This list of books is intended to help you facilitate conversations about death, dying, and grieving with your child. Read these prior to sharing them with your child to ensure the ideas align with your home culture and beliefs.
Preschool (Ages 2-4 years old)
- Always Remember by CeCe Meng
- I Miss You: A First Look at Death by Pat Thomas
- Always and Forever by Alan Durant
- The Goodbye Book by Todd Parr
School Age (Ages 5-8 years old)
- Sad Isn’t Bad by Michaelene Mundy
- Lifetimes by Bryan Mellonie
- The Invisible String by Patrice Karst
- I’ll Always Love You by Hans Wilhelm
- The Memory Box: A Book About Grief by Joanna Rowland
Preteen (Ages 9-12 years old)
- When Your Grandparent Dies by Michaelene Mundy
- Healing for Your Grieving Heart for Kids by Alan Wolfelt
- Chill & Spill by Lorig & Jacobs
- Tear Soup by Schweibert & DeKlyen
Adolescent (Ages 13-18 years old)
- Grief Recovery for Teens by Coral Popowitz
- Sometimes Life Sucks by Mollie Carlile
- Weird is Normal When Teenagers Grieve by Jenny Lee Wheeler
- The Grieving Teen by Helen Fitzgerald
- Straight Talk About Death for Teens by Earl Grollman
This list is provided by Alicia M. Cesare, Certified Child Life Specialist. As a CCLS, she uses evidence-based practices that utilize therapeutic play to prepare, educate and support children and families experiencing stress, fear and anxiety in a variety of medical- and community-based settings. She worked with Country Meadows to create this useful tool for families.
