Listed in alphabetical order by book title.
Aunty Jane Knits Up a Storm by Steve Wolfson
Aunty Jane knits and knits and knits, and the people in her neighborhood love the colorful scarves, toques, and sweaters she makes. After Aunty Jane experiences a heartbreaking loss, her knitting takes a gloomy turn that affects the entire town. It’s up to her young neighbors, Naomi and Xavier, and other caring friends to help Aunty Jane feel better and find the joy in her knitting once again. “Beautiful and inspiring, the picture book Aunty Jane Knits Up A Storm acknowledges the realities of loss and highlights the healing power of love.”4 out of 5 stars Foreword Clairion Reviews. A well-illustrated story of grief, compassion, friendship and community told with tender charm.” Kirkus Reviews
Dos Leoncitos Valientes Cómo buscar ayuda cuando un niño pierde a un ser querido by Nancy Ballinger
Dos leoncitos valientes, cómo buscar ayuda cuando un niño pierde a un ser querido es un libro único y bellamente ilustrado que transmite las emociones profundas del dolor de un niño después de la muerte de su madre.
Esta historia está contada desde la perspectiva de dos cachorros de león, su padre y una elefanta comprensiva en la sabana africana. La misma se basa en el trauma y en el fondo es una historia de esperanza y amor. El libro está escrito e ilustrado para proporcionar a los adultos una herramienta que invite a tener conversaciones sanadoras con los niños acerca de la vida, la muerte, el duelo y las familias.
Autora Nancy K. Ballinger ejerció muchos años como terapeuta licenciada en matrimonio y familia, terapeuta de juego y consejera para niños acerca del duelo en hospitales para enfermos terminales, apoyando a los niños y sus familias en su duelo. Ilustraciones Marcy Adams y Julie Frankel dieron vida al libro a través del diseño y bellas ilustraciones.
Forever Connected by Jessica Correnti
A must-have book for any young child coping with the death of a sibling. Forever Connected is available in English and Spanish (Por siempre conectados is the title of the Spanish Version).
“Where is my real brother…when can I see him again?”
How do you explain to a bereaved sibling that their brother or sister will never be physically present again, but they will always be connected?
In Forever Connected, four children experience the death of a sibling. Through beautiful and gentle dialogue, their caregivers help to unravel common misconceptions about death, while exploring the complex ideas of loss and connection.
Parents and caregivers often are at a loss for words when trying to support their grieving children. They may wonder what to say or do to help their child process and cope with the heartbreaking reality of their family structure. Forever Connected allows for a beautiful start to those difficult conversations at home, giving families the tools and language to help bereaved siblings process death, their grief, and their love and connection with their sibling.
Giving Hope: Conversations with Children About Illness, Death and Loss by Elena Lister, MD and Michael Schwartzman, PhD
The best and only resource you will ever need for helping any child understand and cope with illness, death, and loss
Just as death is inevitable, talking about death is an inevitable part of parenting. Dr. Elena Lister and Dr. Michael Schwartzman offer us the way to have conversations with children that are as much about life as they are about death—conversations that anyone who parents, teaches, or counsels children can have.
Giving Hope is a must-have resource that expands our understanding of how to prepare for, initiate, and facilitate these personal and profound conversations. The approach is honest, practical, and compassionate and will benefit a grieving child both now and in the future. Giving Hope provides us with the tools to make our children’s experiences positive and life-affirming.
Grandpa’s Window by Laura Gehl
Every window at the hospital faces dull, gray buildings—except the one in Grandpa’s room. Grandpa can see the ocean every day! When Daria visits, she and Grandpa look out at the beach, hoping they will build sandcastles and fly kites together again.
This touching exploration of a child’s experience of loss offers an unexpected ending, encouraging creativity and self-expression in the midst of grief.
Grandpa’s Window addresses the grieving process, both as a family member approaches the end of life as well as after death. The book includes a note for adults by Dr. Sharie Coombes (www.drsharie.com), a child and family psychotherapist, about how to support children who are grieving the loss of a loved one. A discussion and activity guide for children written by Laura Gehl is available at flyawaybooks.com/resources.
Heaven’s Bell by Sherrie Barch
Heaven’s Bell was written to create a safe space for families to have a conversation about death and dying in a natural and productive way, and one that creates feelings of joy, inspiration, and gratitude for life.
