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Death and Dying Books for Children

Therapist recommended books on loss, grief, and dying.

The Goodbye Book By Todd Parr Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9780316404976
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Published: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers - November 3rd, 2015

From New York Times bestselling author Todd Parr comes this poignant and reassuring story about loss. 

With his colorful illustrations, playful humor, and inclusive storytelling, beloved author Todd Parr has long been a favorite among young readers and caregivers.


Death Is Stupid (Ordinary Terrible Things) By Anastasia Higginbotham (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Anastasia Higginbotham (Illustrator)
$16.95
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ISBN: 9781558619258
Published: Feminist Press - April 12th, 2016

Death Is Stupid is an invaluable tool for discussing death, but also the possibilities for celebrating life and love.


The Rough Patch: A Caldecott Honor Award Winner By Brian Lies, Brian Lies (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Brian Lies, Brian Lies (Illustrator)
$17.99
ISBN: 9780062671271
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Published: Greenwillow Books - August 14th, 2018

A Caldecott Honor Book

An ALA Notable Book

A breathtakingly beautiful and luminescent book that is pitch-perfect for anyone of any age who has experienced any type of loss or disappointment, from New York Times–bestselling picture book creator Brian Lies.


What Happens When a Loved One Dies?: Our First Talk about Death (Just Enough #2) By Jillian Roberts, Cindy Revell (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Jillian Roberts, Cindy Revell (Illustrator)
$19.95
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ISBN: 9781459809451
Published: Orca Book Publishers - April 5th, 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.


I Have a Question about Death: Clear Answers for All Kids, Including Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder or Other Special Needs By Arlen Grad Gaines, Meredith Englander Polsky Cover Image
$19.75
ISBN: 9781785927508
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Published: Jessica Kingsley Publishers - March 21st, 2017

Winner of a Moonbeam Children's Book Award 2017
I Have a Question about... is a 2018 Winner of the Moonbeam Children's Book Award Silver Medal for Best Book Series - Non-Fiction


The Dead Bird By Margaret Wise Brown, Christian Robinson (Illustrator) Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9780060289317
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: HarperCollins - March 1st, 2016

This New York Times Best Illustrated Book is a heartwarming classic from the author of Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny, with stunning, evocative art by #1 New York Times bestselling and multiple-award-winning illustrator Christian Robinson (You Matter and Last Stop on Market Street). 


The Tenth Good Thing About Barney By Judith Viorst, Erik Blegvad (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Judith Viorst, Erik Blegvad (Illustrator)
$8.99
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ISBN: 9780689712036
Published: Atheneum Books for Young Readers - September 30th, 1987

My cat Barney died this Friday. I was very sad. My mother said we could have a funeral for him, and I should think of ten good things about Barney so I could tell them...
But the small boy who loved Barney can only think of nine. Later, while talking with his father, he discovers the tenth -- and begins to understand.


When Something Terrible Happens: Children Can Learn to Cope with Grief (Drawing Out Feelings) By Marge Heegaard Cover Image
$9.95
ISBN: 9780962050237
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Woodland Press (MN) - July 23rd, 1996

Creates ways for children to explore the fright, confusion, and insecurity caused by traumatic events in their lives.


When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide to Understanding Death (Dino Tales: Life Guides for Families) By Laurie Krasny Brown, Marc Brown (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Laurie Krasny Brown, Marc Brown (Illustrator)
$9.99
ISBN: 9780316119559
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Published: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers - April 1st, 1998

For over 25 years, families have used When Dinosaurs Die to explain death, dying, and coping with grief and loss -- from the creators of the beloved Dino Tales: Life Guide for Families series, which has sold over 1.5 million copies.


The Best Cat in the World By Leslea Newman, Ronald Himler (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Leslea Newman, Ronald Himler (Illustrator)
$10.00
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ISBN: 9780802852946
Published: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers - January 26th, 2006

A young boy deals with the loss of his beloved cat Charlie, eventually accepting the arrival of another, very different cat.


Cat Heaven By Cynthia Rylant, Cynthia Rylant (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Cynthia Rylant, Cynthia Rylant (Illustrator)
$19.99
ISBN: 9780590100540
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: The Blue Sky Press - August 1st, 1997

A joyous celebration of a cat's journey after a happy life on Earth by Newbery Medalist Cynthia Rylant.

"The way to Cat Heaven is a field of sweet grass, where crickets and butterflies play!" With a gentle, playful rhyme, Newbery Medalist Cynthia Rylant explores all the ways our beloved cats enjoy Cat Heaven, as she did for dogs in the bestselling companion book, DOG HEAVEN.


