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SevenPonds / Books to Lend Insight / Books For Children & Young Adults About Death

Books For Children & Young Adults About Death

Helping kids understand death requires age-appropriate guidance. These books provide gentle explanations, comfort, and tools to help children and teens process loss and ask the difficult questions they’re thinking about.

"Helen's Birds"

By Sara Cassidy

Drawn by Sophie Casson and written by Sara Cassidy, “Helen’s Birds” follows Saanvi’s friendship with her elderly neighbo…

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"The Good Mourning"

By Seldon Peden II

An estimated 6 million children ages 0-17 in the U.S.A will have a parent or sibling die. While there are numerous pictu…

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“I’ll Be the Water: A Story of a Grandparent’s Love”

By Alec Aspinwall

“I’ll Be the Water” tells the story of a grandfather’s aging and dying through the eyes of a young boy named Joshua. The…

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“Crying is Like the Rain”

By Heather Hawk Feinberg, Illustrated by Chamisa Kellogg

“Crying is Like the Rain: A Story of Mindfulness and Feelings” is a sweet, simple look at the manner in which feelings a…

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"Another Brooklyn"

By Jacqueline Woodson

Jacqueline Woodson, winner of the National Book Award, took her own youth, which she chronicled in her memoir-in-verse, …

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"Long Way Down"

By Jason Reynolds

“Long Way Down,” the 2017 YA novel in free verse by Jason Reynolds, features a 15-year- old protagonist, William Holloma…

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book cover of a monster calls by patrick ness

"A Monster Calls"

By Patrick Ness, Illustrated by Jim Kay

“A Monster Calls” was an award-winning young adult novel before it was a movie based on the book. Written by Patrick Nes…

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“The Heart and the Bottle”

By Oliver Jeffers

“The Heart and the Bottle” is a lovely, beautifully illustrated fable about a young girl grappling with loss and grief. …

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SEVENPONDS FAVORITE

"A Kids Book About COVID-19"

By Malia Jones

“A Kids Book About COVID-19” is a free e-book to help adults talk to children about the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19…

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samanta jane's missing smile jacket cover

"Samantha Jane's Missing Smile: A Story About Coping With The Los…

By Julie Kaplow, PhD, and Donna Pincus, PhD

“Samantha Jane’s Missing Smile: A Story About Coping With the Loss of A Parent,” written by Julie Kaplow and Donna Pincu…

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Cover of The Goodbye Book, a children's book about grief

"The Goodbye Book"

By Todd Parr

The Goodbye Book,” written by bestselling author Todd Parr, is a children’s picture book that matter-of-factly and simpl…

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“The Memory Box: A Book About Grief”

By Joanna Rowland

“The Memory Box: A Book About Grief,” written by Joanna Rowland and illustrated by Thea Baker, is a short children’s boo…

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The Cremation of Sam McGee is now illustrated.

"The Cremation of Sam McGee"

By Robert Service

Earlier this month, Meghan McCain conveyed her deep love and admiration for her father, Sen. John McCain, in a powerful …

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“The Thing About Jellyfish”

By Ali Benjamin

Ali Benjamin’s “The Thing About Jellyfish” is a delightful, poignant and thoroughly entertaining novel about a young gir…

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"Duck, Death and the Tulip"

By Wolf Elbruch

“Duck, Death and the Tulip” is a beautifully illustrated picture book about death and afterlife by German author and ill…

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"I Miss You"

By Pat Thomas

I Miss You: A First Look at Death” is a non-fiction book for children around the ages of four to seven. It uses simple l…

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"Cry, Heart, but Never Break"

By Glenn Ringtved

“Cry, Heart, But Never Break” is the first children’s book I’ve ever read that approaches the topic of death in a truly …

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"Tear Soup: A Recipe for Healing After Loss"

By Chuck DeKlyen and Pat Schwiebert

“Tear Soup: A Recipe for Healing After Loss” is brilliant. It’s one of those deceptively simple “children’s books” about…

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"The Purple Balloon"

By Chris Raschka

Created in conjunction with Children’s Hospice International, “The Purple Balloon” by Chris Raschka offers a way for par…

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"The Truth About Mary Rose"

By Marilyn Sachs

We all want to know where we come from, who our ancestors were and what they were like. Sometimes, though, the answers w…

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"When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide To Understanding Death"

By Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown

“What does alive mean?” is a pretty bold way to start a picture book for young children. But that’s the first sentence o…

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"Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs"

By Tomie dePaola

Tomie dePaola wrote and illustrated the classic children’s book “Strega Nona,” the tale of an Italian witch doctor who m…

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"Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself"

By Judy Blume

The book is written in the third person from the main character, Sally’s, point of view. It tells the story of a 10-year…

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“Bridge to Terabithia”

By Katherine Paterson

Paterson’s novella touches upon the subjects of death and masculinity through the eyes of a young boy named Jesse Aarons…

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"Gentle Willow: A Story for Children About Dying"

By Joyce C. Mills

“Gentle Willow: A Story For Children About Dying” is a beautifully conceived little book written for children dealing wi…

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"When Someone Has A Very Serious Illness: Children Can Learn To C…

By Marge Heegaard

Published in 1988, Marge Heegaard’s book “When Someone Has A Very Serious Illness: Children Can Learn To Cope With Loss …

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"Sad Isn’t Bad: A Good Grief Guidebook for Kids Dealing With Loss…

By Michaelene Mundy

Helping a child understand death is a challenging task, especially when you are grieving yourself. Children experience m…

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"There Are Two Kinds of Terrible"

By Peggy Mann

Peggy Mann wrote “There Are Two Kinds of Terrible,” a book about a child who loses his mother to cancer, in 1977. Much o…

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"The Invisible String"

By Patrice Karst

“The Invisible String” by Patrice Karst addresses the issue of separation by reassuring children that even though they c…

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"Grief is a Mess"

By Jackie Schuld

While Jackie Schuld’s book “Grief is a Mess” gives you the initial impression of being a sweet child’s book, it is anyth…

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"lifetimes: The Beautiful Way to Explain Death To Children"

By Bryan Mellonie and illustrated by Robert Ingpen

Lifetimes: The Beautiful Way to Explain Death To Children is singular among the children’s books on death and dying that…

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"Maybe Death is Like a Light"

By Greg Lundgren

Greg Lundgren, both designer and handmade cremation urn provider, has written and illustrated a coloring book to help a …

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"The Fall of Freddie the Leaf: A Story of Life for All Ages"

By Leo Buscaglia, PhD

When it comes to story time with your little one, death is maybe the last thing you want to read about (other than Elois…

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"The Fault in Our Stars"

By John Green

The Fault in Our Stars is about as YA as it gets — the snarky attitudes, teen love dramas and arguments with parents al…

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CRAZY

By Amy Reed

Connor knows that Izzy will never fall in love with him the way he’s fallen for her. But somehow he’s been let into her …

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"Acorn Full of Memories"

By Audrey Penn

Chester Raccoon has lost a close friend, and he doesn’t understand why. In the tender story by Audrey Penn, beautifully …

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terrible thing happened, children's book, violence, trauma, margaret m homes, cary pillo

"A Terrible Thing Happened"

By Margaret M. Holmes

Research has shown that children who have witnessed violence or trauma (known as “secondary victims”) are actually affec…

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