Ashley and Cody have one of those special, once-in-a-lifetime friendships that only the luckiest amongst us ever get to experience. From daily games of basketball in Ashley’s driveway, to helping each other with homework, to sharing jokes that they know their friend will get, even when no one else does. They are the kind of friends, who never run out of things to share and talk about – even if they just saw each other five minutes ago. Middle school is tough, but with a friendship like theirs, they know they will get through it.
Then, suddenly their world is thrown upside down when Cody becomes mysteriously ill. The normally tough-as-nails 11-year-old Ashley is suddenly forced to imagine what life would be like without her BFF.
And hopefully, through Ashley and Cody’s respective eyes, it also creates an appreciation of what happens afterward – no matter what you believe that to be. Initially written for teens, this book is meant to bring readers of all ages comfort and hope, wrapped in a shell of smiles and entertainment!
If I Could… Magical wishes for a child by Debbie Wanninkhof
If I Could . . .expresses the magical wishes of a loving adult for a precious child. This quiet-time story captures a child’s sense of wonder and delight.
Is Heaven Farther Than the North Pole by Molly Rubesh
After a year since Willow and Jack lost their mom, they decide to set out on an adventure in search of Heaven. They pack their bags and go to the park, eat at the Dairy Bar, and lay down on the path to look up at the clouds. Even though the two children miss their mom dearly, they combine their heartache with the joy of all the good memories they have with her, and they realize an important lesson in their search for Heaven: sadness and joy can coexist.
Written by a mother who lost her father, for her sons who lost their biological mother, Is Heaven Farther than the North Pole? is a book designed to help parents and other guardians talk about death and dying with their kids. It can show children how their loved one is still with them in everything they do, and that their special person lives on even if they cannot see them.
Is Heaven Farther than the North Pole? is appropriate for any child processing grief of a parent, sibling, grandparent, or other loved one. It is a story about resilience and finding Heaven all around us.
Little Grievers by Sarah Brown and Nannette Thomas
Knowing how to support preschool children when a loved one dies is difficult. The Little Grievers Workbook helps parents and caregivers address this sensitive topic with confidence. The parent portion of the workbook explains the unique developmental needs of grieving two to five-year-olds, and gives specific suggestions for developmentally appropriate language as well as ways to help preschoolers cope with their grief. The child portion of the workbook contains worksheets to be completed by preschoolers with a parent or other trusted adult.
Merin And Her Very Bright Star: A Story of Resiliency by Lori Mier
Based on the author’s personal experience with grief and connection, Merin And Her Very Bright Star: A Story of Resiliency, is a children’s book that explores grief, gratitude, and healing through connection with the natural world and with other people. A book to introduce children to therapy and support groups.
My Hot Air Balloon Ride by Alexa Getchell
“Someone I love went to heaven”. A little boy has had a person and/or pet he loves die. He continues to feel sad even when doing some of his favorite activities. At bedtime when he tells his Mom that his sadness will not go away she has him close his eyes. With their eyes squeezed shut they are transported up to heaven in a giant hot air balloon to visit all the people and/or pets he loves who have died. He shares in memories recognizing he may not be able to physically see them but he can feel them in his heart. When he opens his eyes some of his sadness has gone away and he now knows he can take a trip in his hot air balloon to visit those he loves in heaven anytime he wants.
My Journey with the Wind: A Magical Story of Grief by Ashley Wolfe
Grief can be painful and difficult to predict or understand. This is the story of one child’s magical journey to the realization that their special bond, which seemed lost when their brother died, is actually still present in the love and memories that they shared.
Children are often overlooked when siblings die as the adults in their lives are busy navigating their own grief journeys. Others just aren’t sure how to support children in grief. This book will help children and their caregivers have a common language to talk about and express the various feelings of grief together through holistic therapeutic activities. For more resources and information about the services provided by Let Grace In, please visit their website at www.letgracein.org.
Ring to Remember Journal by Sherrie Barch
Sherrie Barch’s best-selling book, Heaven’s Bell, was created as a safe space for young readers to grieve loved ones who have died. The book quickly found a much wider audience, helping hundreds of readers young and old. It has been used by Hospice organizations, youth groups, school counselors, and more to help others heal during times of loss.
