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Younger Kids |
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What do you say to a child who has experienced the death of someone significant in their lives? This book is written to be read by children and answers many of the questions that young people are searching for. You owe it to that special person in your life to help them find the answers they are looking for. An excellent resource! |
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I Miss You by Pat Thomas
This book helps boys and girls understand that death is a natural complement to life. It teaches that grief and a sense of loss are normal feelings for them to have following the death of a loved one.
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Help Me Say Goodbye: Activities for Helping Kids Cope When a Special Person Dies (Paperback) by Janis Silverman
Help give young people some closure when someone they love passes away. Great ideas and information!
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When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide to Understanding Death
by Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown (Illustrator) An excellent book that deals with what "dead" means, feelings one has when they lose someone, how to say "Good-bye", customs about death, what happens after you die, and many other fears and curiosities of children. |
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Lifetimes by Bryan Mellonie This is a very warm, caring book that you can read to your child. I have used this book many times in counseling with children. The book delves into the process of birth, life and death as a normal cycle of living. Highly Recommended! |
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The Fall of Freddie the Leaf: 20th Aniversary Edition by Leo Buscaglia This beloved classic has helped thousands of children and adults move through the grieving process and understand life and death. One of the best ever written for children. I have used it in my counseling with children many times. |
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Frightened, lonely, and angry after her father is killed in a car accident, Clare is helped through the grieving process by her mother and grandfather. |
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Daddy's Promise is the story of a little boy's journey of discovery after the death of his father. Jessie is angry and filled with questions such as "Why did his daddy have to die?" "What happens when someone dies?" and "Where do they go?" This book addresses all these issues and is a good one to share with other young people who have suffered a loss of a loved one. |
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Another Great Book in the Series by Dr. Moser! In this informative book, Dr. Moser explains the grief process and help children understand that grieving is a normal response. He also lets them know that their grief may last more than a few days or weeks. He offers practical approaches and easy-to-follow methods of dealing with grief that children can use to ease their pain. A fun book written in a way children will enjoy reading. |
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"Well-crafted summary of the grief process, the book discusses the various aspects of grief, and the ways people cope with the death of loved ones. Written for a young audience, the material is valuable for all ages. While assuming the concept of life after death, this book is sensitive to differences in religious belief and practices and provides opportunities for the young reader to think, to ask questions, and to grow. The illustrations are clever and interesting to young children, they support the message in the text. An introductory message to adults who are working with children offers additional insights and ideas for working through grief." - Comments of a Reviewer
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Tear Soup "Excellent book for all ages! The illustrations are beautiful, very detailed and yet soft, depicting the depth and gravity of the content. The subject matter is one to which even very young children can relate. The book validates feelings of loss and sorrow, showing that sad experiences and emotions are part of the human condition. And yet the message is not one of utter devastation, but one of kindness and ultimate hope in the continuing process of living. A Must-Have book for everyone!" - Comments of a Reviewer
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Tear Soup Video Tape In this modern fable, a woman who has suffered a terrible (unnamed) loss cooks up a special batch of "tear soup," blending the unique ingredients of her life into the grief process. Along the way she dispenses a recipe of sound advice for those who are in mourning or know someone who has suffered a loss. Tear Soup is one of the most popular grief resources available for children and adults. Instead of reading a book, sit down in front of your TV and watch this video with that special loved one who has suffered a loss. This video may open many doors for discussion and understanding.
