young people reflecting on their experiences with the deaths of
pets, family members, or friends.
155.937 SPR Death. (Preteen
Pressures Series) Barbara Sprung. Ages 8-12.
Discusses what it feels like to experience the death of a loved one, outlines
the stages of grief and mourning, and describes ways to honor or remember
someone who has died.
155.937 GID Coping with
Grieving and Loss. Sandra and Owen Giddens. Ages 11 and up.
Offers teens and pre-teens strategies for coping -- explaining the stages of
grieving, how to deal with friends and family, the funeral, anger, guilt and
depression, changing emotions, and where to go for help.
155.937 GRO Straight Talk about
Death for Teenagers: How to Cope With Losing Someone You Love. Earl Grollman. Ages 11 and up.
A poetic and thought-provoking book for teens who have experienced the death of
a friend or relative.
155.937 MEL Lifetimes: a
Beautiful Way to Explain Death to Children. Bryan Mellonie. Ages 3-8.
This book explains to children that death is a part of life and that,
eventually, all living things reach the end of their own special lifetimes.
155.937 MEL The Saddest Time. Norma Simon. Ages 5-8.
In these three stories, children come to terms with the death of an uncle, a
classmate, and a grandmother.
A workbook title which is not available in libraries but may be a worthwhile
purchase for families looking for a book where children can process their
grieving through art:
Help Me Say Goodbye : Activities for Helping Kids Cope When a Special Person
Dies. Janis Silverman.
Picture Books:
Badger’s Parting Gifts. Susan Varley.
Ages 3-8.
After Badger dies, his friends take comfort in the special memories they have of
the things they did together.
A Story for Hippo: A Book About Loss.
Simon Puttock. Ages 3-7.
Hippo and Monkey are best, best friends and when the wise old Hippo dies, Monkey
is very sad until Chameleon helps him remember the stories he and Hippo shared.
What's heaven? Maria Shriver. Ages
4-9.
After her great-grandmother's death, a young girl learns about heaven by asking
her mother all kinds of questions.
The Blue Pearls. Elizabeth Stuart
Warfel. Ages 5-9.
Elise cannot leave her life on earth and join the angels until they have
completed her sapphire-blue dress. The story of the passage through death from
the perspective of a small angel.
Chapter Books:
Charlotte’s Web. E.B. White. Ages
5-10.
Charlotte the spider teaches Wilbur the pig many truths about life and death.
Juvenile Biography:
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes.
Eleanor Coerr. Ages 8-12.
Hospitalized with the dreaded atom bomb disease, leukemia, a child in Hiroshima
races against time to fold one thousand paper cranes to verify the legend that
by doing so a sick person will become healthy.
155.937 HOL Gran-Gran’s Best
Trick. L. Dwight Holden. Ages 6-9.
As her grandfather weakens from terminal cancer and dies, his granddaughter
reflects on their special relationship and the memories of him that she will
share with her little sister.
Picture Books:
The Christmas Thingamajig. Lynn
Manuel. Ages 5-9.
On the first Christmas after her grandmother’s death, a young girl comes to
terms with her own anger and guilt, and learns that memories and rituals can
help heal hearts.
Come Back, Grandma. Sue Limb. Ages
3-7.
Bessie misses her grandmother when she dies, but when Bessie grows up, she has a
little girl of her own who looks and behaves just like Grandma.
Eleanor, Arthur, and Claire. Diane
Engel. Ages 3-7.
Claire, a young mouse, loves spending her summers with her grandparents, and
although she finds things changed after her grandfather's death, she and her
grandmother find the strength to go on without him.
Good-Bye, Vivi! Antonie Schneider.
Ages 5-8.
When Granny's beloved canary Vivi dies, the family comes to accept it, as well
as the idea that some day they will lose Granny as well.
Grandad Bill’s Song. Jane Yolen.
Ages 5-8.
As his relatives relate how they felt when his grandfather died, a boy is
surprised at the memories they share with him, and then is able to share his own
feelings.
The Grandad Tree. Trish Cooke. Ages
3-7.
The changing nature of their apple tree reminds Leigh and Vin of their
grandfather, who is gone but lives on in their memories.
Grandpa’s Slide Show. Deborah
Gould. Ages 4-8.
