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.
In a gripping book for tweens, Akemi Dawn Brown’s “Where the Lost Ones Go” follows the story of Eliot, a young girl whose grandmother recently died. When Eliot’s family has to move into a new home, she thinks she feels her grandma’s presence. . .but she’s not quite sure what it means. This is a great book for the young reader in your world!
Mason Deaver’s “The Ghosts We Keep” tells the story of teenage boy Liam, whose older brother was killed in a car accident. As Liam’s world swirls and spins around him, he ends up finding comfort with his brother’s best friend. This young adult novel captures the real feelings of adolescent grief and would be a great book for your tween or teen to borrow!
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!
The best way to tell if a book is right for you is to open it up, flip through the pages, and get a sense for the feeling it provides. When your child or teen pops open A Kids Book About Grief by Brennan Wood, they will immediately be blown away by just how stunning the book is. Reading almost like a graphic novel without pictures, this resource is sure to engage a child of any age!
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!