Dog Heaven By Cynthia Rylant, Cynthia Rylant (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Cynthia Rylant, Cynthia Rylant (Illustrator)
$19.99
ISBN: 9780590417013
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: The Blue Sky Press - August 1st, 1995

A comforting and playful exploration of a beloved dog's journey after a happy life on Earth.

In Newbery Medalist Cynthia Rylant's classic bestseller, the author comforts readers young and old who have lost a dog, as she did for cats in the bestselling companion book, CAT HEAVEN.


Healing Your Grieving Heart for Kids: 100 Practical Ideas (Healing Your Grieving Heart series) By Alan D. Wolfelt, PhD Cover Image
$11.95
ISBN: 9781879651272
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Companion Press - April 1st, 2001

With sensitivity and insight, this series offers suggestions for healing activities that can help survivors learn to express their grief and mourn naturally. Acknowledging that death is a painful, ongoing part of life, they explain how people need to slow down, turn inward, embrace their feelings of loss, and seek and accept support when a loved one dies.


The Next Place By Warren Hanson, Warren Hanson (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Warren Hanson, Warren Hanson (Illustrator)
$16.95
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ISBN: 9780931674327
Published: Waldman House Press - August 5th, 2002

A classic, The Next Place brings gentle verse revealing a safe and welcome destination free from earthly hurts and filled with wonder and peace. A comforting message of hope and a gift of compassion for the bereaved. Exquisite, color illustrations.


Talking about Death: A Dialogue between Parent and Child By Earl A. Grollman Cover Image
$24.00
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ISBN: 9780807023617
Published: Beacon Press - September 6th, 2011

Why do people die? How do you explain the loss of a loved one to a child? This book is a compassionate guide for adults and children to read together, featuring a read-along story and answers to questions children ask about death.


Tear Soup: A Recipe for Healing After Loss By Pat Schwiebert Cover Image
$21.95
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ISBN: 9780961519766
Published: Grief Watch - January 1st, 1999

In this modern-day fable, a woman who has suffered a terrible loss cooks up a special batch of tear soup, blending the unique ingredients of her life into the grief process. Along the way she dispenses a recipe of sound advice for people who are in mourning.


When Someone Very Special Dies: Children Can Learn to Cope with Grief (Drawing Out Feelings) By Marge Heegaard Cover Image
$10.95
ISBN: 9780962050206
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Woodland Press (MN) - July 23rd, 1996

A practical format for allowing children to understand the concept of death and develop coping skills for life.


Badger's Parting Gifts By Susan Varley, Susan Varley (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Susan Varley, Susan Varley (Illustrator)
$9.99
ISBN: 9780688115180
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Published: HarperCollins - July 16th, 1992

"The gentle message holds particular validity for children and is conveyed in a tenderhearted manner." Booklist

“Warm and sensitive.” Publishers Weekly


The Fall of Freddie the Leaf: A Story of Life for All Ages By Leo Buscaglia, PhD Cover Image
$19.75
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ISBN: 9780943432892
Published: Slack Incorporated - June 1st, 1982

The beloved classic from New York Times bestselling author Leo Buscaglia that has helped thousands of children and adults come to grips with life and death—a warm, wonderfully wise, and strikingly simple story about a leaf named Freddie.

Appropriate for all ages—from toddlers to adults—and featuring beautiful nature photographs throughout, this poignant,


Chester Raccoon and the Acorn Full of Memories (The Kissing Hand Series) By Audrey Penn, Barbara Gibson (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Audrey Penn, Barbara Gibson (Illustrator)
$16.99
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ISBN: 9781933718293
Published: Tanglewood - August 15th, 2009

Chester Raccoon's good friend Skiddel Squirrel has had an accident and will not be returning - ever. Chester is upset that he won't get to play with his friend anymore. Mrs. Raccoon suggests that Chester and his friends create some memories of Skiddel, so that they will have good memories when they miss him.


I Miss You: A First Look at Death (A First Look at...Series) By Pat Thomas, Lesley Harker (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Pat Thomas, Lesley Harker (Illustrator)
$8.99
ISBN: 9780764117640
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Sourcebooks Explore - January 1st, 2001

When a close friend or family member dies, it can be sad for kids and difficult for them to express the big feelings they are experiencing. This book will help explain in a gentle way that death is a natural complement to life and that grief and a sense of loss are normal feelings to have following the death of a loved one.