Whenever they visit Grandpa, Sam and Douglas always watch a slide show. After
Grandpa dies, the slide show becomes a way to remember him.
The Happy Funeral. Eve Bunting.
Ages 5-9.
A Chinese-American girl pays tribute to her grandfather as she assists in the
preparations for his funeral.
Liplap’s Wish. Jonathon London.
Ages 3-6.
As he builds a snowbunny, Liplap misses his grandmother who recently died. His
mother comforts him by helping him to imagine that his grandmother is now a star
in the sky.
Marianne’s Grandmother. Bettina
Egger. Ages 3-7.
After her grandmother dies, a little girl remembers all the good times they had
together.
My Grandfather’s House. Bruce
Coville. Ages 4-7.
When the child feels the cool, smooth fingers of his dead grandfather, he
finally understands that Grandpa no longer lives in the house that was his body.
My Grandma Leonie. Bijou Le Tord.
Ages 2-5.
In this simple book, a child remembers the quiet things they did together.
My Grandson Lew. Charlotte Zolotow.
Ages 2-6.
Together Lewis and his mother remember Grandpa, who used to come in the night
when Lewis called.
Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs. Tomie de Paola. Ages 3-7.
Four-year-old Tommy enjoys his relationship with both his grandmother and
great-grandmother, but eventually learns to face their inevitable deaths.
Old Pig. Margaret Wild. Ages 2-6.
Because Old Pig knows that her time to die is near, she puts her affairs in
order and takes a slow walk with Granddaughter to savor the beauty for one last
time in this comforting book.
One More Wednesday. Malika Doray.
Ages 3-7.
When a little animal's grandmother dies, he remembers good times with her and
asks his mother about death.
Poppy’s Chair. Karen Hesse. Ages
4-8.
On her first summer visit to her grandmother since her grandfather's death, Leah
is saddened by his absence, but Gramm helps her learn how to remember Poppy with
joy.
Sophie. Mem Fox. Ages 3-6.
As Sophie grows bigger and her grandfather gets smaller, they continue to love
each other very much.
Sweet, Sweet Memory. Jacqueline
Woodson. Ages 3-8.
A child and her grandmother feel sad when Grandpa dies but as time passes, funny
memories of him make them laugh and feel better.
Thank You, Grandpa. Lynn Plourde.
Ages 4-9.
Over the years a grandfather and granddaughter enjoy many walks together
appreciating nature’s life cycles. One day the granddaughter walks alone, but
her grandfather’s lessons remain.
A Time for Remembering. Chuck
Thurman. Ages 5-8.
After his grandfather's death, a boy remembers the intimate experiences they
shared and follows his grandfather's last request.
The Two of Them. Aliki. Ages 4-8.
In gentle prose, describes the relationship of a grandfather and his
granddaughter from her birth to his death.
Waiting for the Whales. SherylMcFarlane. Ages 4-8.
A little girl and her grandfather spend summer evenings waiting on the shore for
the whales to come, and after his death, she waits for the orcas to return,
thinking about the special bond they shared.
Where is Grandpa? T.A. Barron. Ages
5-9.
After his beloved grandfather's death, a boy realizes that his grandfather is
still with him through the stories each family member shares.
Chapter Books:
Blackberries in the Dark. Mavis
Jukes. Ages 7-11.
Nine-year-old Austin visits his grandmother the summer after his grandfather
dies and together they try to come to terms with their loss.
Saying Good-bye to Grandma. Jane Resh
Thomas. Ages 5-9.
Seven-year-old Suzie is curious and fearful about what Grandma's funeral will be
like.
Nonfiction:
155.937 KRE How it Feels When a
Parent Dies. Jill Krementz. Ages 7& up.
Eighteen young people –ages 7 to 16 – speak openly about their experiences and
feelings when a parent died.
155.412 LES When a Parent is
Very Sick. Eda LeShan. Ages 8-14.
A self-help guide that highlights feelings and situations when a parent is
temporarily, chronically, or terminally ill.
155.9 LES Learning to Say
Goodbye: When a Parent Dies. Eda LeShan. Ages 8-14.
Talks directly to children about what they may be feeling, what they can expect,
and how they might cope.
155.037 WEI Let’s Talk About
When a Parent Dies. Elizabeth Weitzman. Ages 4-9.
