Recommended Books on Grief

Many good books are available that can help readers get a better understanding of grief and loss, with more being published every month. Although we can’t keep up with all the titles coming out, here are some of the books that Caring Place Staff have found to be helpful in supporting children (and adults) in coping with their loss.

For Preschool and Elementary School Children
For Middle and High School Students
For Parents/Adults
Books about Child/Sibling Loss
For Educators
Journals/Workbooks/Activity Books:
- For Children and Teens
- For Adults

For Preschool and Elementary School Children

Always and Forever Alan Durant
Otter, Mole, Fox, and Hare share a house in the woods. When Fox dies, the other three struggle with their grief. By remembering the love, wisdom, and support he showed them while he was alive, and the funny things he used to do, they are able to create a memorial for him.

Always Remember Cece Meng
A story of an old turtle who swims his last swim and his friends lovingly remember him. The book talks about how memories live on.

Badger's Parting Gifts Susan Varley
Badger’s friends are sad when he dies, but they treasure the legacies he left them.

Ben's Flying Flowers Inger Maier
A young girl shares her pain and loss when a younger brother dies due to an illness.

Chester Racoon and the Acorn Full of Memories Audrey Penn
Chester Raccoon's good friend Skiddel Squirrel has had an accident and will not be returning #151; ever. Chester is upset that he won't get to play with his friend anymore.

Chocolate Chipped: A Smelly Book About Grief Shelly Gilbert & Vicky Baruch
Chocolate Chipped tells the unique story of a young boy named Charlie and his experience of grieving over his dad's death.

A Complete Book about Death for Kids Earl A. Grollman & Joy Johnson
Provides information about death, dying and the feelings you have when someone you love dies as well as discussing burial, cremation, funerals, and cemeteries. Beautiful photos show the child what they will really see and answers the most commonly asked questions.

The Copper Tree Hilary Ann Robinson
When Olivia’s teacher dies, the children at her school are encouraged to think of everything that reminds them of her.

Fall of Freddie the Leaf Leo Buscaglia
Changing seasons and natural life cycles act as a metaphor for death.

The Feelings Book Todd Parr
The Feelings Book inspires kids to embrace the wide range of moods we all experience. With colorful illustrations and a comforting message, Todd Parr shares a story about saying goodbye to someone you love.

Finding Grandpa Everywhere John Hodge
After grandpa dies, a young boy finds that the memories of him and his love live on everywhere he looks.

Gentle Willow: A Story for Children About Dying Joyce C. Mills, Ph.D.
Gentle Willow is a book for children who may not survive their illness. This comforting story about a tender-spirited tree and her friends in the forest will also help all children with the death of friends, family members, or even pets.

Good Grief: A Child's Grieving Process Chad Bonadonna
A 10-year-old boy shares his personal experience about grief. He talks openly about his feelings about his father’s death.

Ida Always Caron Levis
A beautiful, honest portrait of loss and deep friendship, told through the story of the iconic relationship between two polar bears.

If Nathan Were Here Mary Bahr
This book explores the grief of a young boy whose best friend has died. With the help of an understanding teacher, a kind neighbor, and an empathetic parent, the boy finds ways to give expression to his questions and sorrow and to reach out to someone else who needs him.

I Have a Question About Death: Clear Answers for all Kids, Including Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders or other Special Needs Arlen Grad Gaines & Meredith Englander Polsky
Death is a difficult topic for any parent or educator to explain to a child, perhaps even more so when the child has an autism spectrum disorder or other special needs. This book is designed specifically to help children with these additional needs to understand what happens when someone dies.

I'll Always Love You Hans Wilhelm
Great story for understanding the death of a pet as well as living with a pet that is growing older and not able to keep up like they did when they were young. Shows that your love doesn’t change for them. Lots of great lessons told in a very gentle way.

