Read aloud on our channel
A Little Spot of Sadness
A Little Spot of Sadness
A Little SPOT seriesPreK to 2nd grade
Lets kids know sadness is okay and shows what helps when it shows up. A soft, reassuring read for a heavy day.
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Grief and Loss Picture Books
The best Grief and Loss picture books for parents and teachers, sorted by grade. Read alouds from our channel come first.
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Gentle books for when someone, or a beloved pet, has died.
28 books · 3 with a read aloud on our channel
The Rabbit Listened
The Rabbit Listened
PreK to K
After Taylor's block tower crashes down, one animal after another offers advice, but the rabbit simply listens. A gentle lesson for kids and grownups about how to comfort someone.
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Winston's Forever Blanket
Winston's Forever Blanket
PreK to 3rd grade
Winston the bunny loses the blanket his mom gave him before she died, and his friends help him search. A tender book that shows love and memories stay with us.
Badger's Parting Gifts
Badger's Parting Gifts
PreK to 3rd grade
When old Badger dies, his friends grieve and then remember all the things he taught them. A gentle classic for helping kids through loss.
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Samsoon and Farewells
Samsoon and Farewells
PreK to 2nd grade
Samsoon and her best friend Mimi share happy days with Grandma, until Samsoon has to say goodbye. A tender, gentle way to talk with kids about loss.
The Goodbye Book
The Goodbye Book
PreK to 2nd grade
A fish who has lost his companion moves through the many feelings that come with saying goodbye. Todd Parr's gentle, simple approach makes it ideal for very young kids facing loss.
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The Heart and the Bottle
The Heart and the Bottle
K to 3rd grade
After losing someone she loves, a girl puts her heart in a bottle to keep it safe, until she learns how to let it out again. Oliver Jeffers's moving story about grief.
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Ida, Always
Ida, Always
PreK to 4th grade
Gus the polar bear learns his beloved companion Ida is sick, and together they face her passing. Based on real bears at the Central Park Zoo, a tender and honest book about grief.
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The Invisible String
The Invisible String
PreK to 2nd grade
When two kids worry about being apart from their mom, she tells them about the invisible string of love that connects people anywhere. Comforting for separation, divorce, or missing someone who has died.
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Lifetimes
Lifetimes
K to 4th grade
This gentle book explains that every living thing has a beginning, an ending, and living in between. A calm, honest way to start conversations about death.
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The Memory String
The Memory String
PreK to 2nd grade
Laura treasures a string of buttons that holds memories of her late mother, and struggles to accept her new stepmother. A gentle, moving story about grief and blended families.
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Saturdays Are for Stella
Saturdays Are for Stella
PreK to 3rd grade
George spends every Saturday with Grandma Stella, and after she dies, a new baby helps him build new memories. Tender and hopeful.
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The Tenth Good Thing About Barney
The Tenth Good Thing About Barney
PreK to 4th grade
After his cat Barney dies, a boy tries to name ten good things about him. A gentle, honest classic for a first experience with loss.
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When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide to Understanding Death
When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide to Understanding Death
PreK to 3rd grade
Friendly dinosaur characters answer kids' questions about what death means, funerals, and big feelings. A practical, gentle guide to keep on hand for families facing loss.
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The Velveteen Rabbit
The Velveteen Rabbit
PreK to 2nd grade
A stuffed rabbit learns from the wise Skin Horse that being truly loved makes you Real. Tender and bittersweet, it is a beautiful way to talk with kids about love and loss.
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Always Remember
Always Remember
PreK to 2nd grade
After Old Turtle's final swim, his ocean friends remember how he made their lives better. A beautiful story about legacy and grief.
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Big Cat, Little Cat
Big Cat, Little Cat
PreK to 2nd grade
A big cat teaches a little cat everything, until one day the big cat is gone. A simple, moving Caldecott Honor book about love and loss.
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Chester Raccoon and the Acorn Full of Memories
Chester Raccoon and the Acorn Full of Memories
The Kissing Hand seriesPreK to 2nd grade
When a classmate won't be coming back to school, Chester's mom teaches him how to make a memory. A gentle story for grieving kids.
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Cry, Heart, But Never Break
Cry, Heart, But Never Break
PreK to 5th grade
Death visits four siblings caring for their grandmother and tells them a story about why life and loss go together. Deeply moving and comforting.
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Death Is Stupid
Death Is Stupid
PreK to 3rd grade
This honest book gives kids permission to feel angry and sad about death and offers real ways to remember. A refreshing take on grief.
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Dog Heaven
Dog Heaven
PreK to 2nd grade
Cynthia Rylant imagines a heaven where dogs eat biscuits and run through fields. A comforting read after losing a family dog.
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Duck, Death and the Tulip
Duck, Death and the Tulip
PreK to 2nd grade
Duck befriends Death and they spend time together until Duck's life ends. A quiet, profound book for gentle conversations about dying.
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Grandad's Island
Grandad's Island
PreK to 2nd grade
Syd travels with Grandad to a magical island, where Grandad decides to stay. A gentle, beautiful way to explore saying goodbye.
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Grandpa's Stories
Grandpa's Stories
PreK to 3rd grade
A girl remembers each season with her grandpa, from gardening to his bedtime stories, then fills a notebook with memories after he dies. A beautiful, gentle book for families facing loss.
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I Miss You: A First Look at Death
I Miss You: A First Look at Death
PreK to 2nd grade
A simple, honest first look at death and the feelings that come with losing someone. Helpful for parents explaining loss to young kids.
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Nana Upstairs & Nana Downstairs
Nana Upstairs & Nana Downstairs
PreK to 2nd grade
Tommy loves visiting his grandmother and great grandmother, and when they pass, he learns how to remember them. A tender classic about loss.
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The Remember Balloons
The Remember Balloons
K to 3rd grade
James's grandpa holds his memories like balloons, and when they start floating away, James learns to carry them for him. A gentle, beautiful book about memory loss.
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The Wall
The Wall
1st to 4th grade
A boy and his father visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to find his grandfather's name. A quiet, moving introduction to remembering those who served.
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