Dealing With Death
Death in general
Bryant-Mole, Karen. Death. (J 155.9 Bryant-Mole)
Focuses on death as part of a natural cycle and as part of the entire process of life; also discusses common responses to death.  

Wilson, Antoine. You and a Death in Your Family. (J 155.9 Wilson)
Death today -- Talking about death -- Am I feeling the right feelings? -- Coming together as a family -- The death of a pet -- The funeral -- The death of a parent -- The death of a brother or sister -- Suicide or violent death -- The funeral--what to expect -- Working through your grief and returning to life.  

Thornhill, Jan. I Found a Dead Bird: the kids' guide to the cycle of life & death. (J 306.9)
The death of a bird is the jumping-off point for this intelligent, wide-ranging look at the cycle of life. From life spans to how things die, from what happens after death to how people cope with the loss of a loved one, Jan Thornhill guides young readers through a difficult loss.

Death of a Grandparent
Barron, T. A. Where is Grandpa.  (JJ Barron)
As his family reminisces after his beloved grandfather's death, a boy realizes that his grandfather is still with him in all the special places they shared.  

Bunting, Eve. The Happy Funeral. (J Bunting)
A little Chinese-American girl pays tribute to her grandfather as she assists in the preparations for his funeral.  

DePaola, Tomie. Nana Upstairs & Nana Downstairs. (JJ DePaola)
Four-year-old Tommy enjoys his relationship with both his grandmother and great-grandmother, but eventually learns to face their inevitable death.  

Henley, Karyn. Gram's Song. (Parenting Henley)
Anthony enjoys spending time with his grandmother, so when she dies he is sad until his mother tells him that Gram is now with Jesus, and reminds him of the treasures she left him, including her special song.

Monk, Isabell. Blackberry Stew. (JJ Monk)
When her Grandpa Jack dies, Hope remembers the time she went with him to pick blackberries, and she realizes that he will continue to live in her and in her memories.  

Smith, Patricia. Janna and the Kings. (JJ Smith)
Janna loves the Saturday visits that she and her grandfather make to the local barbershop where she becomes a princess, but after he dies, Janna feels as though her world has changed.

Thong, Roseanne. Wishing Tree. (JJ Thong)
Ming's wishes at the tree on Lunar New Year with his grandmother always seemed to come true, but one year the tree does not help, and he alone must make peace with the loss of his grandmother and the spirit of the tree.  

Wild, Margaret. Old Pig. (JJ Wild)
Because Old Pig knows that her time to die is near, she puts her affairs in order and takes a slow walk with Granddaughter to savor the beauty for one last time.  

Wiles, Debbie. Love Ruby Lavender. (J Wiles)
When her quirky grandmother goes to Hawaii for the summer, nine-year-old Ruby learns to survive on her own in Mississippi by writing letters, befriending chickens as well as the new girl in town, and finally coping with her grandfather's death.  

Zalben, Jane. Pearl’s Marigolds for Grandpa. (JJ Zalben)
A young girl copes with the death of her grandfather by remembering all the things she loved about him. Includes information about funeral customs of various religions.  

Death of Parent
Clifton, Lucille. Everett Anderson’s Goodby. (Parenting Clifton)
Everett Anderson has a difficult time coming to terms with his grief after his father dies.  

Krementz, Jill. How it Feels When a Parent Dies. (J 155.937)
Eighteen young people ranging in age from seven to sixteen discuss the questions, fears, and bereavement they experienced when one of their parents died.  

Lanton, Sandy. Daddy's Chair. (JJ Lanton)
When Michael's father dies his family sits shiva, observing the Jewish week of mourning and remembers the good things about him.

LeShan, Eda. Learning to Say Goodby: When a Parent Dies. (155.9)
Discusses the questions, fears, and fantasies many children experience when a parent or someone close to them dies.  

Powell, Sandy. Geranium Morning. (JJ Powel)
Two friends who lose parents, one suddenly in an accident and one by illness, learn to deal with their grief.  

Tolan, Stephanie. Listen. (J Tolan)
During her solitary convalescence from a crippling accident, twelve-year-old Charley finds a wild dog, and the arduous process of training him leads her to explore her feelings about her mother's death two years earlier.  

Woodson, Jacqueline. Last Summer with Maizon. (J Woodson)
Eleven-year-old Margaret tries to accept the inevitable changes that come one summer when her father dies and her best friend Maizon goes away to a private boarding school.  