I'm in Charge of Celebrations Byrd Baylor
A young boy creates his own special holidays and rituals by celebrating his own special days of remembrance. It's a way for caregivers and children to think about forming new traditions and rituals to celebrate the life of a person who has died.

I Miss You Pat Thomas
This book helps boys and girls understand that death is a natural complement to life, and that grief and a sense of loss are normal feelings for them to have following a loved one’s death.

In My Heart Jo Whitek
A vibrant celebration of feelings in all of their shapes and sizes.

The Invisible String Patrice Karst
A wonderful book that helps children cope with separation, loss and grief by reminding us of the connections we continue to share with those we love.

Luna's Red Hat Emmi Smid
A story to help explain and support a child who has lost a parent to suicide.

The Memory Box Joanna Rowland
Written from a young child’s perspective, the book talks about how to remember and grieve a loved one who has died.

Muddles, Puddles and Sunshine Diana Crossley
The book offers practical support for bereaved children. It helps children make sense of their experience by reflecting on the different aspects of their grief.

My Blue is Happy Jessica Young
When Red could represent mad or brave, this book shows how colors can help explain feelings.

My Heart Sings a Sad Song Gary Alan Shockley
A book for children who have experienced a recent loss. A young bunny asks the questions many children ask: where have you gone, will I see you again, will you miss me, did it hurt when you left, are you where you wanted to go? A great book to talk to children about death and finding hope to cope with the feelings.

My Yellow Balloon Tiffany Papageorge
This book shows children that it is OK to grieve and go through a series of emotions when they lose something. Whether it be a pet, a toy, a person, or something else near and dear that a child grieves over, they can find validation and comfort in My Yellow Balloon.

Niko Draws a Feeling Bob Raczka
A great book for helping children learn to use drawing and color to show their emotions.

A Quilt for Elizabeth B. Tiffault
A young girl watches her father die of an illness. Afterward, she and her grandmother make a quilt out of her father’s possessions in order to remember him.

The Rabbit Listened Cori Doerrfeld
When faced with big emotions, what can people do to support you? The rabbit is the best listener. A great story of how to support someone during a variety of struggles.

Rachel and the Upside-Down Heart E. Douglas
After four-year-old Rachel’s father dies, her life feels upside down, and she draws her hearts upside down.

Ruby Finds a Worry Tom Percival
Ruby’s worries grow bigger and bigger day by day and she learns to manage them.

Saying Goodbye to Daddy Judith Vigna
Story describing the experience of Clare, whose father dies, her feelings in the aftermath of his death, and the support she receives from her mother and grandfather.

This Book is for All Kids, But Especially My Sister Libby. Libby Died by Jack Simon, Age 5, as told to his mom, usually at bedtime
Written by a child for other children, this is the diary of a five-year-old boy struggling with big questions and feelings after the death of his sister.

Tough Boris Mem Fox
A tough, greedy, fearless pirate experiences the death of his parrot.

Until we Meet Again Susan Jones
This book tells the story of what comes next for a little boy who discovers memory-making is a language of love that can be whispered across the years.

The Way I Feel Jana Cain
The Way I Feel uses illustrations, text, color and type font to describe HAPPY—DISAPPOINTED—ANGRY—JEALOUS and other feelings that kids experience.

What on Earth Do you Do When Someone Dies Trevor Romain
For any child who has lost a loved one or other special person, What On Earth Do You Do When Someone Dies? is a simple, insightful, and straight from the heart book about what death means and how to cope.

When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide to Understanding Death Laurie Krasny Brown & Marc Brown
Explains 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.

For Middle and High School Students

Bridge to Terabithia Katherine Peterson
Bridge to Terabithia is a story about two lonely children who create a magical forest kingdom in their imaginations and the grief experienced after one of the children dies.

Dancing at the Pity Party Tyler Feder
A memoir written in graphic novel form by a young woman who experienced the death of her mother from cancer when the author was 19 years old.

