Talking to Children about the Connecticut School Tragedy
It is almost impossible to comprehend the loss that occurred last Friday at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. It can be even more difficult to explain that loss to your children.
Books are one of the best ways to open the door on a topic, to start a discussion with your children about tough issues. Reading a story about the death of a loved one, a family pet, or even a leaf in autumn, can help young children begin to understand that death is a part of life. There are many poignant and powerful books about grief and death for children. We've listed some of the best books here for you and your family to share.
Amazon Says: This story is 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 f...
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Amazon Says: In Newbery Medalist Cynthia Rylant's classic bestseller, the author comforts readers young and old who have lost a dog. Recommended highly by pet lovers around the world, Do...
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Amazon Says: A beautifully written and illustrated book that introduces a big subject to little ones Crystal had lived in the garden for many years. She was growing old. Zelda was just st...
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Amazon Says: With unmitigated honesty, a touch of humor, and sensitive illustrations by Quentin Blake, Michael Rosen explores the experience of sadness in a way that resonates with us a...
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Amazon Says: On Wednesdays when I was little, Granny and I baked cakes and cookies....And that was only one of the things that made Wednesdays -- and Granny -- special.Malika Doray has wri...
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FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. A child and her grandmother feel sad when Grandpa dies, but as time passes, funny memories of him make them laugh and feel better.Amazon
Amazon Says: A moving and eloquent chronicle of eleven children, ranging from toddlers to teenagers, who have lost family or friends shows how drawing, music, and other rituals can help th...
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The authors explain 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.Amazon
Amazon Says: The love of music connects a family, even one separated by a death. "My family's story was played on the piano," the boy says. His father, a songwriter at heart, played "al...
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Everett Anderson has a difficult time coming to terms with his grief after his father dies.Amazon
Amazon Says: When Fox dies, Mole, Hare, and Otter are devastated. They feel they will never get over their great sadness. How can life go on without him? Then one day Squirrel comes to vis...
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Amazon Says: A little boy responds to his mother's death in a genuine, deeply moving story leavened by glimmers of humor and captivating illustrations. When the boy in this story w...
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Amazon Says: That summer the brothers ran into the sun, freed from school. Time for fishing poles, lightning bugs, country roads, baseball gloves. But then Joey was dying. What do you ...
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