Provides advice on surviving the death of a parent and suggests what feelings
and behavior to expect from others.
155.937 POW Geranium Morning. E. Sandy Powell. Ages 6-10.
A boy who loses his father in an accident finds comfort when he meets a girl
whose mother is dying as they both begin to deal with their grief.
155.937 DOK Remembering Mama. Dara
Dokas. Ages 4-9.
Comforted by her father, a young girl remembers her mother and is comforted by
the thought that she is now in heaven. Suggestions for discussion and a variety
of activities are suggested to help deal with grief.
After Charlotte’s Mom Died. Cornelia Spelman. Ages 4-8.
After her mom’s death in a car accident, six-year-old Charlotte feels
sad, mad, and scared, until she and her dad visit a therapist who helps them
acknowledge and express their feelings.
Daddy’s Chair. Sandy Lanton. Ages
4-8.
When Michael's father dies, his family sits shiva, observing the Jewish week of
mourning, and remembers the good things about him.
Daddy’s Promise. Cindy Klein Cohen.
Ages 4-8.
After the death of his father, Jesse is angry and filled with questions. Why did
his daddy have to die? What happens when someone dies? Where do they go?
Jesse's questions are answered both by his mother, and in a series of dreams
where Jesse visits his father and learns about life, death, and life after
death.
Flamingo Dream. Donna Jo Napoli.
Ages 4-9.
Grieving over her father's death from cancer, a young girl celebrates their last
year together by making a book that includes mementos and
a story.
Mama. Eleanor Schick Ages 5-8.
This is a gentle exploration of a child's grief over the death of her mother.
The girl remembers her mother’s announcement of the illness, the introduction of
a loving caretaker, her mother's death and its aftermath, and the girl's own
eventual acceptance--not of the death, but of her mother's continuing presence
through memories.
A Quilt for Elizabeth. Benette W.
Tiffault. Ages 5-10.
When Elizabeth's father dies, her grandmother helps her make a quilt that is
full of memories for them both.
Some of the Pieces. Melissa Madenski.
Ages 5-9.
On the first anniversary of his dad's death, a boy talks about his memories and
his feelings as his family scatter the last of Dad's ashes in the river. He
remembers his anger and his sorrow and also how he began to feel better.
Saying Goodbye to Daddy. Judith
Vigna. Ages 4-8.
Frightened, lonely, and angry after her father is killed in a car accident,
Clare is helped through the grieving process by her mother and grandfather.
Chapter Books:
Daddy’s Climbing Tree. C.S. Adler.
Ages 9-12.
Eleven-year-old Jessica refuses to believe the reality of her father's death
when he is killed in a hit-and-run accident.
Sky Memories. Pat Brission. Ages 8
and up.
When ten-year-old Emily learns that her mother has cancer, the two of them begin
a ritual that will help
Emily remember her mother after she is dead.
Upside-Down Cake. Carol Carrick.
Ages 7-11.
A nine-year-old boy tries to come to terms with his grief, anger, and feelings
of guilt and isolation when his father develops cancer, becomes weaker, and
dies.
Winter Holding Spring. Crescent
Dragonwagon. Ages 6-11.
In discussing her mother's death with her father, eleven-year-old Sarah comes to
see that in endings there are new beginnings, that grief
is part of love, that loneliness is part of communication, and that change is
part of continuity.
Missing May. Cynthia Rylant. Ages
8-12.
After the death of the beloved aunt who has raised her, twelve-year-old Summer
and her uncle Ob leave their West Virginia trailer in search of the strength to
go on living.
155.937 RIC Losing Someone You
Love: When a Brother or Sister Dies. Elizabeth Richter. Ages 10 & up.
Sixteen young people ages ten to twenty four recall their emotions when a
sibling died. This book is helpful for parents and other adults as well as young
people.
155.937 BRE When I Die, Will I
Get Better? Joeri and Piet Breebaart. Ages 4-7.
A six-year-old boy tries to come to terms with the death of his younger brother
by creating a story about rabbit brothers that closely parallels his own
experiences.
155.937 MAP On the Wings of a Butterfly: a Story
about Life and Death. Marilyn Maple. Ages 5-12.
Lisa, a child dying of cancer, finds comfort and support in her friendship with
a caterpillar preparing for transformation into a monarch butterfly.
Picture Books:
A Little Bit of Rob. Barbara J.
