When Logan learns that his friend Georgie died, he has questions about the funeral.  Does he need to be “invited” or should he attend at all? This book, written by our Founder and Bereavement Specialist, Leslie Delp and illustrated by former Olivia’s House Board President, Vicki Friedman, explains concepts such as earth burial, cremation, and bereavement, so that young children can better understand what’s going on after a death instead of overhearing conversations from adults!

When a little boy’s grandpa dies and is buried at the cemetery, everyone in the family brings stones to the gravesite. This is a Jewish tradition, the little boy learns, and each stone is accompanied with a story about Grandpa that makes everyone feel a little less sad. “Stones for Grandpa” by Renee Londner is a wonderful resource to teach children about funeral rituals they may participate in!

Violet has a best friend named Mia, and they do everything together. . .and I mean everything! Each day at school, Violet can count on Mia to be there – that is, until Mia gets a really, really, big sick. When Mia dies, Violet feels lost without her friend, and feels like no one else remembers her. So, Violet takes action, and organizes and memorial for her friend at school, channeling her grief energy into something beautiful and healing!

Sean had just completed his first week of second grade when he got the shocking news that his father died. How does a seven-year-old process the emotions of grief? Read along with Sean in “The Day my Dad Turned Invisible” by Sean R. Simmons as our narrator tries to figure out what this all means for him. You will gain some insight into your own little one along the way!

Written in a striking yet digestible way, Taryn Schuelke’s “A Kids Book about Death” allows opportunity for conversation to flow easily and gently after a loss. Schuelke provides language that is direct and appropriate for children of all ages, giving families the words and tools to navigate some of death’s bigger questions.

It can often be our instinct to use euphemisms or flowery phrases to describe death, but what children need from us is direct, humanized interactions. In Anastasia Higgenbottom’s Death is Stupid! our young narrator informs the adults in his world exactly how he feels about death, which opens up beautiful conversation!

In Kathe Martin Copeland’s Mama’s Going to Heaven Soon, a little girl learns that her mom has terminal cancer. Her father finds all the right words to tell her what is happening, and that makes this book a perfect guide for any parent who is preparing their child for the death of a loved one.

The death of a sibling is a unique loss that often leaves parents confused about how to help their surviving children process what has happened. “Forever Connected” by Jessica Correnti is a beautifully illustrated example of a bereaved sibling’s experience, intertwining stories from many walks of life. This book provides the perfect language for rituals and remembering!

When an infant sibling dies, it is so important to remind your other children that their brother or sister are still an important part of the family. Megan Lacourrege’s “My Sibling Still” reads as a love letter to the sibling who has passed, showing how the family remembers and cherishes their spirit-side child.  This is a beautiful book for children of all ages!

When young Rachel realizes her grandfather, Zayde, is moving into her family’s house permanently, she suspects something is going on. In Sheri Sinykin’s Zayde Comes to Live, we follow Rachel as she learns through eavesdropping and clue-solving that Zayde is dying. Rachel seeks advice from her friends, her Rabbi, and her family, before coming to understand that the love between her and Zayde will outlast his physical life on this earth. Though his death will hurt her heart, Rachel knows she will never be living a life “without” her Zayde!

You Wouldn’t Understand by Eileen Ennis tells the story of a fourth-grade class whose teacher dies unexpectedly. The narrator of our story, a 9-year-old student, thinks that no one understands his pain. But when he sees all of his classmates talking about their feelings, he realizes that expressing himself might be the way to go!

Children naturally have questions when someone they love dies, and it is a tall order for adults to know what to say! Julia Alvarez’s book “Where do They Go?” is a gentle, poetic look into exploring loss-related questions. As always, the illustrations are breath-taking. Don’t miss this one on our shelves!

When a child loses a parent, it can leave their remaining caregivers in a state of limbo. How do you know what to say to your child when they are hurting? When Mom or Dad Dies by Daniel Grippo is a wonderful resource that empowers caregivers to open the door for conversation with young children about loss, feelings of sorrow, and healing.

When Author Pat Schweibert wanted to pen a resource to help children who are experiencing the loss of their family’s pregnancy, she beautifully titled her book, We Were Gonna Have a Baby, But We had An Angel Instead. This amazing resource explains to young children who were expecting a baby to join the family how to instead grow a spiritual relationship with their sibling. The book meets children where they are at, even acknowledging that “a baby would have been more fun.” This book is a great support for a bereaved family.