Fire in My Heart; Ice in My Veins Enid Samuel-Traisman, M.S.W.
A journaling workbook for grieving teens.

Goodbye Days Jeff Zentner
A boy struggles with the death and criminal charges of his friends. The families learn to celebrate goodbye days as a way to remember the dead.

The Grieving Teen Helen Fitzgerald
Learn about the unique needs of adolescents struggling with loss and find tools for teens to use as they work through their pain and grief.

Healing your Grieving Heart for Teens: 100 Practical Ideas Alan Wolfelt
Suggestions for healing activities that can help survivors learn to express their grief naturally.

Help for the Hard Times Getting through Loss Earl Hipp
A guide that helps teens understand how they experience grief and loss, how our culture in general doesn’t often acknowledge their losses or give them tools to grieve, and how they can keep their loss from immobilizing them.

If Only Carolyn Geithner
A stunning story about Corinna’s journey through loss and grief when her world is crushed after her mother dies of cancer.

The Memory String Eve Bunting
Each button on Laura’s memory string represents a piece of her family history. The buttons Laura cherishes the most belonged to her mother who has died.

Milo: Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze Alan Silberberg
Milo experiences life as a seventh grader, but ever since his mother died nothing has gone right.

Mick Harte Was Here Barbara Park
Thirteen-year-old Phoebe recalls her younger brother Mick and his death in a bicycle accident. Part of a dialogue for parent and child.

A Monster Calls Patrick Ness
When a boy’s mother is suffering and dying from cancer, a "monster" comes. The boy learns to see life as full of choices and difficult feelings to manage—guilt and grief and many more.

A Summer to Die Lois Lowrey
A poignant story about a young girl facing the loss of her sister.

Straight Talk About Death for Teenagers Earl A. Grollman
A book that offers advice and answers the kind of questions that teens are likely to ask themselves when grieving the death of someone close.

Teens, Loss and Grief: The Ultimate Teen Guide Edward Myers
Teens, Loss, and Grief is a self-help guide for teenagers who are struggling with bereavement and the emotional difficulties it presents. This book provides an overview of grief as a painful but normal process and offers insights from bereavement experts as well as practical suggestions for coping with loss, including personal accounts from teens.

The Thing About Jellyfish Ali Benjamin
The story of Suzy, a middle school girl who is very book smart but misses a lot of the social changes that are happening around her as she becomes a young teen. She struggles with making friends and navigating the new trends and rules of being a teenage girl. When one of her childhood friends becomes an enemy overnight, she must face the truth that she has to make new friends. One day she does something terrible to even the score over a prank to her. After working up the courage to finally say she is sorry, an accident takes the life of her old friend. Suzy must try to find out why her friend died and a way to be at peace with what she did.

Tiger Eyes Judy Blume
Resettled in the "Bomb City" with her mother and brother, Davey Wexler recovers from the shock of her father's death during a holdup of his 7-Eleven store in Atlantic City.

Tear Soup Pat Schwiebert & Chuck DeKlyen
Grandy, who has just suffered a big loss in her life, blends emotions and memories into Tear Soup as a way to work through the healing and grieving process.

Weird is Normal: When Teenagers Grief Jenny Lee Wheeler
Written by a grieving teen for grieving teens.

When a Friend Dies: A Book for Teens about Grieving and Healing Marilyn E. Gootman
Written by a mother and professional educator, this book provides compassionate understanding and gentle suggestions to teens coping with the death of a friend.

For Parents/Adults

Always Too Soon: Voices of Support for Those Who Have Lost Both Parents edited by Allison Gilbert with Christina Baker Kline
A collection of interviews about the experience of coping with the loss of one's parents.

Bearing the Unbearable: Love, Loss, and the Heartbreaking Path of Grief Joanne Cacciatore
Bereavement educator, researcher, Buddhist practitioner, and griever, mother Joanne Cacciatore offers her own story of loss as she makes space for the reader to encounter and process their own grief stories.

