Grief is an overwhelming and complex emotion that many of us—including children—have experienced. Children's grief books can be powerful tools in helping kids process the weight of loss. These books provide a safe space for little ones to explore complex emotions and express their feelings in a healthy way. Through relatable characters and stories, kids can learn that they are not alone in their grief and that it's okay to feel sad, angry, or confused. For times of change and loss, here are some helpful resources to guide the healing process and help children navigate their emotions.
The Memory Box: A Book About Grief
From the perspective of a young child, Joanna Rowland artfully describes what it is like to remember and grieve a loved one who has died. In The Memory Box, a young girl creates a box full of memories and mementos to remember her loved one and find comfort in the midst of loss. A parent guide in the back includes expert information on helping children manage the complex emotions of grief, as well as suggestions on how to create their own memory box.
Click here to read moving testimonials from others who have helped children heal during a time of grief.
Age: 3–8 years
Publication date: September 26, 2017
The Memory Tree: A Holiday Grief Book
Joanna RowlandFrom the author and illustrator of The Memory Box, the best-selling children's book about grief, comes a new picture book to help and comfort families celebrating their first holiday season after the loss of a loved one.
Grief is challenging for children and families any time of year, but during Christmas or other family-focused holidays, the death of a loved one can bring especially difficult feelings. In The Memory Tree, a child struggles with the recent loss of a loved one. Holiday lights don't seem to shine as bright, and celebrations don't feel quite as merry. But then she and her family find a way to commemorate their lost loved one: the decoration of a special Memory Tree, which allows them all to process their feelings and make the person a meaningful part of their celebrations. Joanna Rowland's sensitive writing and Thea Baker's beautiful illustrations gently prompt reflections and suggestions for readers to create their own Memory Trees at home.
Age: 4–8 years
Publication date: October 14, 2025
Written as a letter to his unborn baby sibling, Dear Star Baby shares how a little boy processes the grief he and his family experience after a miscarriage. He tells the baby all about how they were preparing their home to welcome them and the things he was looking forward to doing together. He processes his wonders, wishes, and sadness after this tremendous loss. Dad says their Star Baby feels far away. Mom says their Star Baby is always in her heart. The little boy imagines his baby sibling singing and twinkling in the night sky as he sleeps.
Poignant and sensitively told, this story will help families who have lost a baby to miscarriage or stillbirth grieve and move forward together.
Age: 5–8 years
Publication date: April 4, 2023
In Conejo the bunny, Selena's found her best friend: he's cuddly, curious, and magical. He glows! But one day, Conejo's light begins to dim. Selena tries everything to bring back his glow, from covering Conejo with lights to giving him many, many pets . . . but nothing works. As Conejo's lights continue to flicker,Selena must prepare for when his light goes out entirely.
Through luminous illustrations, The Light in My Bunny offers a gentle look into the experience of pet loss, and comforts readers with the reminder that through love and memory, the light of our loved ones never goes out. Sensitive and humane, Selena and Conejo's story helps readers understand and process the grief of losing someone slowly--a much-needed angle in the grief resource space. The Light in My Bunny softly reminds young readers: You are not alone.
Age: 4–8 years
Publication date: October 8, 2024
Life is full of sunshine for inseparable friends Violet and Mia. Until one day, Violet leaves school sick and doesn't get better. Without her best friend, Mia slips into a gloomy existence. As she moves through the stages of grief like the colors of a rainbow, Mia wonders if she will ever feel like herself again. When Mia reaches out to her classmates, she remembers what she loved most about Violet. Missing Violet is a sensitive and poignant story about the loss of a friend and experiencing the different stages of grief.
Age: 5–8 years
Publication date: January 31, 2023
Remembering Sundays with Grandpa
Henry and his mom feel Grandpa's love in all his special places: in the rocking chair where he read stories with silly voices, in the cucumbers that always made him hiccup, and in the jewelry box he used to wind up so they could dance. As they remember the many loving moments they shared, they work through their grief. Remembering Sundays with Grandpa illustrates how even when someone is no longer part of the physical world, their love lives on forever.
Age: 3–8 years
Publication date: November 7, 2023
Click here to view our full Grief and Loss collection.
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Searching for grief resources for adults? Click here to explore comforting recommendations from our sister imprint, Broadleaf Books.
