When Pumpkin, my dog, died, everyone at home was sad. The next day, a dark cloud began to follow me around and it felt like I had soap in my eyes and an octopus wrapped tightly around my heart... Written by the renowned child author and psychologist, Alicia Acosta, this uplifting, beautifully...

Bestselling novelist (How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents) and children's (The Tia Lola Stories) author Julia Alvarez's new picture book is a beautifully crafted poem for children that gently addresses the emotional side of death. The book asks, "When somebody dies, where do they go? / Do they...

Bestselling novelist (How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents) and children's (The Tia Lola Stories) author Julia Alvarez's new picture book is a beautifully crafted poem for children that gently addresses the emotional side of death. The book asks, "When somebody dies, where do they go? / Do they...

Buckley y su mamá viven en una casita cerca del mar. Cada vez que hay un día especial, Buckley construye un barco de madera para su papá. Mamá prepara un picnic y juntos van a comer a la playa. Después de comer, Buckley pone el barco en el agua con una nota que dice "para papá, con cariño", con la...

Buckley and his Mama live in a cozy cabin by the ocean. He loves to carve boats out of the driftwood he finds on the beach nearby. He makes: big boats long boats short boats and tall boats, each one more beautiful than the last, and sends them out...

My daddy died when I was (one...two...) three years old. Today we are out in the garden. It always makes me think about my daddy because he LOVED his garden. Sometimes, I wonder what happened to my daddy's body... This picture book aims to help children aged 3+ to understand what...

From a debut illustrator comes a story about a child who loses a beloved grandparent finds comfort in carrying on the activities they shared in this sweet, genuine look at a universal rite of passage.  Grandma is always on her knees in the dirt, with her gardening gloves on,...

Some time ago, we said good-bye to Mommy. I am not sure where she has gone. Honest and straightforward, this touching story explores the many emotions a bereaved child may experience, from anger and guilt to sadness and bewilderment. Ultimately, Missing Mommy focuses on the...

One young girl reflects on a year with her beloved grandpa. She remembers the fields and parks they explored in the springtime and the old toys they fixed up in the summer. She remembers the handmade gifts they exchanged in the fall and the stories Grandpa told by the fi re each winter. But...

Grief is like a snowflake. Each snowflake is different and everyone shows grief differently. After the death of his father, Little Tree begins to learn how to cope with his feelings and start the healing process. With the help and support of his family and friends, Little Tree...

The Pond is a touching picture book about a young boy, and his family, overcoming the loss of his father through a small pond in the garden. This colourful, emotional book is filled with natural imagery and will teach children not only about death, and loss, but the importance of the natural...

A comforting primer in emotional literacy and mindfulness that suggests we approach the feeling of sadness as if it is our guest. Sadness can be scary and confusing at any age! When we feel sad, especially for long periods of time, it can seem as if the sadness is a part of who...

Simplified Chinese edition of When Sadness is at Your Door

A comforting primer in emotional literacy and mindfulness that suggests we approach the feeling of sadness as if it is our guest. Sadness can be scary and confusing at any age! When we feel sad, especially for long periods of time, it can seem as if the sadness is a part of who...

A child inherits a treasured stopwatch that belonged to a beloved grandparent in this touching story of loss that explores the stages of grief with sensitivity and wisdom. "When summer started, I got Grampa's stopwatch," a small child says. "I don't want his stopwatch. I want him." Grampa...

Have you ever been sad? We can be sad for many reasons. Maybe it's raining and you want to play outside. Maybe a friend moved away, or you're sick on your birthday.  Everyone feels sadness in different ways. You might feel like crying all the time, or you may be...

'She's in a better place now,' adults say again and again when someone dies. But it doesn't seem better, it seems stupid. This forthright exploration of grief and mourning recognises the anger, confusion and fear that we feel about death - but refuses to succumb to banalaties when talking about it....

