“What are the best Children’s books about and for Grief?” We looked at 270 of the top Kids Grief books, aggregating and ranking them so we could answer that very question!
The top 32 titles, all appearing on 3 or more “Best Kids Grief” book lists, are ranked below by how many lists they appear on. The remaining 200+ titles, as well as the lists we used are in alphabetical order at the bottom of the page.
Happy Scrolling!
Lists It Appears On:
Everett Anderson has a difficult time coming to terms with his grief after his father dies.
Lists It Appears On:
Daddy comforts and reassures a very young boy after Mommy dies.
Lists It Appears On:
When her dog Lulu dies, a girl grieves but then continues with her life.
Lists It Appears On:
A beautiful and heartfelt story about the death of a loved one and the memories that comfort those left behind. Fox has lived a long and happy life in the forest. One day, he lies down in his favorite clearing, takes a deep breath, and falls asleep for ever. Before long, Fox’s friends begin to gather in the clearing. One by one, they tell stories of the special moments that they shared with Fox. And, as they share their memories, a tree begins to grow, becoming bigger and stronger, sheltering and protecting all the animals in the forest, just as Fox did when he was alive. This gentle and comforting tale celebrates life and the memories that are left behind when a loved one dies.…
Lists It Appears On:
Explains death as the inevitable end of life and provides three situations in which children experience powerful emotions when someone close has died.
Lists It Appears On:
Describes the overwhelming emotions involved in dealing with the death of a loved one and discusses how to cope with such a situation.
Lists It Appears On:
Children feel the reassuring love of their parents no matter where they go or what they do.
Lists It Appears On:
Thirteen-year-old Conor awakens one night to find a monster outside his bedroom window, but not the one from the recurring nightmare that began when his mother became ill–an ancient, wild creature that wants him to face truth and loss.
Lists It Appears On:
The life of a ten-year-old boy in rural Virginia expands when he becomes friends with a newcomer who subsequently meets an untimely death trying to reach their hideaway, Terabithia, during a storm.
Lists It Appears On:
In a strangely heartwarming story, a duck strikes up an unlikely friendship with death. Suggested level: junior, primary.
Lists It Appears On:
When Mog dies Debbie and Nicky learn to understand why Mog had to go. However Mog is never far away when they have a new kitten to look after.
Lists It Appears On:
One day when Harry comes home from school, his faithful companion Hopper isn’t there to greet him, in a touching story about the process of healing after losing a beloved pet.
Lists It Appears On:
Offers practical and sensitive support for bereaved children… suggests a helpful series of activities and exercises accompanied by the friendly characters of Bee and Bear
Lists It Appears On:
A modern-day fable, told in a richly illustrated children’s book format. Tear Soup, a recipe for healing after loss, centers around an old and somewhat wise woman, Grandy. Grandy has just suffered a big loss in her life and so she is headed to the kitchen to make a special batch of Tear Soup. There she chooses the size pot that is right for her loss, and she puts on her apron because she knows it’s going to be messy. Slowly the pot is filled with tears as the old woman steeps away. To season her soup Grandy adds memories like the good times and the bad times, the silly and the sad times. She does not want to forget even one precious memory of her loss.…
Lists It Appears On:
When they find a dead bird, a group of children bury it in the woods, sing a song to it, and put flowers on the grave.
Lists It Appears On:
When his mother dies, a little boy is angry at his loss but does everything he can to hold onto the memory of her scent, her voice, and the special things she did for him, even as he tries to help his father and grandmother cope.
Lists It Appears On:
A family of forest animals learns to cope with the death of a loved one.
Lists It Appears On:
Wilbur, the pig, is desolate when he discovers that he is destined to be the farmer’s Christmas dinner until his spider friend, Charlotte, decides to help him.
Lists It Appears On:
Aware their grandmother is gravely ill, four siblings learn to realize the value of loss, life, and the importance of being able to say goodbye.
Lists It Appears On:
Briefly describes the beginning and end of life for plants, animals, insects, and people.