The Ring To Remember journal is the newest addition to the emotional safe space originally created by the Heaven’s Bell book. It is also a direct response to the voices of Sherrie’s readers and their touching book reviews, where they have shared stories, opinions of the book, and also the raw and deeply personal emotions they experienced while reading the book. Through their beautiful words they have, in a sense, requested a broader space to remember and write about loved ones who have died.
This journal is that space.
Someone I Love Died From a Drug Overdose by Melody Ray
Accidental substance overdoses continue to rise across our country, leaving families at a loss as to how to tell and assist the children that are grieving. This story is an excellent tool for parents and caregivers. Includes a workbook, definitions, some facts and a note to the adult reading the story.
The Christmas Tree Wish by Daphne Thompson
The perfect story to share any time of the year, not just at Christmas with someone who is grieving the loss of a loved one. Liam, a fictional character, struggles while coping with grief and trauma from experiencing death in the family. Takes place on a Christmas Tree Farm. For all ages. Added bonus: free games, puzzles, classroom curriculum, and e-cards.
Award Winner of the Mom’s Choice Awards, Honoring Excellence
Thompson captures the true essence of the Christmas spirit in this powerful and transcendent story, on Jaxon’s Christmas Tree Farm. It’s about a young boy’s search for his family, and when Liam discovers his true identity, he overcomes his greatest fears. Beautifully written with Norman Rockwell-like illustrations to lift spirits and remind people how much they are loved.
This book can change how you see the world and bring a fresh perspective to your family holiday celebrations. Compelling for all ages and creeds, it is simple — and complex in its message of hope for new beginnings.
Take this healing journey through the woods with Liam. It will open your heart, and help you shed the uncried tears that are the hardest ones to let go of. Its message is deeply satisfying for anyone grieving, and gives hope to anyone, no matter how bad the pain is.
Turned Upside Down by Teana Tache
Turned Upside Down is a flip book written as a conversation between a child and their loved one, designed as a memory keepsake and amazingly illustrated to encourage light, love and forever memories. Turned Upside Down guides children and families through the grieving process by way of their own spiritual journeys. It assists in opening conversations with children and adults, allowing them to process, understand and embrace the loss of their very special someone. Share the gift of connecting with the other side. Allow for a new generation to grow up experiencing the gifts, the messages, the guidance and even the humor from their loved one who has died. Share the gift of never having to truly say goodbye.
Two Brave Cubs Finding help when children grieve by Nancy Ballinger
Two Brave Cubs, Finding help when children grieve is a unique and beautifully illustrated book that portrays the deep emotions of a child’s grief after a mother’s death.
Told from the perspective of two lion cubs, their father and an understanding elephant on the African Savannah, this trauma-informed story is ultimately a tale of hope and love. It is written and illustrated to provide adults with a tool that invites healing conversations with children about life, death, grief, and families.
Author Nancy K Ballinger spent many years as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Play Therapist, and Hospice Children’s Bereavement Counselor, supporting children and their families in their grief. Illustrations Marcy Adams and Julie Frankel brought the book alive through beautiful illustration and design.
We Come Together As One: Helping Families Grieve, Share, and Heal by Lane Pease Hendricks and Nancy Kriseman
After the death of a parent, sibling, or caregiver, the life of a child or teen and their family is forever changed. Families face enormous challenges as they navigate life without that person.
This book is based on the authors’ knowledge gained from working with the courageous families that are a part of a non-profit organization called Kate’s Club. At this writing, since 2003 Kate’s Club has provided creative and innovative programs to support grieving families. The “Kates’ Club Way” believes in empowering children and teens as they move through their grief process so they can become more resilient and ultimately find ways to thrive.
This book provides suggestions and ideas so that adult caregivers have strategies and tools to best support their families. Plus, there are several chapters dedicated to helping adult caregivers cope with their own feelings about the death as they create a new life for themselves.
What does grief feel like? by Korie Leigh
Gentle and reassuring, What Does Grief Feel Like? shares the many ways people can grieve when a loved one dies and validates children’s unique grief experiences. Open-ended questions throughout the book invite children to share what they are thinking, feeling, and going through. Author, Dr. Korie Leigh has spent over eighteen years specializing in working with children and families experiencing grief and loss, and she wrote What Does Grief Feel Like? from a child development perspective, with developmentally appropriate vocabulary. A caregiver’s guide provides helpful information on developmental stages, expressions, and behaviors of grief in children.