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"This little book will do much to help a child begin to understand the enormity of death. The point of it is not to argue whether there is a Heaven and whether everyone will go there, but to create a safe haven for children to ask questions and receive some comfort. I used this book to help explain to my 3-year old about my dad's death and used it simply as a tool, skipping over parts I thought she wouldn't understand and expanding on the ones I thought she would. It also explains that it's OK to be sad and cry if it helps you to feel better about your loss. My daughter has been comforted by that and that's all that matters." - Comments of a Reviewer |
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"What's Happening to Grandpa is a compassionate story that artfully helps parents demystify Alzheimer's disease. Maria Shriver has written a deeply meaningful book that empowers children and dispels their fear by answering their tough questions." - Dr. Phil McGraw |
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"This is an excellent resource for individuals looking to explain to youngsters about death, and life after death, from a Christian and biblical perspective. It helps to provide easy to understand answers of hard questions that children (and adults) may wonder about. We have a close friend of the family dying of cancer and this book has been invaluable in making the process of explaining to my children the concepts of death, burial, resurrection of the soul, and heaven much easier. The illustrations are very effective." - Comments of a Reviewer
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"What a blessing it was for me and my children to find this book! It was simple, yet colorful and the images are easy on the eyes. The book is pretty general so it can be applied to the death of any friend or relative! I was pleased that it gives kids who read it (or have it read to them) the opportunity to actually draw pictures inside the book, and write things down- which makes it a good book especially for young children. My children will soon loose their Grandmother and this is a book that they can read together with mom or dad." - Comments of a Reviewer |
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Someday Heaven Someday Heaven provides biblically based answers on a topic that’s not always easy to explain to a young child. The warm, illuminating art of Wayne McLoughlin helps to convey each touching story of the future God promises to his children. Help your child discover the answers to the wonders of God’s mysterious and glorious home with Someday Heaven.
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Mourning the Loss of a Sibling The perfect book to explain Death, Heaven, Spirit, and Jesus to a child that has lost a younger sibling SUDDENLY (i.e., SIDS, Accidents, etc). This is a tender story about Luke and his baby brother Jake. Luke tells of all of his favorite things he and Jake did. They were inseparable. Until Jesus took Jake home to Heaven. |
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"A beautiful children's picture book that touches on a subject many of us don't like to talk about, a child's death. This books is sensitive and original in its form. The message of hope, love, and faith helps the child who is reading it to understand that it is okay to feel the way they feel. This book helps to open the door for further discussion on this sensitive topic. The author approaches this subject through the eyes of a child, in language and illustrations that they can relate to. There is no other book like this that completely is focused on the child and their struggles with the death of another child." - Comments of a Reviewer
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A beautifully written and illustrated children's book of how children cope with the loss of another child to cancer. This book was written for children ages 3-7. Join Megan as she helps her cousin Brittany on the day Brittany goes to heaven. Megan paints a pretty butterfly with beautiful wings, which Brittany will wear when the angels take her to heaven. An ideal book that opens the door for discussion about the death of a child.
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The Next Place! "This is the ultimate gift to give to anyone who has suffered a loss. The kind of loss matters not - parent, grandparent, child, even pet - just as the person's faith or secular humanism matters not. When you give this book, you are giving acknowledgment, sympathy, comfort, friendship, or love. Everyone who has suffered loss would gain something from this book." - Comments of a Reviewer
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"This book comes from the heart; grieving adults as well as children are warmed by the message. My bookstore says it's the one book they keep on the shelf because someone is always looking for it . A must if you wish to share from your heart but don't know how to say it."
- Comments of a Reviewer |
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An award-winning story that deals with the confusion, anger, emptiness, and sadness felt by a young boy after the death of his mother. The story begins with the death experience and ends when the healing begins to take place. Includes information about reactions to death and practical ways to help children process their grief and begin to heal. |
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A story that helps children understand feelings of grief. Ragtail, a young mouse, has just lost his best friend. As he tries to understand what has happened, Ragtail is swept away by confusing feelings of denial, anger, and sadness. With the help of a new friend, he learns to deal with his feelings and soon discovers the comfort that comes from remembering. |
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This concept book features a six-year-old dealing with the recent death of her mother. Charlotte feels angry with Mom, estranged from her grieving and preoccupied Dad, and afraid that she, or her father, may also die. Because the confusion of these emotions sometimes causes her to lash out at others, Dad arranges for her to talk with a therapist, who helps her to acknowledge these feelings and develop a more positive outlook toward the future. |
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The Brightest Star
Molly was scared when her mom was in the hospital and angry when her mother died. She didn't know what to draw when the teacher asked the class to draw a picture of their families. Molly discovers that love never dies and memories stay with you forever. |
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This book tells three separate stories about children's experiences with death. The first tells how a boy deals with the death of his uncle. The second, how students deal with the sudden death of a classmate. The third tells of a girl who is at the bedside with her family when her grandmother dies. Each one deals with the sad feelings surrounding death, but also celebrates the life of the deceased individual. Each story ends with how the children cope and come to terms with loss.