"This beautifully balanced picturebook's rich colours dance alongside its intricately clear-eyed narrative, sensitive but never sentimental.... Certain to become a classic" - Inis magazine, Children's Books Ireland As her grandmother's health declines, a young girl begins to...

How do we say goodbye to a loved one after they die? This book broaches a difficult topic in a heartfelt way by exploring the beauty in how animals mourn. From elephants to whales, parrots to bonobos, and lemurs to humans, we all have rituals to commemorate our loved ones and to lift each other up...

A beautiful, honest portrait of loss and deep friendship told through the story of two iconic polar bears. Gus lives in a big park in the middle of an even bigger city, and he spends his days with Ida. Ida is right there. Always. Then one sad day, Gus learns that Ida...

With gentle humor and quirkiness, this sympathetic book demonstrates how to say goodbye to a beloved pet and give it a proper sendoff. "[The End of Something Wonderful is] really good. It's funny and sardonic and it gets to be touching at the end."...

It's quieter than it's ever been. Unable to sleep, a young boy climbs into his father's arms. Feeling the warmth and closeness of his father, he begins to ask questions about the birds, the foxes, and whether his mom will ever wake up. They go outside under the starry sky. Loss and love are as...

A grieving boy remembers his grandfather and the hobby they shared, in this moving evocation of love and loss by a Newbery Medalist. Milo's grandfather is fascinated by birds. He admires their freedom and never loses an opportunity to point out the things that make each one...

Written for children who may not survive their illness or for the children who know them, the second edition of this tender and touching tale helps address feelings of disbelief, anger, and sadness, along with love and compassion.

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...

What does it look like to live on, even when Mom is gone? In this grounded, sensitive story, a young girl looks for ways of dealing with the anger, loneliness, and jealousy that death can create. Finding comfort in her mother's old sweater, she discovers that grief doesn't necessarily grow...

Miss Eula is back! In this heartwarming companion to Chicken Sunday, young Trisha is devastated when her grandmother passes away, but finds joy in bonds with a new friend, her new California neighborhood-and the invincible Miss Eula. There will never be anyone like her...

Some people die when they're very old, and some in single digits. Only one thing's for certain: none of us escape it. A fact and absurdity not lost on this winning ten-year-old. Sick since even before Jette can remember, her brother Emil now has died. The feelings that losing...

Aware their grandmother is gravely ill, four siblings make a pact to keep death from taking her away. But Death does arrive all the same, as it must. He comes gently, naturally. And he comes with enough time to share a story with the children that helps them to realize the value of loss to life...

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. Using questions posed in a child's voice and answers that start simply and become more in-depth, this book allows adults to guide the...

With unmitigated honesty and a touch of humor, Michael Rosen explores the experience of sadness in a way that resonates with us all (all ages).Sometimes I'm sad and I don't know why. It's just a cloud that comes along and covers me up.Sad things happen to everyone, and sometimes people feel sad for...

This book dives right into the topic that most adults prefer to avoid talking or even thinking about: death. It explains the practical aspects and gracefully navigates the nuances of emotion and community that surrounds something we all experience.

BEST OF THE YEAR Chicago Public Library · School Library Journal · Five Books Carnegie Medal Finalist Once, in a tiny village in India, there was a young boy who loved to paint. He lived with his grandfather, who...

A beautiful and heartfelt picture book to help children celebrate the memories left behind when a loved one dies. Fox has lived a long and happy life in the forest, but now he is tired. He lies down in his favourite clearing, and falls asleep for ever. Before long, Fox's...

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...

Children find grief difficult and understanding where a loved one has gone, can be a tricky topic to explain... Billy misses his mummy very much. She lives in the clouds. Some days the sun is shining and Mummy's clouds are nowhere to be seen. Those are Billy's favourite days. He...

Something Very Sad Happened is intended to be read to two- and three-year-old children to help them understand death and process the loss of a loved one. When a loved one dies, it can be hard to know how to explain it to a young child, particularly if you are...