Organization
The Dougy Center
P.O. Box 86852
Portland, OR 97286
(503) 775-5683
Many of these resources are available through your local bookstore or library.
Alden, Rio. Panda Bear's Journey.
This illustrated book celebrates courage, self-determination and the spiritual journey. A moving lyrical story for people of all ages.
Buscaglia, Leo. The Fall Of Freddie The Leaf.
A metaphorical story of life and death. For all ages.
Blackburn, Lynn Bennett. I Know I Made It Happen.
A validating and useful book to help children deal with the fear and guilt of the notion that they caused a death or a serious illness.
Boulden, Jim. Saying Goodbye.
Booklet with coloring cartoons, drawings and activities to help children understand death and process their grief.
Brown, Laurie Krasny, and Marc Brown. When Dinosaurs Die A Guide To Understanding Death.
A guide for children and families to help dispel the mystery associated with death.
Children and Death.
(Leaflet)
Written for adults. What children understand about death and how to talk about it with them.
Clifton, Lucille, and Ann Grifalconi. Everett Anderson's Goodbye.
Interest Level: Ages 5‑12
Young African‑American boy struggles through conflicting emotions as he tries to come to grips with the death of his father.
DePaola, Tomie. Nana Upstairs And Nana Downstairs.
Interest Level: Ages 4‑9
Picture book about a boy's relationship with his grandmother, great‑grandmother and death.
Dougy Center, The. After a Murder.
A workbook for grieving kids.
www.dougy.org
Dougy Center, The. After a Suicide.
A workbook for grieving kids.
www.dougy.org
Ferguson, Dorothy. A Bunch Of Balloons.
A book to help grieving children acknowledge what they have lost and celebrate what they still have left when someone they love has died.
Fitzgerald, Helen. The Grieving Child.
Written for parents to help their children cope with the death of a loved one.
Green, Constance C. Beat The Turtle Drum.
Interest Level: Ages 10+
Story of the sudden death of an 11‑year-old girl and the affects her death has on her older sister and her parents.
Grollman, Earl A. Talking About Death: A Dialogue Between Parent And Child.
Interest Level: Ages 3‑8
Simple, straightforward discussion of death to be read to children, with illustrations. Includes a parent guide.
Gryte, Marilyn. No New Baby.
Interest Level: Ages 3‑7
Story for children whose mothers miscarried. Deals with guilt, sadness and how we do not always have all the answers.
Haasl, Beth. Bereavement Support Group Program For Children – Leader Manual.
Rationale, objectives and procedures for establishing a five‑session program with details of purposes, material and specific activities.
Haasl, Beth. Bereavement Support Group Program For Children – Participant Workbook.
Fill-in activities and information for five sessions of a child's bereavement support program.
Hammond, Janice. When My Daddy Died.
Coloring book/workbook to assist children in dealing with the many emotions and concerns when a father dies. Preface for adults.
Hammond, Janice. When My Mommy Died.
Coloring book/workbook to use with the very young following the death of a mother. Preface for adults.
Heegaard, Marge. When Someone Very Special Dies – Workbook.
Interest Level: Ages 5‑12
Workbook to be illustrated by children as it guides them through feelings and questions related to grief.
Heegaard, Marge. When Someone Very Special Dies – Guide.
Facilitator's guide with activities and art therapy information to be used in support groups with the workbook.
Heegaard, Marge. When Something Terrible Happens Children Can Learn To Cope with Grief.
Interest Level: Ages 5‑12
Useful with young children experiencing trauma and traumatic loss. Explains grief through words and easy art projects.
Huntley, Theresa. Helping Children Grieve.
Explains how children at various ages understand and react to the death of a loved one.
Johnson, Joy and Marvin. Tell Me Papa.
Interest Level: Ages 4‑8
A grandfather gives a detailed explanation of what happens when someone dies and the meaning of the funeral.
Johnson, Joy and Marvin. Where's Jess?
Validates and answers the questions and concerns of very young people who have a brother or sister who dies.
Krementz, Jill. How It Feels When A Parent Dies.
Interest Level: Ages 7‑16
Photo‑essays with thoughts and feelings of eighteen children, ages 7‑16, who have lost a parent.
LaTour, Kathy. For Those Who Live.
