Staff Picks
Read All About It: Death, Loss & Grief
- Heather M.
- Monday, November 07, 2022
Collection
"Son, life is full of holes. You may want to close them up to keep out the storm. But make sure to leave room for that rainbow to find you." --Music is a Rainbow by Bryan Collier
Experiencing death is hard. It's hard to lose someone you love--whether it's a grandparent, a friend or a beloved pet. Sharing books together can help us understand our feelings. They let us know that we are not alone. They remind us that, even though we feel sad, we will find happiness again.
Looking for even more good books? Check out our personalized recommendations or call us at 803-799-9084.
An Ordinary Day
Published in 2020
"An ordinary day in an ordinary neighborhood turns out to be extraordinary in this story about new life, death, and family"-- Provided by publisher.
The Boy and the Gorilla
Published in 2020
This profoundly moving tale about a grieving boy and an imaginary gorilla makes real the power of talking about loss. On the day of his mother's funeral, a young boy conjures the very visitor he needs to see - a gorilla. Wise and gentle, the gorilla stays on to answer the heart-heavy questions the boy hesitates to ask his father: Where did his mother go? Will she come back home? Will we all die? Yet with the gorilla's friendship, the boy slowly begins to discover moments of comfort in tending flowers, playing catch and climbing trees. Most of all, the gorilla knows that it helps to simply talk about the loss - especially with those who share your grief and who may feel alone too.
A Stone for Sascha
Published in 2018
A young girl, still reeling from her dog's death, finds solace while picking up stones on the beach during her family's vacation.
The Dead Bird
Published in 2016
When they find a dead bird, a group of children bury it in the woods, sing a song to it, and put flowers on the grave.
Where Are You Now?
Published in 2019
"Told in simple but powerful prose, and illustrated by the author in a wash of brilliant watercolor, Tyler Clark Burke's Where Are You Now? is a beautiful small book about change, death and transformation. As the tenth anniversary of her mother's death approached, Tyler Clark Burke set about creating a picture book to share her mother's memory--and more poignantly, her death--with her two young children. The result is a picture book that communicates a powerful underlying idea--that death catalyzes powerful growth, contemplation, and regeneration in its wake."-- Provided by publisher.
Bye, Mis' Lela
Published in 1998
At first, Sugar Plum cries when her mother leaves her with Mis' Lela, but the happy days they spend together make Sugar Plum want to remember her, even after she dies.
Music is a Rainbow
Published in 2022
After a tragedy a young boy discovers a connection between music and colors that helps guide him and gives him comfort in times of darkness.
Big Cat, Little Cat
Published in 2017
"A moving tale about friendship, new beginnings, and cats"-- Provided by publisher.
If Nathan Were Here
Published in 2000
A young boy grieves the loss of his best friend and thinks about how things would be if he were still alive.
Goodbye Mousie
Published in 2001
A boy grieves for his dead pet Mousie, helps to bury him, and begins to come to terms with his loss.
Maybe Dying is Like Becoming a Butterfly
Published in 2019
A philosophical conversation about death from the author of I Give You My Heart. "Are you going to die, Grandpa?" "Someday, sweetheart. But I hope not too soon." Their simple exchange covers a lot of philosophical ground. Grandpa allows that "no one really knows" what happens after death, but he tells Christopher that some people think of heaven ("a place without sadness or war"), others of rebirth ("each time, you get wiser"), and others of "nothing" ("the same as before you were born"). The pair discusses the whys of death ("dying is part of life"), birth ("to learn all sorts of things"), and feelings of fear or comfort about dying.
A Last Goodbye
Published in 2020
"This book explores the death of a loved one through the parallel experiences of other species of animals, similar to Elin's treatment of nature in You Are Stardust and problem-solving in Wild Ideas. As with Elin's previous picture books, A Last Goodbye will combine simple, poetic text with a "big idea"--in this case, the idea that death is a natural part of our lives and that many species experience sadness and mourning when their loved ones are sick and dying. From elephants to killer whales, parrots to bonobos, lemurs to humans, many animals have rituals to commemorate their loved ones and to help them through difficult times. This book broaches a difficult and scary topic through a gentle and heartfelt exploration of the natural stages of life and loss. In a parallel way to how we will be remembered by our loved ones, the book goes on to explore the ways our bodies might be remembered by the earth, repurposed to continue replenishing new life."-- Provided by publisher.
Rosie and Crayon
Published in 2017
"Rosie and her pup, named Crayon, lead readers through the colorful seasons of growing up together and what it means to love...and then experience loss."--Amazon.com.
Addy's Cup of Sugar
Based on the Buddhist Story "The Mustard Seed"
Published in 2020
In this reworking of the Buddhist parable, Stillwater, a giant panda, teaches Addy that the grief she feels for the loss of her kitten, is part of life and is shared by everybody.
What Happens when a Loved One Dies?
Our First Talk About Death
Published in 2016
Offers young readers a gentle introduction to the concept of death, as well as the feelings that come with losing someone and positive ways to deal with them.
What Happens when a Loved One Dies?
Our First Talk About Death.
Published in 2016
Whether children are experiencing grief and loss for the first time or simply curious, it can be difficult to know how to talk to them about death. 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 to a natural and reassuring conclusion. Additional questions at the back of the book allow for further discussion. Child psychologist Dr. Jillian Roberts designed the Just Enough series to empower parents/caregivers to start conversations with young ones about difficult or challenging subject matter. What Happens When a Loved One Dies?
Air Miles
Published in 2022
"A poignant book about new horizons and saying goodbye from best-loved creators: John Burningham and Helen Oxenbury. Miles is a difficult dog who loves to ride in his motor car. He's growing older, but a new challenge awaits when he takes to the skies. A picture book of beauty, infinite possibility, and love, which explores loss and grief in subtle and comforting ways"--Publisher's description.
Gracie Brings Back Bubbe's Smile
Published in 2022
After her grandfather's death, Gracie coaxes her grandmother Bubbe to join her in neighborhood walks, drawing on the sidewalk, and going to a soccer game, so Bubbe realizes there is still naches, or joy, in her life.
Lost in the Clouds
Published in 2021
"Children find grief and loss a difficult subject and understanding where a loved one has gone, can be a difficult topic to explain... Billy misses his Mommy very much. She lives in the clouds. Some days the sun is shining and Mommy's clouds are nowhere to be seen. Those are Billy's favorite days when he and Daddy would play in the garden all day long, and Billy knows that Mommy is letting the sun shine for them. But not all days are like that. Sometimes Mommy's clouds are dark, and Billy feels sad and alone. This moving and sensitively-written picture book gently explores grief and teaches children how to deal with loss and their emotions surrounding the death of a loved one. With beautiful and colorful illustrations to accompany the touching narrative, this children's book is perfect for adults to share with their little ones and to help them understand what they are going through"-- Provided by publisher.
And So It Goes
Published in 2017
Explores the way that some people leave the world and others come into it, and how those who come into it eventually leave it.
After Life
Ways We Think About Death
Published in 2018
Examines the history, beliefs, and customs surrounding death from cultures around the world.
Something Very Sad Happened
A Toddler's Guide to Understanding Death
Published in 2016
A "tool for parents, caregivers, therapists, and teachers to help young children understand the concept of death and begin the process of coping with the loss"--Amazon.com.