Grief & Loss

Alvarez, Julia

Children wonder what happens to their loved ones after death.

Bagley, Jessixa

Buckley and his mother cope with the loss of their father/husband by sending small wooden boats, built by Buckley, off into the ocean.

Blumenthal, Deborah

A boy whose beloved dog has died, and a dog whose owner also died, find each other and slowly begin to trust one another.

Brisson, Pat

When his teacher, Miss Perry, is killed in a car accident, Stevie and his elementary school classmates take turns sharing memories of her, especially her fondest wish for each day.

Charara, Hayan, 1972-

A young Lebanese boy must learn to cope with loss and hope for a peaceful future after losing one of his beloved cats because of The July War. Based on the month-long conflict between Lebanon and Israel during the summer of 2006.

Cobb, Rebecca

Daddy comforts and reassures a very young boy after Mommy dies.

Crowe, Carole

As her grandmother taught her, Magdalena continues to protect the sea turtles that nest near her home even after Grandma's death.

Dellevoet, Alexandra

Jacob and his robot Rafa do everything together, but one day, Rafa begins to slow down, becoming weaker with each day, and Jacob, unable to find a cure for his friend, must come to terms with possibly losing him.

Demas, Corinne

When her dog Lulu dies, a girl grieves but then continues with her life.

Doyle, Roddy, 1958-

Siobhán and her father continue to feel sad in the years following the death of Siobhán's mother, until Siobhán follows the advice of a mysterious woman.

Fried, Amelie, 1958-

After his beloved grandfather dies, a young boy feels confused and sad as he struggles to understand the meaning of death.

Goldman, Linda, 1946-

Henry the dog explains how he felt after his grandfather died and how the children who make up his family felt and worked through their feelings of grief.

Grimes, Nikki

Alternating poems by a brother and sister convey their feelings about the death of their older brother and the impact it had on their family.

Himler, Ronald

After the death of one of his seven cats, an old man finds how much he misses his cat as he goes about the activities of each day.

Levis, Caron

A polar bear grieves over the loss of his companion, based on the real-life Gus and Ida of New York's Central Park Zoo.

Lies, Brian author, illustrator.

Farmer Evan and his dog do everything together and, especially, in the garden but when his dog passes away Evan lets his garden fill with weeds until a pumpkin vine brings new hope.

Maier, Inger M.

Emily introduces her younger brother, Ben, to butterflies, which he calls "flying flowers," and when his illness makes him too weak to go see them she draws him pictures, but after his death she no longer wants to draw happy things. Includes note to parents.

Mathers, Petra

When Aunt Mattie dies, best friends Lottie and Herbie console each other and celebrate Aunt Mattie's life by scattering her ashes and preparing her favorite snack--peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (with bananas).

Moore-Mallinos, Jennifer

Helps children deal with grief by showing how a young boy explores his feelings about loss and sadness after the death of his pet.

Newman, Lesléa

A young boy deals with the loss of his beloved cat Charlie, eventually accepting the arrival of another, very different cat.

Prestine, Joan Singleton

A young girl describes the anger and sadness she feels after someone she loved dies, and makes a scrapbook to remember the things they did together.

Reagan, Jean, 1965-

Becky slowly returns to the activities she enjoyed with her big brother, John, after learning that he is still part of her family, even after his death.

Ringtved, Glenn, 1968- author.

When Death comes to take their grandmother away, he shares a story with four siblings that helps them realize the value of loss and the importance of being able to say goodbye.

Roberts, Jillian, 1971- author.

Using questions posed in a child's voice and answers that start simply and become more in-depth, this book allows adults to guide the conversation about grief to a natural and reassuring conclusion.

Rodman, Mary Ann

Even though Zach finds roller coasters scary, he rides one with Grandpa in an attempt to make him happy again after Grandma's death.

Salonen, Roxane B.

During the ceremony of First Salmon, an event celebrated by the Northwest Pacific tribes to honor and welcome back the salmon each year, Charlie remembers his beloved uncle and starts the process of accepting his death.

Thomas, Pat, 1959-

Explains why people die and what death means, the purpose of funerals, and how people react when loved ones die.

Thong, Roseanne

Ming's wishes at the tree on Lunar New Year with his grandmother always seemed to come true, but one year the tree does not help, and he alone must make peace with the loss of his grandmother and the spirit of the tree.

Zucker, Bonnie, 1974- author.

Sensitively written and gently illustrated, this book explains death in developmentally appropriate terms for two-and three-year-old children.