Dealing with Death/Loss in Picture Books

Picture books for children to help them work through and put words to the loss of a loved one.
Updated September 19, 2022
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A Stone for Sascha
Aaron Becker
Paper Book
The Boy and the Gorilla
Jackie Azua Kramer
Paper Book
This profoundly moving tale about a grieving boy and an imaginary gorilla makes real the power of talking about loss. On the day of his mother's funeral, a young boy conjures the very visitor he needs to see: a gorilla. Wise and gentle, the gorilla stays on to answer the heart-heavy questions the...
Dance Like a Leaf
AJ Irving
Paper Book
"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...
The Pond
Nicola Davies
Paper Book
A touching picture book for children about a young boy and his family overcoming the loss of his father. This colorful, emotional book is filled with natural imagery, centering on a small pond in the garden, and will teach children not only about death and loss, but the importance of the...
The Invisible String
Patrice Karst
Audiobook
With over 1.5 million copies sold, this accessible, bestselling book phenomenon about the unbreakable connections between loved ones has healed generations of children and adults alike.  Parents, educators, therapists, and social workers alike have...
Missing Mommy: A Book About Bereavement
Rebecca Cobb
Paper Book
Some time ago we said goodbye to Mummy. I am not sure where she has gone.Written and illustrated by a new talent in children's picture books, this extraordinary book deals with the loss of a parent from a child's point of view. Perfectly pitched text and evocative artwork explore the many emotions a...
The Grandad Tree
Trish Cooke
Paper Book
Leigh and Vin used to play with Grandad under the apple tree in their garden. Now Grandad has gone but, like the tree, the children's love for him lives on forever. This is a tale about the cycle of life and the enduring power of love.
The Heart and the Bottle
Oliver Jeffers
Paper Book
Award-winning picture book star Oliver Jeffers explores themes of love and loss in this life-affirming and uplifting tale. Once there was a girl whose life was filled with wonder at the world around her... Then one day something happened that made the girl take her heart...
The Scar
Charlotte Moundlic
Paper Book
With tenderness, touches of humour and unflinching emotional truth, Charlotte Moundlic captures the loneliness of grief through the eyes of a child, rendered with sympathy and charm in Olivier Tallec's expressive illustrations.

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