Turner. Ages 4-8.
After Rob's death, his parents and younger sister find that taking their boat
out crabbing and handling his old sweatshirt allow them to come to terms with
his memory.
Molly’s Rosebush. Janice Cohn. Ages
4-8.
When the new baby they've been expecting is stillborn, Molly and her family find
different ways to express their feelings and comfort each other.
Stacey Had A Little Sister. Wendie
C. Old. Ages 3-7.
Stacy has mixed feelings about her new sister Ashley, but when the baby dies of
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, Stacy is sad and misses her.
That Summer. Tony Johnston. Ages
5-9.
A boy remembers the last summer with his dying brother and the quilt they sewed
full of memories and love.
Chapter Books:
Mick Harte Was Here. Barbara Park.
Ages 8-12.
Thirteen-year-old Phoebe recalls her younger brother Mick’s death in a bicycle
accident and the changes it brings in her family.
A Summer to Die. Lois Lowry. Ages
11-14.
Thirteen-year-old Meg envies her sister's beauty and popularity. Her feelings
don't make it any easier for her to cope with Molly's strange illness and
eventual death from leukemia.
Zink. Cheryl Bennett. Ages 9-14.
With the help of a trio of zebras from the Serengeti, sixth-grader Becky faces
her battle with leukemia, her family's fears for her, and
the possibility that she might die.
Picture Books:
Losing Uncle Tim. Mary Kate Jordan.
Ages 5-10.
When his beloved Uncle Tim dies of AIDS, Daniel struggles to find reassurance
and understanding and finds that his favorite grown-up has left him a legacy of
joy and courage.
Tiger Flowers. Patricia Quinlin.
Ages 4-8.
When his uncle, Michael, dies of AIDS, Joel's dreams and thoughts of Michael
keep his memory alive.
Too far away to touch. Leslea
Newman. Ages 5-8.
Zoe's favorite uncle Leonard takes her to a planetarium and explains that if he
dies he will be like the stars, too far away to touch, but close enough to see.
You Hold Me and I’ll Hold You. Jo
Carson. Ages 4-7.
When a great-aunt dies, a young child finds comfort in being held and in
holding, too.
155.937 COO When a Friend Dies: A Book for Teens about Grieving. Marilyn E. Gootman. Ages 11&up. A brief book filled with practical and perceptive advice to help teens cope with their questions and feelings after a friend’s death.
Picture Books:
I Had a Friend Named Peter. Janice
Cohn. Age 5-8.
When Betsy learns about the death of a friend, her parents and kindergarten
teacher answer questions about dying, funerals, and the burial process.
Includes a section on talking to children about the death of a friend.
Goodbye Rune. Marit Kaldhol. Ages
7-11.
When her best friend accidentally drowns, a little girl, with the help of her
parents, tries to come to terms with his death and her feelings of loss and
sadness.
If Nathan Was Here. Mary Bahr
Fritts. Ages 4-8.
A young boy grieves the loss of his best friend and thinks about how things
would be if he were still alive in this simple, moving story.
Blow Me a Kiss, Miss Lilly. Nancy
White Carlstom. Ages 4-8.
After her best friend, an old lady named Miss Lilly, passes away, Sara learns
that the memory of a loved one never dies.
Chapter Books:
Dusty Was My Friend. Andrea Fleck
Clardy. Age 7-11.
Eight-year-old Benjamin remembers his friend Dusty, who was killed in a car
accident, and tries to understand his own feelings about losing a friend in this
way.
The Empty Window. Eve Bunting. Ages
9-12.
With his younger brother's help, C.G. captures a wild parrot for his friend who
is dying and comes to terms with his own fear of seeing his dying friend.
A Taste of Blackberries. Doris
Buchanan Smith. Ages 8 & up.
A young boy recounts his grief and feelings of guilt after his best friend dies
from a bee sting.
We Remember Philip. Norma Simon.
Ages 6-11.
After the accidental death of their teacher’s son, Sam and his classmates seek a
way to express their feelings, preserve his memory, and help their teacher cope.
General Nonfiction:
155.9 NIE Pet Loss: A Thoughtful Guide
for Adults & Children. Herbert A. Nieburg.