Breaking the Silence: A Guide to Help Children with Complicated Grief Linda Goldman
Presents words and methods to help initiate discussions of these delicate topics, as well as tools to help children understand complicated grief, including suicide, homicide, and abuse, and violence.

Dying to be Free: A Healing Guide for Families After a Suicide Beverly Cobain & Jean Lurch
Honest, gentle advice for those who have survived an unspeakable loss—the suicide of a loved one.

Good Grief: A Child's Grieving Process Chad Bonadonna
A ten-year-old boy shares his personal experience about grief and offers suggestions for caring for a grieving child.

The Grieving Body: How the Stress of Loss Can Be an Opportunity for Healing Mary-France O'Connor
Neuroscientist Mary-Frances O'Connor explores the ways that grief affects our physical bodies and provides suggestions for navigating the path of grief.

The Grieving Brain: The Surprising Science of How We Learn from Love and Loss Mary-France O'Connor
Neuroscientist Mary-Frances O'Connor offers an accessible view into what happens in the grieving brain and how we can learn and grow from our losses.

The Grieving Child: A Parent's Guide Helen Fitzgerald
A book offering an approach for parents to understand the grief of children.

The Grieving Teen Helen Fitzgerald
The book is about the unique needs of adolescents struggling with loss and offers them tools to use as they work through their pain and grief.

Healing the Adult Sibling's Grieving Heart: 100 Practical Ideas After Your Brother or Sister Dies Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D.

Honoring Grief: Creating a Space to Let Yourself Heal Alexandra Kennedy, MA
Inspiring words along with suggestions for simple activities to help you move through the pain of grief.

How to Go on Living When Someone You Love Dies Terese Rando
There is no way around the pain of loss, but there is a way through it. Dr. Rando offers solace, comfort, and guidance to help you accept your loss and move into your new life without forgetting your treasured past.

It's OK That You're Not OK Megan Devine
Therapist and grieving partner Megan Devine provides a ground-breaking approach to the experience of grief that gives permission to create our own unique path through its complex terrain.

The Journey through Grief Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D.
A spiritual companion to adult or teenage grievers that is organized around six grieving needs: Acknowledging the reality of the death; Embracing the pain of the loss; Remembering the person who died; Developing a new self-identity; Searching for meaning; and Receiving ongoing support from others.

Sarah’s Journey: One Child's Experience with the Death of Her Father Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D.
Eight-year-old Sarah had always been her "Daddy's Little Girl" until the tragic day her father was killed in a car accident.

Shattered by Grief: Picking up the Pieces to Become Whole Again Claudia Coenen
Written by a grieving widow and grief counselor, this memoir of loss shares the author's loss story while offering encouragement and guidance to those who are grieving their own loss.

Talking about Death: A Dialogue Between Parent and Child Earl A. Grollman
Part of a dialogue for parents and children.

Talking with Children about Loss Maria Trozzi with Kathy Massimini
Parents are led through the difficult terrain of helping their child with the painful feelings of a significant loss in a way designed to enhance healthy psychological development.

Understanding Your Grief: 10 Essential Touchstones for Finding Hope and Healing your Heart Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D.
Discusses ten essential physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and spiritual touchstones with activities to assist in healing.

What's Your Grief? Lists to Help You through Any Loss Eleanor Haley & Litsa Williams
Through seventy-five lists, the authors provide an opportunity to examine and engage with the complex, universal experience of grief.

When your Grandparent Dies: A Child's Guide to Good Grief Victoria Ryan
This book allows opportunities for the parent to open lines of communication about family values, the loved shared with the grandparent that has died, and ways to remember their loved one.

Widow to Widow Genevieve Davis Ginsburg
This answers the number one question asked by widows: "Why didn't anyone ever tell me it would be like this?"

