Grief and Loss: Print Books

The End of Something

by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic 

Children love their pets very much—and when the animals die, that loss can be hard to process. The End of Something Wonderful helps kids handle their feelings when they’re hurting and can’t find all the right words. In a warm, understanding, sometimes funny way, it guides children as they plan a backyard funeral to say goodbye, from choosing a box and a burial spot to giving a eulogy and wiping away tears.

Most of all, it reassures them that it’s not the end of everything . . . and that Something Wonderful can always happen again.

Suggested Age: Grades K - 3

Available in the VRES Library

Goodbye, Max

by Holly Keller 

Ben blames his parents for the death of his dog, Max, and does not want the new puppy they brought home.

Suggested Age: Grades K - 3

Available in the VRES Library

The Distance to Home

by Jenn Bishop 

Struggling to rebuild a year after the death of her beloved sister, a once-avid baseball pitcher hosts a Dominican minor-league player in her family's home and befriends members of his team who help her make peace with her losses.

Suggested Age: Grades 3 - 6

Available in the RJSHS Library

What is Goodbye?

by Nikki Grimes 

Alternating poems by a brother and sister convey their feelings about the death of their older brother and the impact it had on their family.

Suggested Age: Grades 3 - 6

Available in the RJSHS Library

Dancing at the Pity Party

by Tyler Feder 

A debut graphic novel traces the author’s experiences with the loss of her mother, tracing the poignant journey of her mother’s diagnosis and treatment and her own experiences with sitting Shiva and making sense of life after her mother’s death

Suggested Age: 14+

Available in the RJSHS Library

We Are Okay

by Nina LaCour 

This achingly beautiful YA novel is about grief, the enduring strength of friendship, and the healing power of kindness.

Suggested Age: 16+

Available in the RJSHS Library