Pet Loss tells parents how they can help their children through this difficult
experience and also offers expert advice on euthanasia, expectations from a
veterinarian, cremation, pet cemeteries, and when to introduce a new pet.
155.937 ROG When a Pet Dies. Fred Rogers. Ages 3 – 6.
With simplicity, honesty and gentleness, Rogers writes about some of the
questions and emotions children may have when a pet dies.
Dogs:
Picture Books:
The Accident. Carol Carrick. Ages
5-9.
After his dog, Bodger, is hit by a truck and killed, Christopher must deal with
his own feelings of depression and guilt.
Jim’s Dog Muffins. Miriam Cohen.
Ages 3-7.
When Jim's dog is killed, the other first graders comfort and experience with
him his natural reactions to death.
A Dog Like Jack. Dyanne DiSalvo-Ryan.
Ages 4-8.
After a long life of chasing squirrels, licking ice cream cones, and loving his
adoptive family, an old dog comes to the end of his days.
I’ll Always Love You. Hans Wilhelm.
Ages 3-8.
A child's sadness at the death of a beloved dog is tempered by the memory of
saying to it every night, "I'll always love you” in this gentle, moving story.
Murphy and Kate. Ellen Howard.
Ages 5-10.
Kate and her dog Murphy have grown up together and are best friends, but when
Murphy dies of old age Kate does not think she can ever be happy again.
Better with Two. Barbara M. Joosee.
Ages 3-7.
Laura tries to make Mrs. Brady feel better when her dog Max dies.
Goodbye, Max. Holly Keller. Ages
3-8.
Ben is angry when his dog dies of old age and will not accept the new puppy
until he learns to deal with his grief.
Ada’s Pal. George Ella Lyon. Ages
3-8.
A small dog suffers from a broken heart when her dog companion dies until a
veterinarian advises the family that there is only one thing to do – get another
dog.
Dog Heaven. Cynthia Rylant. Ages
3-8.
God created Dog Heaven, a place where dogs can eat ice cream biscuits, sleep on
fluffy clouds, and run through unending fields.
Toby. Margaret Wild. Ages 4-10.
Toby is an old and sick dog. His family does their best to care for him and
they also learn that change is not as easy for some people to accept.
Chapter Books:
The Sounds of Summer. David Updike.
Ages 7-10.
During the long days of summer vacation, Homer realizes that his beloved
Sophocles is no longer a young dog and that he may lose his companion soon.
Sounder. William Armstrong. Ages
8-13.
A beautiful story about a young African-American boy and his dog who dies.
Cats:
Picture Books:
The Tenth Good Thing about Barney.
Judith Viorst. Ages 4-8.
In an attempt to overcome his grief, a boy tries to think of the ten best things
about his dead cat.
Goodbye, Mitch. Ruth Wallace-Brodeur.
Ages 5-9.
A young boy comforts and cares for his terminally ill cat.
The Bug Cemetery. Frances Hill.
Ages 4-8.
Neighborhood children imaginatively stage funerals for dead bugs, but they
experience real sadness following the death of a pet cat.
Cat Heaven. Cynthia Rylant. Ages
3-7.
God created Cat Heaven, with fields of sweet grass where cats can play,
kitty-toys for them to enjoy, and angels to rub their noses and ears.
Chapter Books:
Mustard. Charlotte Graeber. Ages 8-10.
Eight-year-old Alex and his family try to come to terms with the old age and
death of their beloved cat, Mustard.
Whiskers Once and Always. Doris
Orgel. Ages 8-10.
When her beloved cat Whiskers dies, Rebecca finds it difficult at first to vent
her anger and accept her mother's comfort.
Other Pets:
Picture Books:
Tough Boris. Mem Fox. Ages 2-6.
Although he is a very tough pirate, Boris cries when his parrot dies.
Goodbye Mousie. Robie H. Harris.
Ages 3-8.
A boy grieves for his dead pet Mousie, helps to bury him, and begins to come to
terms with his loss.
Helen the Fish. Virginia L. Kroll.
Ages 4-8.
When six-year-old Hannah's beloved goldfish dies after a relatively long life,
she seeks comfort from her older brother Seth.
Chapter Book:
King Emmett the Second. Mary Stolz.
Ages 7-10.
Emmett endures the death of his pet pig and his family's move from New York City
to Ohio and finally comes to accept the thought of getting another pet.