Death of Sibling
Kadohata, Cynthia. Kira-Kira. (J Kadohata)
Chronicles the close friendship between two Japanese-American sisters growing up in rural Georgia during the late 1950s and early 1960s, and the despair when one sister becomes terminally ill.  

Roberts, Willo Davis. The One Left Behind. (J Roberts)
Mandy's life changes forever when her ten-year-old twin sister eats a hamburger tainted with E coli and dies.  

Franklin, Kristine. Lone Wolf. (J Franklin)
When a large family moves into the house near where he and his father live in the woods, Perry's friendship with the oldest girl helps him come to terms with his sister's death and his parents' divorce.  

Death of Teacher
Brisson, Pat. I remember Miss Perry. (Parenting Brisson)
When his teacher, Miss Perry, is killed in a car accident, Stevie and his elementary school classmates take turns sharing memories of her, especially her fondest wish for each day.

Hest, Amy. Remembering Mrs. Rossi. (J Hest)
When Mrs. Rossi suddenly dies, she leaves not only her eight-year-old daughter Annie, but also a class full of students who pour out their hearts in a scrapbook for Annie. With tenderness and humor, Hest reveals the struggles of a father and daughter as they forge a new life.

Death of Pet
Bostrom, Kathleen. The day Scooter died. (Parenting Bostrom)
Mikey feels responsible for his dog Scooter's accidental death, but his parents remind him that the dog loved him best of all and they can still love each other.

Cochran, Bill. Forever Dog. (JJ Cochran)
Mike and his dog Cody plan to be best friends forever, so when Cody becomes sick and dies, Mike is angry about the broken promise.

Demas, Corinne. Saying Goodbye to Lulu. (JJ Demas)
When her dog Lulu dies, a girl grieves but then continues with her life.  

Greenburg, Judith. Sunny: the Death of a Pet. (JJ 155.937)
Bill is scared when his dog Sunny gets sick, but after her death a new puppy helps him stop grieving.  

Harris, Robie. Goodbye Mousie. (JJ Harris)
A boy grieves for his dead pet Mousie, helps to bury him, and begins to come to terms with his loss.  

Rylant, Cynthia. Dog Heaven (JJ Rylant)
God created Dog Heaven, a place where dogs can eat ice cream biscuits, sleep on fluffy clouds, and run through unending fields.

Viorst, Judith. The Tenth Good Thing About Barney (JJ Viorst)
In an attempt to overcome his grief, a boy tries to think of the ten best things about his cat.

Wallace, Bill.  No Dogs Allowed. (J Wallace)
Twelve-year-old Kristina, still struggling to come to terms with the death of her beloved horse, finds it difficult to accept the new dog she receives for her birthday.  

Death of Friend
Bunting, Eve. Rudi’s Pond. (JJ Bunting)
When a sick boy dies, his friends and classmates remember him by building a schoolyard pond in his memory.  

Cohn, Janice. I had a Friend Named Peter. (JJ Cohn)
When Betsy learns about the death of a friend, her parents and teacher answer questions about dying, funerals, and the burian process.

Goldman, Linda. Children also grieve: talking about death and healing. (Parenting 155.9)
Children Also Grieve is an imaginative resource, fully illustrated with color photographs, that offers support and reassurance to children coming to terms with the loss of a close friend or relative and to adults who are supporting them through their bereavement.

Puttock, Simon. A Story for Hippo. (JJ Puttock)
Hippo and Monkey are best, best, best friends and when the wise old Hippo dies, Monkey is very sad until Chameleon helps him remember the stories he and Hippo shared.  

Smith, Doris.  A Taste of Blackberries. (JJ Smith)
A young boy recounts his efforts to adjust to the accidental death of his best friend.  

Weigelt, Udo.  Bear’s Last Journey. (JJ Weigelt)
All the animals in the forest must deal with the death of their old friend, the bear, when he goes to sleep and never wakes up.  

Books for Parents
Emswiler, Mary Ann. Guiding your child though grief. (Parenting 155.973 Emswiler)  

Schaefer, Dan. How do we tell the children: a step by step guide for helping children two to teen cope when someone dies. (155.973 Schaefer)

Mary Cheney Library
586 Main Street
Manchester, CT 06040
(860) 645-0577
http://library.townofmanchester.org/children.html

Whiton Memorial Branch Library
100 North Main Street
Manchester, CT 06042
(860) 643-6892

Updated 1/09