You are in for a treat with this whimsical yet enthralling book! Turned Upside Down by Teana Tache is actually two books. . .when you finish one side, just flip the book around to start the next story! This incredible resource helps children foster their spiritual connection to their special person who has died, by showing how signs and symbols from our loved ones can feel like a unique form of communication.

When someone that we love dies, the feelings of longing and homesickness can be overwhelming at times, for children and adults alike. In Julie Muller’s children’s book entitled Till We Meet Again, the reader explores how to connect with your loved one through memories and rituals, which can enhance feelings of togetherness even when our special person isn’t physically here anymore. This beautiful book encourages readers of all ages to recognize the everlasting bonds of love!

The Thing about Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin is a fun read for both children and teens! Suzy Swanson is just trying to navigate middle school. When her friend Franny dies, Suzy is desperate to figure out why, and she has an inkling the jellyfish had something to do with it! Join Suzy on her journey of imagination, learning, and healing.

The Scar by Charlotte Moundlic tells the story of a little boy who wakes up one morning to find that his mother has died, and he tries desperately to keep the essence of his mother in the house – by closing all of the windows! This little boy isn’t sure how to relate to the other adults around him, and DEFINITELY doesn’t want them opening the windows! That is, until his grandmother relates to his sense of loss and longing and encourages different ways that he can form a relationship with his mother that lasts beyond a lifetime.

Steve Herman’s “Dragon Book” series is an exceptional way to teach children about their feelings. In Herman’s book “The Sad Dragon,” a boy’s pet dragon has experienced loss, and he is feeling mad, sad, and scared! Join our young narrator as he helps his dragon cope, all while teaching your children the best way to express themselves!

The Invisible String by Patrice Karst is a book that any bereaved child will connect with! When Jeremy and Liza’s mom shares that all of our loved ones are attached to us by an invisible string made of love, they suddenly feel more connected than ever before! Whether your children are missing someone who died, or just missing their friends and routine, this book reminds us that love binds us no matter what our circumstances!

When a group of children find a bird laying on the ground with its eyes closed and no pulse, they know something special needs to be done. In Margaret Wise Brown’s The Dead Bird, we see the wisdom of children shine through as they bury their bird and say goodbye, all on their own. Children truly are amazing!

Tear Soup by Pat Schweibert is an incredible story to read with children when they’ve experienced loss. Just like the family in the book, you may relate to the characters when they learn that sometimes the bereavement process is messy, similar to cooking soup from scratch in the kitchen! Tear Soup reminds us all that it’s okay when things aren’t perfect, as long as we keep moving forward.

Have you ever loved something so much you never want to let it go? That’s the case with Sophie’s Squash by Pat Zietlow Miller, a silly and heartwarming tale about young Sophie and her squash named Bernice. Sophie takes Bernice with her everywhere she goes, but over time, Bernice gets a little spotted and squishy. Sophie learns how to care for her squash in the way that it needs, and along the way, she learns about the circle of life.

If your child of any age has lost a loved one to suicide, Olivia’s House is honored to offer this resource as a support. Written by mental health professional Doreen Cammarata, Olivia’s House utilizes this book consistently to help families explain and answer questions related to a suicide death. Though it is a staple in the youth section of our libraries, this book is beneficial to any child or adult healing from a suicide loss. The simple yet direct language will help to stimulate discussion, as well as provide guidance on positive coping mechanisms.

When Sammy Jane’s father dies, she worries she and her mother may never feel happy again. Even worse, when she does feel happy, she worries that it’s not okay to feel that way. In Julie Kaplow’s Samantha Jane’s Missing Smile, Sammy and her mother navigate the weeks and months after her father’s death. At first, Samantha Jane is scared to share feelings with her mom for fear of upsetting her even more, but over time she realizes that sharing actually helps her feel better, and she knows that Dad would want to see her smile!

Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs by Tomie dePaola tells the sweet story of 4-year-old Tommy and his two grandmothers: one who lives upstairs, one who lives downstairs. Tommy has known them his whole life, but when Nana Upstairs dies, Tommy has a journey to go on. He must learn how to say goodbye, and how to keep Nana in his heart forever!

Do you remember the feeling of having a new balloon tied around your wrist? We see Joey experience this for the first time in My Yellow Balloon by Tiffany Papageorge, and his excitement jumps right off the page! Before you know it, Joey and his yellow balloon are inseparable – until the day his beloved balloon comes untied from his wrist and floats away. Joey is bereaved as he mourns the loss of his balloon, and he feels mad, sad, and confused. . .until one day when the reflection of the sun in the pond reminds him of his round, yellow, floating friend! Joey knows he will still have sad days, but he also knows that every time he is in the sunshine, he can be reminded of his friend!