The Wild Edge of Sorrow: Rituals of Renewal and the Sacred Work of Grief Francis Weller
The author explores the psychological and spiritual aspects of grieving and discusses the challenges of honoring them in a culture that avoids meaningful encounters with the raw places in ourselves and others.

Books about Child/Sibling Loss

Ben's Flying Flowers Inger Maier
When Emily loses her brother after a long illness, she feels alone, angry, and very, very sad. With the understanding and support of her parents, Emily learns that it helps when she snuggles with her parents. It helps when she talks about her feelings and asks questions about Ben. And it helps when she does regular kid stuff, too.

Losing someone you Love: When a Brother or Sister Dies Elizabeth Richter
Young people describe their fears, sorrow and other emotions they experienced when a brother or sister died.

No New Baby Marilyn Gryle
For siblings who have a brother or sister die before birth, this storybook talks about the different feelings children have and answers some of the most asked questions.

Someone Came Before You Pat Schwiebert
There are books for children to help them when the baby they are waiting for dies. But now, this is a book for the child who comes after the one that died.

Stacy Had a Little Sister Wendie C. Old
When Stacy’s baby sister is a victim of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, her parents are faced with explaining this tragedy to her.

This Book is for All Kids, but Especially My Sister Libby. Libby Died by Jack Simon, Age 5, as told to his mom, usually at bedtime
Written by a child for other children, this is the diary of a five-year-old boy struggling with big questions and feelings after the death of his sister.

We Were Going to Have a Baby but Had an Angel Instead Pat Schwiebert
A story told by a preschooler who was excitedly expecting a sibling, but the baby died instead.

For Educators

35 Ways to Help a Grieving Child The Dougy Center
If you know a child or teen who has experienced a death, this guidebook presents you with simple and practical suggestions for how to support him or her. Learn what behaviors and reactions to expect from children at different ages, ways to create safe outlets for children to express their thoughts and feelings, and how to be supportive during special events such as the memorial services, anniversaries and holidays.

A Complete Book about Death for Kids Earl A. Grollman & Joy Johnson
The first part includes information about death, dying and the feelings you have when someone you love dies. The second section includes information about burial and cremation. The third section talks about the funeral and cemetery. Beautiful photos show the child what they are likely to see and experience, and answers the most commonly asked questions.

After a Parent’s Suicide: Helping a Child Heal Margo Requarth
Focuses on how to help children and teens in the aftermath of a parent’s suicide. In addition to information about how children grieve at different developmental levels, it also offers comfort to the bereaved, specific coping strategies for families facing trauma, and insight into what promotes resiliency.

Finding the Words: How to Talk with Children and Teens About Death, Suicide, Homicide, Funerals, Cremation and Other End of Life Matters Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D.
This practical and compassionate handbook includes dozens of suggested phrases to use with preschoolers, school-agers, and teenagers as you explain death in general or the death of a parent, a sibling, a grandparent, or a pet. Other chapters include possible words and ideas to draw on when you are talking to kids about a death by suicide, homicide, or terminal illness.

The Grieving Student: A Teacher’s Guide David Schonfeld & Marcia Quackenbush
Death and grief will affect the lives of almost all children at some point, often leading to struggles with academic performance, social relationships and behavior. Teachers can be a critical lifeline for a grieving child—and now they have a practical guidebook to help them provide sensitive support to students of all ages.

The Grieving Teen Helen Fitzgerald
The book is about the special needs of adolescents struggling with loss but gives them the tools they need to work through their pain and grief.

Helping the Grieving Student: A Guide for Teachers The Dougy Center
This book explores practical tips for telling students about death, how to address students' questions and concerns, how to take care not only of the students but also of oneself, and when to seek additional professional help.

Healing your Grieving Heart for Kids: 100 Practical Ideas Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D.
Suggestions for healing activities that can help survivors learn to express their grief naturally.