A book written to help children and adolescents cope with the death of a brother or sister.
LeShan, Eda. Learning To Say Goodbye.
Interest Level: Ages 8‑14
Written directly to youth about the problems they face when losing a parent and how to overcome them.
LeShan, Eda. What Makes Me Feel This Way.
Interest level: Ages 9‑12
About the variety of emotions young people experience and ways to understand them.
Levine, Jennifer. Remembering Special Days.
A workbook to support grieving children focusing on the importance of remembering.
Linn, Erin. Children Are Not Paper Dolls.
Interest level: Ages 8‑13
A unique book about sibling bereavement.
Marshall, Bridget. Animal Crackers.
A young girl remembers her grandmother during her illness and death.
Mask Publications, Inc. My One Day At A Time Workbook.
Interest level: Ages 4-10
Simple exercises designed to guide children through the grieving process.
Mask Publications, Inc. One Question At A Time ‑ Answers To Children's Questions About Death.
Questions and concerns most often expressed by children with suggested responses.
Mellonie & Ingpen. Lifetimes: The Beautiful Way To Explain Death To Children.
Interest Level: Ages 3‑10
About beginnings and endings in plants, animals and people. With illustrations.
National Hospice Organization. When Someone You Love Dies.
A coloring and activity book for ages 6-9.
O'Toole, Donna. Aarvy Aardvark Finds Hope.
Illustrated, read‑aloud story of the pain and sadness of loss and the hope of grief recovery.
O'Toole, Donna. Aarvy Aardvark Finds Hope – Teaching Guide.
Guide to use with book/tape to teach the grief process. Includes discussion questions and creative expression projects.
Papenbrock, Patricia, and Robert F. Voss. Children's Grief.
How to help the child whose parent has died.
Papenbrock, Patricia and Robert F. Voss. Loss: How Children And Teenagers Can Cope With Death And Other Losses.
Deals with illness and death, different kinds of death, memorial services, grieving processes in children, concepts according to age and has a section which speaks directly to teens.
Paterson, Katherine. Bridge To Terabithia.
Interest Level: Ages 8‑12
The story of a friendship between a boy and girl, an ensuing tragedy and resurrection of hope.
Powell, E. Sandy. Geranium Morning.
After Timothy's father is killed in a car accident, he meets Franny, a girl whose mother is dying. Their sharing helps them both.
Romond, Janis Loomis. Children Facing Grief.
Collection of poignant and inspirational letters from bereaved brothers and sisters, ages 6‑15, to help others who are experiencing grief.
Schenago, Marcia. Sibling Grief.
Explains concepts at different ages, children's fears, what is helpful and what is not.
Simon, Norma, and Jacqueline Rogers. Saddest Time.
Interest Level: Ages 5‑12
Three straightforward stories of death – an uncle, a school friend by a car and a grandmother.
Sims, Alicia. Am I Still A Sister?
Written by an 11‑year-old girl as she grieves and searches to find her identity while remembering her baby brother.
Smith, Doris. A Taste Of Blackberries.
Interest Level: Ages 7-12
A novel about a young boy who suddenly loses his friend and how he comes to grips with his loss to re-engage with life.
Stein, Sara. About Dying.
Interest level: Ages 3‑6
Photographs and simple text to help the young child understand death.
White, E. B. Charlotte's Web.
Classic story of lifelong friends. Wilbur learns that with the sorrow of loss also come the joys of new beginnings.
Williams, Margery. The Velveteen Rabbit.
A story for young and old of a stuffed rabbit who becomes real by a child's love.
Wolfelt, Alan. A Child's View Of Grief.
A guide for adults who wish to assist bereaved children.
Wolfelt, Alan. Healing Your Grieving Heart For Kids.
Simple advice and activities for children after a death.
Wolfelt, Alan. Helping Children Cope With Grief.
Interventions and guidelines outlining emotional, physical and behavioral expressions of children's grief.
Wolfelt, Alan. Sarah's Journey.
The experiences of 8‑year-old Sarah after her father dies in an accident and how to support her in her grief.
Zolotov, Charlotte. My Grandson Lew.
Explores feelings about death, separation and relationships, and strongly relays the message that, like adults, children need their memories validated and shared.