Last Updated: September 17, 2026
Just What To Do
by Kyle Lukoff
A child discovers that there is no single right thing to do when someone is sad or grieving.
The Invisible Parade
by Leigh Bardugo
A young girl examines fear and death and discovers bravery against the backdrop of Día de Muertos.
The Green Baby Swing
by Thomas King
A mother and son discover a cherished family item during an attic clean-up in this lovely story about grief and intergenerational love.
Chip
by Federico Gastaldi
A young boy grieves when his pet fish dies, but his heart is full of the good memories he had with his fish friend.
A Walk in the Woods
by Nikki Grimes
A grieving son follows a treasure map his late father left him through the woods they used to explore together.
Mouseboat
by Larissa Theule
A young girl feels lost after the death of her mother, but when she and her father visit their lake house, she takes out the small boat she and her mom built together and somehow, in the wind and rain, reconnects with her mother’s love.
Bear Island
by Matthew Cordell
Louise and her family are sad over the loss of their beloved dog, Charlie. But on a visit to a little island that Charlie loved, after his death, something strange happens: She meets a bear. At first, she’s afraid, but soon she realizes that the bear is sad, too. As Louise visits more often, she realizes that getting over loss takes time.
Maybe Tomorrow?
by Charlotte Agell
Elba carries the black block of grief and sadness wherever she goes–until Norris comes along and helps her to let go of the block and enjoy life again.
One Wave at a Time: A Story About Grief and Healing
by Holly Thompson
A boy dealing with the loss of his father describes the many waves of emotion that come with the grieving process: sad waves, mad waves, fear waves, even happy waves. As the boy and his family learn to adjust to life without Dad, the waves still come, but with help from friends, they learn to cope and heal.
Cry, Heart, But Never Break
by Glenn Ringtved
Aware their grandmother is gravely ill, four siblings make a pact to keep death from taking her away. But Death does arrive all the same, as it must. He comes gently, naturally. And he comes with enough time to share a story with the children that helps them to realize the value of loss to life and the importance of being able to say goodbye.
Ida, Always
by Caron Levis and Charles Santoso
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.
Boats For Papa
by Jessixa Bagley
Buckley and his mother cope with the loss of their father/husband by sending small wooden boats, built by Buckley, off into the ocean.
The Bear and the Wildcat
by Kazumi Yumoto
A bear lost a little bird, who was his best friend. After the loss, he barely talks to anyone and carries everywhere a little box in which the body of the bird is placed. One day a bear meets a wild cat, and while listening to the cat’s violin, he thinks about many memories with his best friend.
Fox: A Circle of Life Story
by Isabel Thomas
Fox teaches her cubs to survive in the wild, until one day she dies. Her body goes back to earth and grass and air, nourishing the world around her, showing that death is also a beginning.
All From a Walnut
by Ammi-Joan Paquette
Following a family tradition, Grandpa gives Emilia a walnut and together they plant and care for it, but as her little nut grows into a tree, Grandpa begins to slow down until one sad day Emilia has to say goodbye.