Talking to children about grief is not easy. Patron Service Specialist Abby Cornelison put together this list of books about grief for children after a patron asked her for help finding books to share with her children who had recently lost someone they loved. 

"What a sad but very necessary subject to have children's books for. No one wants to lose someone they love, but we all still need those valuable resources to help us learn to cope and grieve in difficult moments," Abby said. "Since then, I've gradually expanded on the list one book at a time, and I always keep an eye out for other great titles that might help children process and accept their feelings of grief."

"Always Remember," by Cece Meng

When Old Turtle passes, his friends remember the happy memories they shared together. Even when we miss someone, sometimes it helps to keep remembering the good times you shared.

"A Last Goodbye," by Elin Kelsey

This book examines how animals express grief. We're really not that different! Beautiful papercraft illustrations capture the emotion of the animals and their stories in a brilliantly creative way.

"I'll Always Love You," by Hans Wilhelm

When the family pet passes, a child takes comfort in knowing that they always made an effort to tell the pet how much they loved them.

"Gentle Willow: A Story for Children about Dying," by Joyce C. Mills

Sometimes, people get sick. Sometimes, despite the best efforts and care, people pass away anyway. This book helps to explain how we can still be there to support someone who is losing their fight, while still processing our own feelings.

"My Big, Dumb, Invisible Dragon," by Angie Lucas

After the loss of a parent, a young boy experiences grief as the weight of an invisible dragon resting on top of him. While he cannot get rid of the dragon, he finds that it becomes easier to cope with as time passes. This book addresses the 5 stages of grief in a gentle way that children can understand.

"Where Do We Go When We Disappear," by Isabel Minhós Martins

Things in this world are always appearing and disappearing. But does a stone really vanish when it turns into sand? And do lost socks really go missing? And, more importantly, do people ever really disappear? This book holds lots of ideas to help you answer the age-old question: where do we go when we disappear?

"The Fall of Freddie the Leaf," by Leo F. Buscaglia

As Freddie experiences the changing seasons along with his companion leaves, he learns about the delicate balance between life and death.

Scroll through the book covers below and click on them to put these titles on hold in the library's catalog.