When young Molly’s Mom dies, Molly feels sad and alone. Molly’s Mom Died by Margaret Holmes tells the story of how Molly learns to cope and connect to others who knew her Mom as well. This is a great book for a child who has lost a parent, and you can be sure your child will want to hear all the stories you have to share about their special person!

Luna’s mom has died by suicide, and ever since she died, Luna is worried that the rest of her family might leave her, too. On one sunny day, during a picnic in the park where Luna is wearing her mom’s favorite hat, she opens up to her father about how she is feeling. To her surprise, he shares a lot of the same feelings! Even more importantly, Luna is able to learn from her dad that she did not cause her mother’s illness or death, and by learning this, she can begin to focus on remembering the wonderful memories of her mother. Luna’s Red Hat by Emmi Smid is appropriate for children ages six and up.

Local author Lynne Little penned the book Little Bird Blue, in which the child narrator takes us on a walk as she thinks about missing her mom who died. On this walk, the little girl finds a bird with a broken wing who reminds her of her mom, and how love can shine through even when we are missing someone very important to us. This book was donated to our center by our wonderful program alumni, the Coppola Family!

One of our all-time Olivia’s House favorites is Bryan Mellonie’s Lifetimes! In this gentle yet thoughtful children’s book, you can help explain to your child that every living being on earth has a lifetime. For a fruit fly, their lifetime is only one day. A tortoise could live for a hundred years. This book looks at life through beginnings, middles, and endings, and all the joy and love that comes along with the journey. This is an excellent first step to introduce the topic of death to your children, even if loss hasn’t touched their lives yet. We highly recommend!

If a child in your world has lost their father, Jack’s Five Dads by Rob Hovey is the perfect resource to help explain this loss! When Rob’s good friend died from cancer leaving behind his three-year-old son Jack, Rob realized it truly does ‘take a village to raise a child!’ He, along with other friends and relatives of Jack’s, knew that while they could never replace Jack’s father, but they could step up and have an incredible role in his life. This children’s book is a perfect read for any child who is unsure of what life looks like after loss.

I Wish I Could Hold Your Hand by Pat Palmer acknowledges that not all losses involve a death! Whether your child is struggling with moving homes, losing friends, or really any type of loss, this book underscores the importance of healthy coping.

I Miss You by Pat Thomas is our “go to” resource in explaining the important facts and beliefs surrounding death to children from ages 3 to 12. We are certain that this book should be in the hands of any parent or teacher explaining a death to a child and recommend it as a resource at least once a week. Pictures and questions at the bottom of each page provide for wonderful dialogue with adult and child.

When children don’t have the full picture of how their loved one died, their brains will fill in the gaps – and the narrative they create won’t be 100% accurate! I Know I Made it Happen by Lynn Blackburn addresses the fears that many children experience after a loss of any sort, wondering if something they did played a role. This resource normalizes feelings of remorse while also teaching children that their thoughts, feelings, and wishes don’t actually cause bad things to happen, all while encouraging art as a form of expression.

When you are given the opportunity to explain death to young children, it can help immensely to have a resource in your hands that takes the words out of your mouth and puts them right on the page! “Honey Bear Died” by Jennifer Melvin uses realistic, age-appropriate language to explain to children ages 3-5 that someone in their world has died. This wonderful book invites you to view they natural ways that our children mourn, and how to support them on their healing journey.

One of the saddest days for our Olivia’s House York center was when we learned that our beautiful weeping cherry willow tree—the one that provided shade and security over our Healing Garden of Hope— had died and needed to be cut down. “Gentle Willow” by Joyce Mills tells a similar story from the perspective of Amanda the Squirrel, whose best friend, the Gentle Willow, is dying. The magic of the forest helps both Amanda and Gentle Willow learn about the changes that come with death, and how to keep their spiritual relationship alive even when the physical form has died. We’re not crying, you’re crying!

We use words like “here” and “there” all the time, but when they relate to death and loss, these words can suddenly take on a new meaning. In Ben Keckler’s From Here to There, we follow the story of a young boy, Chris, as he learns to cope with his father’s death while exploring the journey of life. As you read, you will find “question marks” hidden throughout the beautiful illustrations, symbolizing Chris’s goal of weaving loss into the narrative of his life.

