Reading Resources for Grief and Loss with Children

(by no means is this an exhaustive list)

Children Ages 3-8:

Brown, L. K., & Brown, M. T. (1996). When dinosaurs die a guide to understanding death. Boston: Little, Brown.

Curtis, J. L., & Cornell, L. (1998). Today I feel silly & other moods that make my day. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.

Mundy, M., & Alley, R. W. (1998). Sad isn't bad a good-grief guidebook for kids dealing with loss. St. Meinrad, IN: One Caring Place.

Palmer, P., & Burke, D. O. (1994). I wish I could hold your hand- a child's guide to grief and loss. San Luis Obispo, Calif: Impact.

Silverman, J. (1999). Help me say good-bye: Activities for helping kids cope when a special person dies. Minneapolis: Fairview Press.

Teakle, H. (1993). My daddy died: Supporting young children in grief. New York: HarperCollins.

Thomas, P. (2001). I miss you. Hauppauge, NY: Barron's Educational Series, Inc. (Ages 3-6)

Viorst, J., & Blegvad, E. (1988). The tenth good thing about Barney. New York: Aladdin Books.

Winsch, J. L., & Keating, P. T. (1995). After the funeral. New York: Paulist Press.

Children Ages 9-12:

Clifton, L. (1983). Everett Anderson's good-bye. Holt, Rinehart, and Winston.

Heegaard, M. (1991). When someone has a very serious illness: Children can learn to cope with loss and change. Minneapolis: Woodland Press.

Silverman, J. (1999). Help me say good-bye: Activities for helping kids cope when a special person dies. Minneapolis: Fairview Press.

Smith, D. (1973). A taste of blueberries. Thomas Y. Crowell.

Children 13 and Older:

Agee, J. (1967). A death in the family. New York: Grosset & Dunlap.

Alcott, L. M. (2001). Little women. New York: HarperFestival.

Gootman, M. E., & Espeland, P. (2005). When a friend dies a book for teens about grieving & healing. Minneapolis: Free Spirit Pub.

Romain, T., & Verdick, E. (1999). What on earth do you do when someone dies. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit.

The Dougy Center for Grieving Children. (2004). Helping teens cope with death. Portland, OR: The Dougy Center for Grieving Children.

Recommended for all Ages:

Buscaglia, L. F. (1982). The fall of Freddie the leaf a story of life for all ages. New York, N.Y: Distributed to the trade by Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

Kroen, W. C., & Espeland, P. (1996). Helping children cope with the loss of a loved one a guide for grownups. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Pub.

Mellonie, B., & Ingpen, R. R. (1983). Lifetimes a beautiful way to explain death to children. New York: Bantam Books.

Silverstein, S. (1964). The giving tree. New York: Harper & Row.

Rylant, C. (1999). The Heavenly Village. New York: Blue Sky Press.