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"After You Lose Someone You Love is a self-help book especially for young people who have experienced great loss. Sample diaries including black-and-white reproductions of drawings by young people explain in simple terms that hard feelings are natural and normal. A unique advice guide from kids' point of view, for kids, especially valuable for parents and children to share."
- Comments of a Reviewer |
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A poignant story about loss. Stevie's teacher finds ways to make him feel at home during his first day at a new school. Her fondest wish, she says, is that they have lunch together, evoking for him the sense of speaking with a fairy-tale princess. They develop a strong relationship over time. Unfortunately, tragedy strikes, and news arrives of a car crash that has taken Miss Perry's life. A counselor helps the children talk about their memories, which cushions their loss by bringing back the joy of Miss Perry's fondest wishes and the way that her eyes disappeared when she smiled. |
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Amanda is distressed when she finds out she is going to lose her friend, Willow. Gradually she learns that her memories are gifts she will always have with her. She also learns that there are many ways to say goodbye. This warm story will help children deal with the death of special people (or pets) in their lives. |
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Otter, Mole, Fox, and Hare share a house in the woods. When Fox dies, the other three struggle with their grief. By remembering the love, wisdom, and support he showed them and the funny things he used to do, they are able to create a memorial for him. As they sit in the garden they made in honor of him, they realize that Fox is with them "always and forever" in their memories and in their laughter. |
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This unique book contains a heartwarming, sensitive, colorfully-illustrated story for children about death, grief, loss and joyful memories. The basic story traces little Dave's experiences following the death of his grandfather. As he learns about the birth of a beautiful butterfly, Dave gains a new understanding about death and loss that is free from fear and worry. Discussion questions are included for each page of this story to encourage children to interact with you about their perceptions and feelings. |
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Written for children who are going through the difficult journey of grief after the loss of a loved one. The story of William's grief is accompanied by rich illustrations and real life questions. Thinking and talking about life experiences and feelings encourages healing. Of special focus in this book are the five "stages of grief." Children and teens will be able to see how their behaviors and feelings are normal as they progress through the stages of grief. This book is best suited for kids grades 3-8 and can be read individually or in a small group setting. |
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Death of a Sibling
"Nine-year-old Aariane talks about the death of her beloved sister, Londee, who died from pneumonia at age 12. Aariane is haunted by the mean things she said in a quarrel ("I don't like you. You're not my real sister, anyway"), and her grief is mixed with jealousy about the attention Londee received and the perfect image people remember. The mix of guilt and resentment with love, sorrow, and overwhelming loneliness is universal and will open up discussion with many children who are facing loss."
- Comments of a Reviewer
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Grieving the Death of a Sibling
"This is a truly wonderful book for both siblings and parents who have experienced loss. The thoughts expressed both warm and break your heart all at the same time. Jack's innocence is touching and very realistic. Bereaved children will certainly see themselves in his story. It is a beautiful tribute to grief and loss."
- Comments of a Reviewer |
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What is it like to lose a sibling?
"A young girl shares her feelings she experiences when her brother dies. She tries to understand what is happening and how those feelings she has affect her. She also shares the feelings of those closest around her illustrating that everyone reacts differently when someone close to them passes away." Grades 3-6.
- Comments of a Reviewer
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The Death of a Sibling
When a nine-year-old boy's beloved big sister dies, he is confused, angry and fearful. For the first time he must face the finality of death and the pain of loss. His parents, also grieving, seem distant, until a counselor teaches them all how to cope and heal. |