When someone dies, it can be confusing to tell children that we “lost” them. Finding Grandpa Everywhere by John Hodge tells the story of a young boy who is told “we lost Grandpa,” and now is on the search to find him! As the boy realizes he won’t find Grandpa in a physical form, he also finds that there are plenty of memories to be found, and Grandpa truly is “everywhere!”

When someone we love dies, our faith can be tested, and this is true for children and adults alike! In Kathleen Fucci’s Emily Lost Someone She Loved, the reader joins Emily on her journey of loss after her mother dies. In this heartwarming quest for healing, Emily finds that the love of her mother and her faith have been an invisible support underneath her all along!

The rollercoaster of life’s emotions takes us on a never-ending ride of thrill, tension, excitement, and release. Glenn Ringtved’s children’s book, “Cry, Heart, But Never Break” shows the reader that even children can understand the concept that our range of emotions is important, and we can’t experience happiness without also experiencing sadness. By personifying the feelings of Joy, Grief, Delight, and Sorrow, this resource will help children to begin their own journey of understanding the deeper meanings behind life’s tougher experiences.

In one of our favorite books, City Dog, Country Frog by Mo Willems, we see the formation of an unlikely friendship between a city-living dog and a country-dwelling frog. Each winter and spring, they meet in their respective locations to play games with each other. One spring, Country Frog is moving a little slower than usual, so the pair decide to play “remembering games.” When Country Frog stops showing up at their usual spot, City Dog learns how to mourn and cope with losing his friend. Luckily, Country Chipmunk shows up to start a new friendship and remind City Dog that friendship knows no bounds!

When Chippy Chipmunk’s best friend Pickle Dies, Chippy goes through the natural bereavement process. Chippy’s friends join him on his bereavement journey to share coping skills and memories of Pickle that will last a lifetime!

Beyond the Ridge by Paul Goble is a book that shares the after-death traditions of the Indigenous Peoples of the Great Plains. It follows the spiritual journey of the soul of a woman who has died, going “beyond the ridge” into the realm of the spirit. The beautiful illustrations bring this story to life in your hands.

Am I Like My Daddy? by Marcy Blesy touches on an important topic that children wonder about as they grow up after losing a parent: am I like them? This book follows seven-year-old Grace as she ponders the similarities between her and her father who died when she was younger. By hearing stories from friends of the family who knew Dad even before she was born, Grace develops a beautiful appreciation and relationship with her father that hadn’t felt was ever possible before.

In Cece Meng’s “Always Remember,” the reader takes a dive deep into the ocean and learn that Old Turtle has lived his full lifetime and is about to die. When Old Turtle is gone, his friends on the ocean floor remember all the ways he impacted their lives, and how they will never forget him! This is a great resource for helping your children understand their feelings of grief.

Aarvy Aardvark Finds Hope by Donna O’Toole tells the story of Aarvy, an aardvark who sadly lost his entire family. Aarvy feels his grief in his thoughts, in his body, and in his emotions! He even wonders, “Has anyone ever felt this way before me?” With the support of his friends around him, Aarvy is able to safely feel and express all of his thoughts and emotions as he goes through the bereavement process, learning to cope positively along the way. This is an excellent resource for a child experiencing their first (or any) loss.

Mia’s life is full of sunshine, but when her mother dies suddenly, Mia feels like her world has gone dark. She has so many feelings and doesn’t know what to do with them! It takes some time, but slowly Mia and her father find ways to cope with their feelings together – they even get their anger out safely by punching newspapers and throwing paint! A Sky Full of Diamonds by Camille Gibbs ends with Mia looking up at the dark, night sky and seeing her mother’s energy come through in all of the sparkling, bright stars.

A Flicker of Hope by Julia Cook will speak to any child who is in the midst of loss and change. When storm clouds roll in, it can feel like we will never see the sun again. This book reminds our children (and us!) that bad days are temporary, and there is always a flicker of light to guide us to a place of hope.

Cuando Logan se da cuenta que su amigo Georgie ha muerto, le surgen preguntas sobre el funeral. ¿Debería ser invitado? o al contrario ¿simplemente debería asistir? Este libro explica los conceptos como el entierro, la incineración y el duelo, para que los niños puedan entender lo que verdaderamente ocurre después de una muerte y no solamente escuchar los comentarios que hacen las personas mayores que están a su alrededor. Este recurso le muestra a los padres como explicar la muerte a los niños en una forma segura y amorosa.