Touching Kids’ Books About Loss and Grief
Losing a loved one is one of the hardest things for anyone to cope with. It can be especially hard for young kids to understand what’s going on and learn how to process a slew of new, unfamiliar feelings. But these picture books and middle grade novels shine a light on loss in refreshing and heartwarming ways. Share these books with the whole family — kids and adults — who might need reminders that they’re loved and that tomorrow will be a better day.
Something magical happens when Hazel and Hilda are together. As the seasons pass, Hazel’s broom whisks the dust off many years of joyful memories, and young Hilda watches them come to life. But is it magic making memories…or are memories making magic?
This poignant tale and artistic tour de force from Caldecott Honoree Molly Idle gently explores the passage of time and the transcendent power of sharing our stories.
The Invisible Leash
by Patrice Karst
Illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff
From the author of the picture book phenomenon The Invisible String comes a moving companion title about coping with grief when a pet dies.
“When our pets aren’t with us anymore, an Invisible Leash connects our hearts to each other. Forever.” That’s what Zack’s friend Emily tells him after his dog dies. Zack doesn’t believe it. He only believes in what he can see. But on an enlightening journey through their neighborhood—and through his grief—he comes to feel the comforting tug of the Invisible Leash. And it feels like love.
Patrice Karst’s original picture book, The Invisible String, has used this simple but effective bonding concept to bring healing to countless readers. Now, Patrice is back with a story of love and warmth to help new readers experience the loss of a beloved pet.
The Goodbye Book
by Todd Parr
Illustrated by Todd Parr
Through the lens of a pet fish who has lost his companion, Todd Parr tells a moving story about how to say goodbye. Exploring the range of emotions that kids feel after losing a loved one, Todd reminds us that it’s okay not to know all the answers, and that someone will always be there to support you. During life’s toughest moments, Todd Parr is here with a poignant and reassuring picture book that’s wholly accessible and heartwarming.
Grandma says: His face was shaped like the moon, his mouth was good at telling stories, and his hair was as curly as a bird’s nest.
With the help of her grandma and the rest of her loving family, will this young girl be able to imagine her grandpa’s face in her mind—and feel the love that he shared with others?
Twelve-year-old Addie should stay away from Maple Lake. After all, her twin brother, Amos, drowned there only a few months ago. But its crisp, clear water runs in Addie’s veins, and the notebook Amos left behind—filled with clues about a mysterious creature that lives in the lake’s inky-blue depths—keeps calling her back.
So she takes a position studying the lake for the summer, where she’ll measure water pollution levels under adult supervision. But as she collects evidence and learns that Maple Lake is in trouble, she finds herself caught between the science she has always prized and the magic that brings her closer to her brother. Filled with emotion and unforgettable characters, this compassionate, gentle story of grief and wonder is breathtaking and hopeful.
After Suzy’s best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy is convinced that the true cause of the tragedy was a rare jellyfish sting. Retreating into a silent world of imagination, she crafts a plan to prove her theory—even if it means traveling the globe, alone. Suzy’s journey explores life, death, and the potential for hope right next door in this instant New York Times bestseller and National Book Award finalist.
Award-winning author Ashley Herring Blake delivers a poignant yet hopeful novel about a girl navigating grief, trauma, and friendship.A kayaking trip goes horribly wrong and shakes up Hazel Bly’s perfect family. Mum is suddenly gone forever and Hazel is left with crippling anxiety and a jagged scar on her face. Hazel, her other mother, Mama, and her little sister, Peach, needed a fresh start, so for the last two years, the Bly girls have lived all over the country, never settling anywhere for more than a few months.
When the family arrives in Rose Harbor, Maine, there’s a wildness to the small town that feels like magic. But when Mama runs into an old childhood friend—Claire—suddenly Hazel’s tight-knit world is infiltrated. To make it worse, she has a daughter Hazel’s age, Lemon, who can’t stop rambling on and on about the Rose Maid, a local 150-year-old mermaid myth.
Soon, Hazel finds herself just as obsessed with the Rose Maid as Lemon is—because what if magic were real? What if grief really could change you so much, you weren’t even yourself anymore? And what if instead you emerged from the darkness stronger than before?
Margie lost her mom to cancer before she turned two, but no matter how many years it has been, grief can still affect you each and every day.
A timely and thought-provoking novel about one girl’s fight against gender inequality at her middle school and the lessons about her own privilege she learns along the way.
Margie Kelly’s perfect skirt was dress coded on her very first day of middle school. Upset and embarrassed, Margie spends the whole day wearing oversized gym shorts. So much for starting sixth grade with confidence!
But when Margie realizes that the dress code is only applied to the female students and not the boys, Margie gets mad. Really mad.
The dress code is keeping girls stuck in detention all day and away from learning. The boys act like they own the school. And the teachers turn a blind eye to the hypocrisies taking place in the halls, classrooms, and clubs. Something has to change! And Margie knows just how to do it. She’ll plan a school-wide protest with her best friend, Daniela, and fellow classmates Jamiya and Gloria.
But as Margie moves forward with her plans, she comes to realize some hard truths about herself. Will Margie recognize her own privilege and make meaningful change for all students?