Helping Teens Cope with Death The Dougy Center
This practical guide covers the unique grief responses of teenagers and the specific challenges they face when grieving a death. You will learn how death impacts teenagers and ways that you can help them. This book also offers advice from parents and caregivers of bereaved teens on how to support adolescents and how to determine when professional help is needed.

Understanding Death and Illness and What They Teach About Life: An Interactive Guide for Individuals with Autism or Asperger's and their Loved Ones Catherine Faherty
Author Catherine Faherty offers detailed, concrete explanations of illness, dying, life after death, losing a pet, and numerous other issues. Her descriptions are written with such care; even caregivers will be comforted by her words.

When Death Impacts Your School: A Guide for Administrators The Dougy Center
This guidebook includes suggestions for how schools that are faced with a student death or tragedy can help students —by addressing concerns, organizing memorials and offering support. It also includes instructions for developing a school intervention plan after a death, how to address issues related to suicide and violence, and how to decide when outside help is needed.

Journals/Workbooks/Activity Books for Children and Teens

Fire in My Heart; Ice in My Veins Enid Samuel-Traisman, M.S.W. A journaling workbook for grieving teens.

The Healing Your Grieving Heart Journal for Teens Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D.
In light of how difficult it is just to survive the teenage years, the grieving process can be especially difficult and overwhelming for teenagers. This diary affirms the grieving teen’s journey and offers gentle, healing guidance. In order to sort through their confusing feelings and thoughts, teens are prompted to explore simple, open-ended questions. Teens are encouraged to write what they miss about the person who died, the specific feelings that have been most difficult since the death, or the things they wish they had said to the person before they died.

Help Me Say Goodbye: Activities for Helping Kids Cope When a Special Person Dies Janis Silverman
An art therapy book that encourages children to express their feelings in words or pictures. It encourages them to think about what to say and do, how to deal with their feelings, and how to remember their loved one who has died.

How I Feel: A Coloring Book for Grieving Children Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D.
Coloring book designed for children ages 3–8 that presents many of the feelings grieving children have. Can be used alongside an adult companion to help read and explain unfamiliar words and to invite them to share as they wish.

My Grieving Journey Book Donna & Eve Shavatt.
Workbook written by adult sisters who lost their father at an early age. Presents sound information in a way that is highly accessible to children while also providing space for journaling in response.

Remember … a Child Remembers Enid Samuel-Traisman, M.S.W.
A write-in memory book for grieving children ages 8–12 with pages for writing about the loved one’s life and death, a goodbye letter, a story about us, pages about various feelings, and many more.

Someone I Loved Died by Suicide: A Story for Child Survivors and Those Who Care for Them Doreen Cammarata
This is an interactive storybook for children on suicide. It serves as a memory book for their person that died and also gives the words for the way their person died.

Journals/Workbooks/Activity Books for Adults

Creative Grieving: A Hip Chick’s Path from Loss to Hope Elizabeth Berrien
Written by a 27-year-old widow who had also experienced the death of her infant son, this book describes her experiences of her own grief journey and her path toward healing.

Honoring Grief: Creating a Space to Let Yourself Heal Alexandra Kennedy, MA
Inspiring words along with suggestions for simple activities to help you move through the pain of grief.

How to Carry What Can’t Be Fixed: A Journal for Grief Megan Devine
This interactive workbook serves as an interactive companion to the author’s book, It’s OK That You’re Not OK, guiding the reader on an experiential journey through grief in the many ways it shows up.

The Journey Through Grief Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D.
A spiritual companion to adult or teenage grievers that is organized around six grieving needs: Acknowledging the reality of the death: Embracing the pain of the loss: Remembering the person who died: Developing a new self-identity: Searching for meaning; and Receiving ongoing support from others.

Understanding Your Grief: Ten Essential Touchstones for Finding Hope and Healing Your Heart Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D.
Discusses ten essential physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and spiritual touchstones with activities to assist in healing.

Did You Know? One child in 20 will have a parent die before they graduate from high school.

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