Tough Topics: Understanding Grief and Loss for KidsLike this list

19 items

• Many Shapes of Clay

  Sneed, Kenesha,

  Add Many Shapes of Clay to your for later shelf

  In this fiction book, Eisha's mother teaches her about grief and moving forward through the artform of ceramics. Kids will easily relate to these graphic illustrations and poignant words.

• What Does Grief Feel Like?

  Leigh, Korie,

  Add What Does Grief Feel Like? to your for later shelf

  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.

• Goodbye

  a First Conversation About Grief

  Madison, Megan,

  Add Goodbye to your for later shelf

  This board book helps facilitate discussions about grief with little ones and normalizes the topic of loss for inquisitive kiddos. Backed by research and understanding that having tough conversations with children helps increase self-awareness and…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Grief Rock

  a Book to Understand Grief and Love

  Daniels, Natasha,

  Add The Grief Rock to your for later shelf

  Sometimes, grief can feel like a heavy rock that you have to carry around. This story talks about how that weight is symbolic of the love we feel for the people we've lost and how talking about that love can help the rock feel lighter.

• Grief Is an Elephant

  Tamara Ellis Smith

  Add Grief Is an Elephant to your for later shelf

  This streaming audiobook follows how grief can change over time, from as big and heavy as an elephant to as beautiful and blinking as a firefly.

• One Wave at a Time

  a Story About Grief and Healing

  Thompson, Holly,

  Add One Wave at a Time to your for later shelf

  This story follows a boy who has lost his father, looking at his emotions like waves in the ocean. At first, those waves knock him down, but with help from friends, the boy can ride the waves as they come.

• Walking Grandma Home

  a Story of Grief, Hope, and Healing

  Flood, Bo,

  Add Walking Grandma Home to your for later shelf

  When his grandmother passes away, Lee has a lot of conflicting emotions. Written by a child psychologist and counselor, this book is a wonderful resource to help your child face the loss of a loved one.

• Ida, Always

  Levis, Caron,

  Add Ida, Always to your for later shelf

  This sweet book, based on a true story, follows a polar bear named Gus who loses his companion, Ida, after a terminal illness. Gus goes through many emotions while learning to deal with Ida's absence.

• Khali

  Empty and Me : a Tale of Friendship and Loss

  Mahdavi, Azam,

  Add Khali to your for later shelf

  When a girl's mother dies, Empty is the being who appears to take up the space left by her mother when she isn't ready to connect.

• The End of Something Wonderful

  a Practical Guide to a Backyard Funeral

  Lucianovic, Stephanie V. W,

  Add The End of Something Wonderful to your for later shelf

  This book helps kids understand and accept the loss of a pet while walking through how to honor them with a backyard funeral.

• Bear Island

  Cordell, Matthew, 1975-

  Add Bear Island to your for later shelf

  Louise is struggling with the loss of her family dog, Charlie. When she visits an island that Charlie loves, she meets an unexpected friend who helps her understand her emotions.

• A Walk in the Woods

  Grimes, Nikki,

  Add A Walk in the Woods to your for later shelf

  After finding a treasure map left for him by his late father, a boy takes a walk through the woods they used to explore together.

• My Nana's Garden

  Casey, Dawn, 1975-

  Add My Nana's Garden to your for later shelf

  Explore the loss of a grandmother through the seasons in a garden. The vibrant illustrations add to the story of love and remembrance of a precious person in your life.

• Big Cat, Little Cat

  Cooper, Elisha,

  Add Big Cat, Little Cat to your for later shelf

  A pair of housecats adjust to living together, but everything changes when the white cat grows old and passes away. The black cat feels sad in the absence of the white cat, until one day a white kitten comes along. A great book for helping children…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Goodbye Book

  Parr, Todd,

  Add The Goodbye Book to your for later shelf

  These colorful illustrations depict a fish who is missing their companion. Deceptively simple, children will relate to all the emotions the fish goes through in this book and will be reminded that there will always be someone who loves you to…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Remembering

  González, Xelena,

  Add Remembering to your for later shelf

  A young girl prepares for Día de los Muertos by creating an ofrenda for her beloved dog that passed away. She remembers all the dog's favorite things to do and all the sweet memories she has.

• Mouseboat

  Theule, Larissa,

  Add Mouseboat to your for later shelf

  A young girl who lost her mother finds solace at the lake by taking a ride on a boat they made together.

• Coco

  Add Coco to your for later shelf

  This touching story follows Miguel’s trip to the Land of the Dead as he tries to uncover the true history of his family. Adults and kids alike will enjoy this story that demystifies death and provides a touchstone for further conversations.

• Jefferson Center for Mental Health

  View on jcmh.org

  For 65 years, JCMH has provided high-quality mental and behavioral health care and counseling in multiple Colorado communities, one person or family at a time. Our exceptional healthcare services focus on assisting you with counseling, psychiatry,…Read moreRead more of this annotation