Resources for Children

The Invisible String  by Patrice Karst, illustrated by Geoff Stevenson

Specifically written to address children's fear of being apart from the ones they love, The Invisible String delivers a particularly compelling message in today's uncertain times that though we may be separated from the ones we care for, whether through anger, or distance or even death, love is the unending connection that binds us all, and, by extension, ultimately binds every person on the planet to everyone else. Parents and children everywhere who are looking for reassurance and reaffirmation of the transcendent power of love, to bind, connect and comfort us through those inevitable times when life challenges us!

I Miss You: A First Look at Death  by Pat Thomas, illustrated by Lesley Harker

This book seeks to demystify death for young children by addressing a wide range of issues surrounding the loss of a loved one. It helps facilitate a healthy and straightforward conversation about why people die, how people die and what happens to them afterwards. Through this story, children can see that the feeling of grief is a natural reaction to loss.

The Scar  by Charlotte Moundlic, illustrated by Olivier Tallec

After the sudden loss of his mother, a boy fears that with time he will forget about her special qualities. The boy goes to great lengths to preserve her memory, from shutting all the windows in the house in order to keep in her scent, to reopening the scar on his leg in order to remember her love. His grandmother teaches him that a mother’s memory in fact lives in our hearts forever. The Scar is beautifully illustrated and less heavy-handed (it even includes some humor) than some other books for grieving children.

Water Bugs and Dragonflies: Explaining Death to Young Children  by Doris Stickney, illustrated by Robyn Henderson Nordstrom

This is a great book for gently explaining death to young children. The story centers on a colony of water bugs that live in a quiet pond. As the bugs mature and fly off into the sky, the rest of the water bugs are left to wonder where they go when they leave and why they never return. This book’s abstract message is appropriate for a range of issues that a grieving child could be dealing with.

The Purple Balloon, written and illustrated by Chris Raschka

The Purple Balloon gained national attention when it was published in 2010. The simple, heartfelt potato print illustrations by award-winning illustrator Chris Raschka explore what it means to be terminally ill in a way that’s remarkably digestible for young children. The main character, a red balloon, experiences the loss of his Grandmother before he himself becomes sick and eventually dies. This is a great resource for anyone working with a terminally ill young child.

When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide to Understanding Death  by Laurie Krasny, illustrated by Marc Brown

Rather than taking a narrative approach to explaining death, When Dinosaurs Die is a comprehensive, almost dictionary-like reference book for families with young children. Consider using this as an introduction to grief for children before they go through a serious personal loss.

Muddles, Puddles and Sunshine: Your Activity Book to Help when Someone has Died  by Diana Crossley, illustrated by Kate Sheppard

This activity book for a bereaved child provides a structured outlet for the difficult feeling associated with the loss of a loved one. It helps a child make sense of her experience and understand the duality of remembrance and letting go.

The Bear and the Wildcat  by Kazumi Yumoto, illustrated by Komako Sakai

Bear is overwhelmed by grief when he discovers his best friend Bird lying dead in the woods. It isn’t until he meets Wildcat that he rediscovers friendship and learns to honor old memories while making new ones. The illustrations in The Bear and the Wildcat are especially beautiful and touching.

The Copper Tree: Helping a Child Cope with Death and Loss  by Hilary Robinson, illustrated by Mandy Stanley

In The Copper Tree, a group of students are introduced to grief when their beloved teacher passes away. They learn that even though she is dead, her memory lives on.  Author Hilary Robinson takes a tender and lighthearted approach towards helping young children understand death and the subsequent feeling of loss.

Help Me Say Goodbye: Activities for Helping Kids Cope when a Special Person Dies  by Janis Silverman

Like Muddles, Puddles and Sunshine, this is an activity book for bereaved children.  Kids are guided through art therapy exercises to express through drawing what they are unable to describe through words.

The Fall of Freddie the Leaf : A Story of Life for All Ages by Leo Buscaglia

A warm, wonderfully wise and strikingly simple story about a leaf named Freddie. How Freddie and his companion leaves change with the passing seasons, finally falling to the ground with winter's snow, is an inspiring allegory illustrating the delicate balance between life and death.

The Next Place by Warren Hansen

The Next Place is an inspirational journey of light and hope to a place where earthly hurts are left behind. An uncomplicated journey of awe and wonder to a destination without barriers.

Goodbye Mousie  by Robie H. Harris, illustrated by Jan Ormerod

Although Goodbye Mousie is about the loss of a pet, it’s a useful tool for slowly introducing kids to the idea of mortality.  By focusing on the loss of a mouse instead of a person, the realities of loss and death become more easily digestible for young children.

Saying Goodbye to LuLu by Corinne Demas, illustrated by Ard Hoyt

A young girl and her lovable dog, Lulu, are the best of friends. They play games together, explore their neighborhood, and even cuddle up to read bedtime stories each night. Lulu is the best dog a girl could ever hope for, but when she grows older and gradually becomes weak, the little girl must face the sad possibility of losing her dear friend, and inevitably, cope with the death of her canine companion. Though she is deeply saddened by Lulu's passing and misses her very much, over time the little girl discovers that the sweet memory of her beloved Lulu will live on forever... in her heart.