Suicide Grief: Books for Youth and Young Adults

Understanding suicide and the way it affects those around us can be a hard topic to cover not only for children, but also for adults. When grieving the death of a significant person, children and families can become overwhelmed by the complex emotions that accompany this grief. The power of books and storytelling can provide comfort, compassion, and connection. As a caregiver or support professional, books can also become a transformative tool for collective healing and hope. The following books were selected based on highly regarded reviews, relevance, and availability.

Ages 2-5

Why?: A Story for Kids Who Have Lost a Parent to Suicide – Melissa Allen Heath, Frances Ives Oliver’s daddy loved him–a whole bunch, forever and for always. One day Oliver’s daddy died by suicide. Why? Oliver’s mommy hugs him tight, and she tells him why. She reassures Oliver that his daddy loved him–and that will never change. In developmentally appropriate language and evocative illustrations, this picture book helps open communication about why a parent dies by suicide. A reader’s note offers more information about supporting children who have lost a parent to suicide. Link to Purchase**

Ages 5-11

Someone I Love Died by Suicide: A Story for Child Survivors and Those Who Care for Them – Doreen T Cammarata, Michael Ives Volk and Leela Accetta This newly revised edition of the book is designed for adult caregivers to read to surviving youngsters following a suicidal death. The story allows individuals an opportunity to recognize normal grieving symptoms and to identify various interventions to promote healthy ways of coping with the death of a special person. Although the language used in the book is simplistic enough to be read along with children and ultimately stimulating family discussion, it can be beneficial to all who have been tragically devastated by suicide. It is recommended that this book be utilized in conjunction with therapy. Link to Purchase**

My Uncle Keith Died – Carol Ann Loehr, Julianne Cosentino and James Mojonnier – The children’s book, My Uncle Keith Died describes the symptoms of depression. It also helps children understand why a depressed person may not seek help. By reading Cody’s questions and his mother’s answers about his uncle’s death, young readers will learn what to do if someone they know shows signs of depression. Early detection, intervention, and treatment for depression are critical for preventing suicides. Link to Purchase**

Luna’s Red Hat – Emmi Smid and Dr Riet Fiddelaers-Jaspers – This beautifully illustrated storybook is designed as a tool to be read with children aged 6+ who have experienced the loss of a loved one by suicide. Suicide always causes shock, not just for the family members but for everyone around them, and children also have to deal with these feelings. The book approaches the subject sensitively and includes a guide for parents and professionals by bereavement expert, Dr Riet Fiddelaers-Jaspers. It will be of interest to anyone working with, or caring for, children bereaved by suicide, including bereavement counselors, social workers and school staff, as well as parents, caregivers and other family members. Link to Purchase

Let’s Talk About It: A Guide for Talking to Children After a Suicide of a Loved One – Laura Camerona, Kristi Kerner and Susan Dannen Talking about mental health with your child and supporting their feelings after losing a loved one to suicide is important. For a long time, many people in society have avoided talking about suicide. Unfortunately, not talking about it doesn’t make it go away. Many people struggle to find the right words for this conversation, and so, this book was created as a resource to help guide the conversation. Honest and simple explanations help children make sense of what has happened. Supportive phrases and suggestions in this book can help children find coping skills, people to talk to, and words to describe their feelings. Link to Purchase**

Ages 12-17

Hold Still – Nina Lacour That night Ingrid told Caitlin, I’ll go wherever you go. But by dawn, Ingrid, and her promise, were gone. Ingrid’s suicide immobilizes Caitlin, leaving her unsure of her place in a new life she hardly recognizes. A life without the art, the laughter, the music, and the joy that she shared with her best friend…. But Ingrid left something behind. In words and drawings, Ingrid documented a painful farewell in her journal. Journeying through Ingrid’s final days, Caitlin fights back through unspeakable loss to find renewed hope. Link to Purchase**

Speak of me as I am – Sonia Belasco Melanie and Damon are both living in the shadow of loss. For Melanie, it’s the loss of her larger-than-life artist mother, taken by cancer well before her time. For Damon, it’s the loss of his best friend, Carlos, who took his own life. As they struggle to fill the empty spaces their loved ones left behind, fate conspires to bring them together. Damon takes pictures with Carlos’s camera to try to understand his choices, and Melanie begins painting as a way of feeling closer to her mother. But when the two join their school’s production of Othello, the play they both hoped would be a distraction becomes a test of who they truly are, both together and on their own. And more than anything else, they discover that it just might be possible to live their lives without completely letting go of their sadness. Link to Purchase

The Astonishing Color of After – Emily X.R. Pan Leigh Chen Sanders is absolutely certain about one thing: When her mother died by suicide, she turned into a bird. Leigh, who is half Asian and half white, travels to Taiwan to meet her maternal grandparents for the first time. There, she is determined to find her mother, the bird. In her search, she winds up chasing after ghosts, uncovering family secrets, and forging a new relationship with her grandparents. And as she grieves, she must try to reconcile the fact that on the same day, she kissed her best friend and longtime secret crush, Axel, her mother was taking her own life. Link to Purchase**

And the Stars Were Burning Brightly – Danielle Jawando When fifteen-year-old Nathan discovers that his older brother Al, has taken his own life, his whole world is torn apart. Al was special. Al was talented. Al was full of passion and light … so why did he do it? Convinced that his brother was in trouble, Nathan decides to retrace Al’s footsteps. As he does, he meets Megan, Al’s former classmate, who is as determined as Nathan to keep Al’s memory alive. Together they start seeking answers, but will either of them be able to handle the truth about Al’s death when they eventually discover what happened? Link to Purchase

The History of Jane Doe – Michael Belanger Inscrutable, cool, and above all mysterious, Jane seems as determined to hide her past as Ray is to uncover it. As fascination turns to friendship and then to something more, Ray is certain he knows Jane’s darkest, most painful secrets and Jane herself–from past to present. But when the unthinkable happens, Ray is forced to acknowledge that perhaps history can only tell us so much. Link to Purchase

Please let us know if you have any favorites that we are missing, email Sarah

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