Lists It Appears On:
A small boy enjoys his relationship with his grandmother and his great-grandmother, but he learns to face their inevitable death.
Lists It Appears On:
Small, a little fox, seeks reassurance that Large will always provide love, no matter what.
Lists It Appears On:
A man tells about all the emotions that accompany his sadness over the death of his son, and how he tries to cope.
Lists It Appears On:
As Freddie experiences the changing seasons along with his companion leaves, he learns about the delicate balance between life and death.
Lists It Appears On:
After safeguarding her heart in a bottle hung around her neck, a girl finds the bottle growing heavier and her interest in things around her becoming smaller.
Lists It Appears On:
Badger’s friends are sad when he dies, but they treasure the legacies he left them.
Lists It Appears On:
A polar bear grieves over the loss of his companion, based on the real-life Gus and Ida of New York’s Central Park Zoo.
Lists It Appears On:
Illustrations and brief text relate how a person might feel when they lose someone they love.
Lists It Appears On:
Explains in simple language the feelings people may have regarding the death of a loved one and the ways to honor the memory of someone who has died.
Lists It Appears On:
Lists It Appears On:
In an attempt to overcome his grief, a boy tries to think of the ten best things about his dead cat.
Lists It Appears On:
This reassuring picture book explores the difficult issue of death for young children. Children’s feelings and questions about this sensitive subject are looked at in a simple but realistic way. This book helps them to understand their loss and to come to terms with their feelings.…
# | Books | Author | Lists |
33 | A Taste of Blackberries | All In A Health | |
– | – | – | Usurns Online |
34 | Always Remember | Cece Meng, illustrated by Jago | Barnes & Noble |
– | – | – | Usurns Online |
35 | Annie and the Old One | All In A Health | |
– | – | – | Usurns Online |
36 | Bear’s Last Journey | All In A Health | |
– | – | – | Usurns Online |
37 | Beginnings and Endings with Lifetimes in Between | Bryan Mellonie and Robert Ingpen | Childrens Books Daily |
– | – | – | Readings |
38 | Bluebird | HBook | |
– | – | – | HBook |
39 | Bone Dog | HBook | |
– | – | – | HBook |
40 | Cat Heaven | Parent Books | |
– | – | – | Usurns Online |
41 | Chester Raccoon and the Acorn Full of Memories | Imagination Soup | |
– | – | – | Usurns Online |
42 | Children Also Grieve | All In A Health | |
– | – | – | Usurns Online |
43 | Daddy’s Promise | All In A Health | |
– | – | – | Imagination Soup |
44 | Gentle Willow: A Story for Children About Dying | Huffington Post | |
– | – | – | Little Parachutes |
45 | Good-bye, Sheepie | Parent Books | |
– | – | – | Usurns Online |
46 | Goodnight Mister Tom | Michelle Magorian | The Book People |
– | – | – | The Guardian |
47 | I’ll Always Love You | All In A Health | |
– | – | – | Usurns Online |
48 | Ladder To The Moon | Maya Soetoro-Ng | Little Parachutes |
– | – | – | Romper |
49 | Life Is Like the Wind | Shona Innes, Illustrated by Írisz Agócs | CBC |
– | – | – | Childrens Books Daily |
50 | My Father’s Arms Are a Boat | HBook | |
– | – | – | HBook |
51 | My Many Colored Days | Dr. Seuss | Barnes & Noble |
– | – | – | Family Education |
52 | Now One Foot, Now The Other | Tomie dePaola | All In A Health |
– | – | – | PJ Library |
53 | Old Pig | All In A Health | |
– | – | – | Usurns Online |
54 | Rabbityness | For Jude For Everyone | |
– | – | – | Little Parachutes |
