Best Grief Books for Kids Ages 2-5
Grief is the natural, normal and necessary response to loss. It is made up of many different emotions – ranging from sadness to anger to guilt and everything in between. Adjusting to loss in a long process and is unique to each and every person. Kids and adults face the same jumble of confusing emotions. Books can be an important tool for understanding emotions and sparking conversation. The following books have been chosen as the top choices for children aged 2-5. Make sure to also check out our recommended books for grieving the loss of a parent, sibling, friend, grandparent, and anticipatory grief.
Lifetimes: A Beautiful Way to Explain Death to Children, by Bryan Mellonie
Lifetimes is a moving book for children of all ages, even parents too. It lets us explain life and death in a sensitive, caring, beautiful way. Lifetimes tells us about beginnings. And about endings. And about living in between. With large, wonderful illustrations, it tells about plants. About animals. About people. It tells that dying is as much a part of living as being born. It helps us to remember. It helps us to understand. Link to Purchase**
Something Very Sad Happened: A Toddler’s Guide to Understanding Death, by Bonnie Zucker
Written at a developmental level that is appropriate for two- and three-year-olds, the story explains death; lets children know that it is okay to feel sad; and reassures children that they can still love the person who died, and the person who died will always love them. Includes an extensive Note to Parents and Caregivers with more information about talking to children about death, guidelines for answering a child’s questions, advice for attending funerals and visiting cemeteries, and ideas for commemorating the loved one. Link to Purchase**
Where Do They Go?, by Julia Alvarez
Bestselling novelist (How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents) and children’s (The Tia Lola Stories) author Julia Alvarez’s new picture book is a beautifully crafted poem for children that gently addresses the emotional side of death. The book asks, When somebody dies, where do they go? Do they go where the wind goes when it blows? Do they wink back at me when I wish on a star? Do they whisper, ‘You’re perfect, just as you are’? Illustrated by Vermont woodcut artist, Sabra Field, Where Do They Go? is a beautiful and comforting meditation on death, asking questions young readers might have about what happens to those they love after they die. Link to Purchase
Ocho Loved Flowers, by Anne Fontaine
Annie puts trust, love, and intuition into action when she learns how to say goodbye to her beloved cat, Ocho. Link to Purchase
Dancing on the Moon, by Janice Roper
A young girl experiences jealousy when her brother is born, then anxiety and sadness when he dies. In a dream she flies to the moon to bring him back and make her parents happy again. Link to Purchase.
You’ll Always Be, by Callie Fryt
A tender book about a four year old boy who passes away suddenly and unexpectedly. This beautiful story was written by a mother who wanted to keep her son’s memory alive for his sister. Death is explained in terms that preschool & young children can understand. Beautiful, uplifting illustrations soften the message and capture the friendship and love shared between the two siblings. Link to Purchase
Always and Forever, by Alan Durant
When Fox dies the rest of his family are absolutely distraught. How will Mole, Otter and Hare go on without their beloved friend? But, months later, Squirrel reminds them all of how funny Fox used to be, and they realize that Fox is still there in their hearts and memories. Link to Purchase
Journey to Your Big Heart, by Lori Rubin
Whether your child is 5 or 25, the journey here is a beautiful gift in itself, encouraging deep discussion and open communication amongst family, friends, and loved ones. For the adults giving “Journey to Your Big Heart” as a gift to their more mature friends and family members, it’s a little like giving a Hallmark card on steroids! The pages in this book have one or two sentences and magically beautiful art. The lessons of life and love are clear, concise, and easily digested by all. Link to Purchase
Always by my Side, by Susan Kerner
Always by My Side is a comforting, rhyming story written to help children understand that a father’s love is forever, even if they grow up without his presence in their lives. This beautifully illustrated book conveys the heart-warming message to children that even though a father is not in their lives, he is still part of them. Link to Purchase
Remembering Blue Fish, by Becky Friedman
Daniel Tiger learns how to process the feelings that come with losing someone you love in this thoughtful 8×8 storybook based on an episode of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. When Daniel’s pet fish dies, he learns to ask questions about what happened to help him understand what death means and how to handle his feelings. A much-needed book for parents looking for age-appropriate resources on loss. Link to Purchase**
The Invisible String, by Patrice Karst
Specifically written to address children’s fear of being apart from the ones they love, The Invisible String delivers a particularly compelling message in today’s uncertain times that though we may be separated from the ones we care for, whether through anger, or distance or even death, love is the unending connection that binds us all, and, by extension, ultimately binds every person on the planet to everyone else. Parents and children everywhere who are looking for reassurance and reaffirmation of the transcendent power of love, to bind, connect and comfort us through those inevitable times when life challenges us. Link to Purchase**
Missing My Best Friend, by Norma Thorstad Knapp
A story about the power of friendship between two young boys, the subsequent grief when one boy dies, and the power of a family’s love. Told through the eyes of a young boy, this is a beautifully written and illustrated book about one child’s grief, how the family is affected, and how parents and grandparents can help a child mourn, cope, and heal with the unexpected loss of someone close. Link to Purchase
The Heart and the Bottle, by Oliver Jeffers
When a small girl loses her father, her only parent, she decides “the best thing” is to put her heart in a bottle and hang it around her neck. All the bubbly curiosity that had made her sparkle disappears, “but at least her heart was safe.” Not until the girl, now considerably older, meets “someone smaller and still curious about the world” is her heart restored to her. Link to Purchase**
The Rabbit Listened, by Cori Doerrfeld
When something sad happens, Taylor doesn’t know where to turn. All the animals are sure they have the answer. The chicken wants to talk it out, but Taylor doesn’t feel like chatting. The bear thinks Taylor should get angry, but that’s not quite right either. One by one, the animals try to tell Taylor how to act, and one by one they fail to offer comfort. Then the rabbit arrives. All the rabbit does is listen . . . which is just what Taylor needs. Link to Purchase**
Please let us know if you have any favorites that we are missing. Email Sarah
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