55 | Remembering Crystal | Parent Books | |
– | – | – | Usurns Online |
56 | Sammy In The Sky | Little Parachutes | |
– | – | – | Usurns Online |
57 | Someone I Love Died | Imagination Soup | |
– | – | – | Usurns Online |
58 | Something Very Sad Happened | Bonnie Zucker | Book Store |
– | – | – | Usurns Online |
59 | Sounder | Carolhurst | |
– | – | – | Usurns Online |
60 | Tess’s Tree | Jess Brallier, Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds | CBC |
– | – | – | Family Education |
61 | The Great Big Book of Feelings | Childrens Books Daily | |
– | – | – | Little Parachutes |
62 | The Memory Box: A Book About Grief | Joanna Rowland, illustrated by Thea Baker | Barnes & Noble |
– | – | – | For Jude For Everyone |
63 | The Next Place | All In A Health | |
– | – | – | NAEYC |
64 | The Secret Garden | Frances Hodgson Burnett | The Guardian |
– | – | – | Usurns Online |
65 | The Velveteen Rabbit | Margery Williams | The Guardian |
– | – | – | Usurns Online |
66 | Today and Today | HBook | |
– | – | – | HBook |
67 | Tuck Everlasting | Carolhurst | |
– | – | – | Usurns Online |
68 | We Love Them | HBook | |
– | – | – | HBook |
69 | When A Pet Dies | All In A Health | |
– | – | – | Usurns Online |
70 | When Someone Very Special Dies: Children Can Learn to Cope with Grief | Marge Heegaard | Moyer Foundation |
– | – | – | Usurns Online |
71 | Where Are You? A Child’s Book About Loss | For Jude For Everyone | |
– | – | – | Usurns Online |
72 | Where Do They Go? | Julia Alvarez and Sabra Field | Barnes & Noble |
– | – | – | Book Riot |
73 | Why Did You Die? Activities to Help Children Cope with Grief and Loss | All In A Health | |
– | – | – | Usurns Online |
74 | A Bunch of Balloons: A Book – Workbook for Grieving Children | All In A Health | |
75 | A Complete Book About Death | Usurns Online | |
76 | A Complete Book About Death for Kids | All In A Health | |
77 | A Dog like Jack | All In A Health | |
78 | A Dog of Flanders | Usurns Online | |
79 | A Gift for Tia Rosa | All In A Health | |
80 | A Little Princess | Usurns Online | |
81 | A Mummy for Owen | Little Parachutes | |
82 | A Quilt for Elizabeth | All In A Health | |
83 | A Separate Peace | Carolhurst | |
84 | A Sky of Diamonds: A Story for Children About Loss, Grief and Hope – | Camille Gibbs | Book Store |
85 | A Star for the Latecomer | All In A Health | |
86 | A Story for Hippo | All In A Health | |
87 | A Summer To Die | Carolhurst | |
88 | A Terrible Thing Happened | Margaret M. Holmes | Family Education |
89 | Aarvy Aardvark Finds Hope | All In A Health | |
90 | About Dying | All In A Health | |
91 | Am I Still A Sister? | All In A Health | |
92 | American Cancer Society | All In A Health | |
93 | Aunt Mary’s Rose | Little Parachutes | |
94 | Because of Winn-Dixie | Usurns Online | |
95 | Benny’s Hat | Little Parachutes | |
96 | Bertolt | Usurns Online | |
97 | Big Cat, Little Cat | Imagination Soup | |
98 | Bird | Usurns Online | |
99 | Black Beauty | Usurns Online | |
100 | Blackberries in the Dark | All In A Health | |
101 | City Dog, Country Frog | For Jude For Everyone | |
102 | Daddy’s Climbing Tree | All In A Health | |
103 | Dear Mr. Rogers, Does It Ever Rain in Your Neighborhood?: Letters to Mr. Rogers | Fred Rogers | Family Education |
104 | Death is Stupid | Anastasia Higginbotham | Book Riot |
105 | Devil’s Bridge | All In A Health | |
106 | Dog Heaven | Cynthia Rylant | Book Store |
107 | Dribbles | All In A Health | |
108 | Emily of New Moon | Usurns Online | |
109 | Feelings | All In A Health | |
110 | Finding Grandpa Everywhere: A Young Child Discovers Memories of a Grandparent | All In A Health | |
111 | Finding your own way to Grieve | Karla Herbert | Grief And Sympathy |
112 | French Toast Sundays | Gloria Spielman | PJ Library |
113 | Geranium Morning | All In A Health | |
114 | Ghost Brother | All In A Health | |
115 | God Gave Us Heaven | Lisa T. Bergren | Romper |
116 | Goldfish Ghost | Lemony Snicket and Lisa Brown | Book Riot |
117 | Good Night Mr. Tom | Usurns Online | |
118 | Goodbye Mousie | Carolhurst | |
119 | Grandad’s Island | Benji Davies | CBC |
120 | Grandma and Grandpa’s Garden | Little Parachutes | |
121 | Grandma’s Scrapbook | All In A Health | |
122 | Grandma’s Gloves | Imagination Soup | |
123 | Grandpa Loved | Josephine Nobisso | Romper |
124 | Grandpa’s Boat | Little Parachutes | |
125 | Granpa | Little Parachutes | |
126 | Great Answers to Difficult Questions about Death | All In A Health | |
127 | Grief is Like a Snowflake | Usurns Online | |
128 | Harry Potter (Series) | Usurns Online | |
129 | Healing Your Grieving Heart for Kids: 100 Practical Ideas | Usurns Online | |
130 | Healing Your Grieving Heart for Teens: 100 Practical Ideas | Usurns Online | |
131 | Heartlight | Carolhurst | |
132 | Heaven for Kids | Usurns Online | |
133 | Help Me Say Goodbye: Activities for Helping Kids Cope When a Special Person Dies | Usurns Online | |
134 | Helping Children Cope with the Loss of a Loved One: A Guide for Grown Ups | All In A Health | |
135 | Her Mother’s Face | Usurns Online | |
136 | How Are You Peeling’ | Childrens Books Daily | |
137 | How It Feels When A Parent Dies | All In A Health | |
138 | How to Say Goodbye (Benny and Penny) | Imagination Soup | |
139 | I Have a Question about Death: A Book for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder or Other Special Needs | Arlen Grad Gaines and Meredith Englander Polsky | PJ Library |
140 | I Know I Made it Happen | All In A Health | |
141 | If Nathan Were Here | All In A Health | |
142 | Is Daddy Coming Back in a Minute? | Little Parachutes | |
143 | Jim’s Dog Muffins | NAEYC | |
144 | Julie of the Wolves | Usurns Online | |
145 | Kira-Kira | Carolhurst | |
146 | Kit’s Wilderness | Carolhurst | |
147 | Life and Death in Nature: Outdoor Discoveries Bring the Topic of Death into a Preschool Classroom | NAEYC | |
148 | Life and I: A Story About Death | For Jude For Everyone | |
149 | Lighthouse: a Story of Remembrance. | Parent Books | |
150 | Liplap’s Wish | All In A Health | |
151 | Little Bear’s Grandad | Little Parachutes | |
152 | Little Women | Usurns Online | |
153 | Lost and Found: Remembering a Sister | All In A Health | |
154 | Love & Memories: Activities for Kids Who Have Lost a Loved One | Imagination Soup | |
155 | Love is Forever | Usurns Online | |
156 | Love Never Stops: A Memory Book for Children | NAEYC | |
157 | Mama’s Going To Heaven Soon | All In A Health | |
158 | Mick Harte Was Here | Barbara Park | Grief And Sympathy |
159 | Missing May | All In A Health | |
160 | Mommy Stayed in Bed This Morning | All In A Health | |
161 | Moonshadow | Little Parachutes | |
162 | Ms. Bixby’s Last Day | Usurns Online | |
163 | My Brother Sam is Dead | Usurns Online | |
164 | My Henry | Little Parachutes | |
165 | My Memory Book | All In A Health | |
166 | My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece | The Book People | |
167 | Nadia, The Willful | All In A Health | |
168 | Old Yeller | Usurns Online | |
169 | On The Wings Of A Butterfly | Little Parachutes | |
170 | Only One You | Linda Kranz | Family Education |
171 | Our Mom Has Cancer | All In A Health | |
172 | Our Tree Named Steve | Huffington Post | |
173 | Out of the Dust | Carolhurst | |
174 | Peaceful Piggy Meditation | Kerry Lee Maclean | Family Education |
175 | Pearl’s Marigolds for Grandpa | Usurns Online | |
176 | Playing with the Angels: Stories of Possibilities for Grieving Children. | Parent Books | |
177 | Poppy’s Chair | All In A Health | |
178 | Princess and the Castle | Little Parachutes | |
179 | Promises | All In A Health | |
180 | Pyramid | Carolhurst | |
181 | Ragtail Remembers | Usurns Online | |
182 | Resources on Death for Young Children, Families, and Educators | NAEYC | |
183 | Rocks in His Head | Carolhurst | |
184 | Rudi’s Pond | Usurns Online | |
185 | Sad Isn’t Bad: A Good-Grief Handbook for Children | All In A Health | |
186 | Sadako and the Thousand Papers Cranes | Usurns Online | |
187 | Sadie and Ori and The Blue Blanket | Jamie Korngold | PJ Library |
188 | Samantha Jane’s Missing Smile | Little Parachutes | |
189 | Samsara Dog. | Parent Books | |
190 | Saying Goodbye | All In A Health | |
191 | Saying Goodbye to Daddy | All In A Health | |
192 | Scaredy Squirrel | Melanie Watt | Family Education |
193 | Shine’ | Childrens Books Daily | |
194 | Sidewalk Flowers | JonArno Lawson, Illustrated by Sydney Smith | CBC |
195 | Six Is So Much Less Than Seven | Usurns Online | |
196 | Skellig | Carolhurst | |
197 | Small Things | Mel Tregonning | Readings |
198 | So Much to Think About | All In A Health | |
199 | Sophie | Imagination Soup | |
200 | Sophie’s Masterpiece | Little Parachutes | |
201 | Stay: A Girl, A Dog, A Bucket List | Book Store | |
202 | Stone Fox | Usurns Online | |
203 | Stones for Grandpa | Renee Londner and Martha Aviles | PJ Library |
204 | Straight Talk about Death for Teenagers: How to Cope with Losing Someone You Love | Usurns Online | |
205 | Tales of the Kingdom | Usurns Online | |
206 | Talking about Death: A Dialogue between Parent and Child | Usurns Online | |
207 | Tell Me, Papa | All In A Health | |
208 | The Bear and the Wildcat | Little Parachutes | |
209 | The Big Wave | Usurns Online | |
210 | The Boxcar Children | Usurns Online | |
211 | The Brightest Star | All In A Health | |
212 | The Copper Tree | Little Parachutes | |
213 | The Crossover | Usurns Online | |
214 | The Elephant in the Room: A Childrens Book for Grief and Loss | Amanda Edwards and Leslie Ponciano | PJ Library |
215 | The Empty Window | Usurns Online | |
216 | The Forever Dog. | Parent Books | |
217 | The Giving Tree | Usurns Online | |
218 | The Grandad Tree | Little Parachutes | |
219 | The Grief Book: Strategies for Young People’ | Childrens Books Daily | |
220 | The Grief Bubble. | Parent Books | |
221 | The Last Invisible Boy. | Parent Books | |
222 | The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe | Usurns Online | |
223 | The Lonely Tree | Little Parachutes | |
224 | The Memory String | Imagination Soup | |
225 | The Messenger Bird’ | Childrens Books Daily | |
226 | The One and Only Ivan | Usurns Online | |
227 | The Protected’ | Childrens Books Daily | |
228 | The Purple Balloon | Usurns Online | |
229 | The Rabbit Listened | Cori Doerrfeld | Book Store |
230 | The Rag Coat | All In A Health | |
231 | The Red Tree | Little Parachutes | |
232 | The Seventh Most Important Thing | Usurns Online | |
233 | The Tale of the Firebird | Usurns Online | |
234 | The Thing About Jellyfish | Usurns Online | |
235 | The Tiger Rising | Carolhurst | |
236 | The Wattle Tree’ | Childrens Books Daily | |
237 | There’s A Party In Heaven | Usurns Online | |
238 | Tickles Tabitha’s Cancer-tankerous Mommy | All In A Health | |
239 | Tiger Eyes | Usurns Online | |
240 | Time for Uncle Joe | All In A Health | |
241 | Tough Boris | Usurns Online | |
242 | Up In Heaven | Little Parachutes | |
243 | Vicky Angel | The Book People | |
244 | Walk Two Moons | Carolhurst | |
245 | Water Bugs and Dragonflies: Explaining Death to Young Children, A Coloring Book | Usurns Online | |
246 | Weasel | Carolhurst | |
247 | What Happened to Daddy’s Body? | Little Parachutes | |
248 | What Happened When Grandma Died? | All In A Health | |
249 | What Happens When A Loved One Dies? Our First Talk About Death | For Jude For Everyone | |
250 | What is Death? | All In A Health | |
251 | When a Grandparent Dies | All In A Health | |
252 | When Children Grieve: | Grief And Sympathy | |
253 | When I Feel Sad | Cornelia Maude Spelman | Family Education |
254 | When I’m With Jesus: For any Child with a Loved One in Heaven | Usurns Online | |
255 | When Mommy Is Sick | All In A Health | |
256 | When My Daddy Died, I…: Things I Miss About My Dad | K.J. Reider, illustrated by Monica Bruenjes | Barnes & Noble |
257 | When Someone Dies | All In A Health | |
258 | When Someone Has a Very Serious Illness | All In A Health | |
259 | When Your Pet Dies | All In A Health | |
260 | Where Do People Go When They Die? | Minda Avra Portnoy | PJ Library |
261 | Where Is Grandpa Dennis? | Michelle Abraham | PJ Library |
262 | Where the Red Fern Grows | Usurns Online | |
263 | Where the Tomorrows Go | Usurns Online | |
264 | Where’s Jess? | All In A Health | |
265 | Where’s Jess: For Children Who Have a Brother or Sister Die | Usurns Online | |
266 | Winter Holding Spring | All In A Health | |
267 | Wishes For One More Day | Melanie Joy Pastor | PJ Library |
268 | Wrinkle in Time | Carolhurst | |
269 | Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland | Carolhurst | |
270 | You Hold Me and I’ll Hold You | NAEYC |
Source | Article |
All In A Health | Books for grieving children – ages preschool to 12 |
Barnes & Noble | 11 Books to Help Children Cope with the Loss of a Parent |
Book Riot | 8 Children’s Books About Death |
Book Store | 10 Best Children’s Books About Dying |
Carolhurst | Children’s Books with the Theme of Death, Dying and Grief for |
CBC | 9 Books to Help Kids Understand Death |
Childrens Books Daily | Must-Have Children’s Books on Grief, Empathy and Feelings |
Family Education | 12 Children’s Books That Help Explain Tragedies and Death |
For Jude For Everyone | Children’s Books About Loss and Grief – For Jude For Everyone |
Grief And Sympathy | Best Children’s Books on Grief and Loss |
HBook | What Makes a Good Picture Book About Loss? |
Huffington Post | 5 Books to Help Kids Understand Death |
Imagination Soup | Helpful Children’s Picture Books About Grief and Death |
Little Parachutes | Little Parachutes • children’s picture books about Death & Bereavement |
Moyer Foundation | Top 5 Grief Books for Children Ages 7-12 |
NAEYC | Now Read This! Children’s Books about Death |
Parent Books | Grief & Loss: Resources for Children Booklist |
PJ Library | Children’s Books About Death and Illness |
Readings | Blog: Picture books that explore themes of grief and loss |
Romper | 15 Children’s Books That Help Kids Understand Death |
The Book People | Top 10 Best Books for Children About Death, Bereavement and Dying |
The Guardian | Top 10 children’s books on death and bereavement |
Usurns Online | 101 Classic Books to Help Children Grieve » Urns |
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