Coping with Death

It’s hard to explain something to a child that we don’t fully understand ourselves. Death is one of these difficult subjects. Talking about death is often harder because both parent and child are grappling with the loss of a loved one when these questions come up. Sometimes a book can help. The following is a list of titles on death in the Youth Services Department. Some are factual - many more are stories in which the characters are struggling with the same questions and fears we all have. If you have any questions or are unable to find a particular title, please come to the ASK ME Desk for assistance.

PARENT COLLECTION

J PARENT 155.4 GOL
Life and Loss: A Guide To Help Grieving Children.
Goldman, Linda.

J PARENT 155.937 BRO
When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide to Understanding Death.
Brown, Laurene.

J PARENT 155.937 EDW
Saying Goodbye to (series)
Edwards, Nicola.

J PARENT 155.937 FRY
Part of Me Died, Too: Stories of Survival Among Bereaved Children & Teenagers.
Fry, Virginia.

J PARENT 155.937 GRE
When Someone Dies.
Greenlee, Sharon.

J PARENT 155.937 GRY
No New Baby: For Siblings Who Have a Brother or Sister Die Before Birth.
Gryte, Marilyn.

J PARENT 155.937 JOH
Let’s Talk About When Your Pet Dies.
Johnston, Marianne.

J PARENT 155.937 LIF
Lifetimes: A Beautiful Way to Explain Death to Children.
Mellonie, Bryan.

J PARENT 155.937 PRE
Helping Children Cope with Death: A Practical Resource Guide for Someone Special Died.
Prestine, Joan

J PARENT 155.937 PRE
Someone Special Died.
Prestine, Joan.

J PARENT 155.937 ROG
When a Pet Dies.
Rogers, Fred.

J PARENT 155.937 SCH
How do We Tell the Children? A Parent’s Guide to Helping Children Understand & Cope When Someone Dies.
Schaefer, Dan.

J PARENT 155.937 SCH
Everything You Need to Know When Someone You Know Has Been Killed.
Schleifer, Jay.

J PARENT 155.937 STE
About Dying: An Open Family Book for Parents & Children Together.
Stein, Sara .

J PARENT 155.937 WEI
Let’s Talk About When a Parent Dies.
Weitzman, Elizabeth.

J PARENT 155.937083 MOS
Don’t Despair on Thursdays!: The Children’s Grief-management
Book. Moser, Adolph.

J PARENT 306.8 GAR
The Boys and Girls Book About One-Parent Families.
Gardner, Richard.

J PARENT 393.9 JOH
Let’s Talk About Going to a Funeral.
Johnston, Marianne.

JE PARENT BAR
Where is Grandpa? (grandfather)
Barron, T. A.

JE PARENT BRO
The Dead Bird. (bird)
Brown, Margaret.

JE PARENT CAR
Blow Me a Kiss, Miss Lilly. (elderly friend)
Carlstrom, Nancy.

JE PARENT CAR
You Hold Me and I’ll Hold You. (great-aunt)
Carson, Jo.

JE PARENT COH
Molly’s Rosebush. (miscarriage)
Cohn, Janice.

JE PARENT DOR
One More Wednesday. (grandmother)
Doray, Malika.

JE PARENT FRA
The Hickory Chair. (grandmother)
Fraustino, Lisa.

JE PARENT FRI
If Nathan Were Here. (friend)
Fritts, Mary.

JE PARENT GOU
Grandpa’s Slide Show. (grandfather)
Gould, Deborah.

JE PARENT HAR
Goodbye, Mousie. (pet)
Harris, Robie.

JE PARENT HAT
Grandma’s Shoes. (grandmother)
Hathorn, Elizabeth.

JE PARENT JOR
Losing Uncle Tim. (uncle)
Jordan, Mary Kate.

JE PARENT KAP
Waiting to Sing: Story. (mother)
Kaplan, Howard.

JE PARENT KRO
Helen the Fish. (pet)
Kroll, Virginia.

JE PARENT LET
My Grandma Leonie. (grandmother)
LeTord, Bijou.

JE PARENT MAD
Some of the Pieces. (father)
Madenski, Melissa.

JE PARENT NEW
Too Far Away to Touch. (uncle)
Newman, Leslea.

JE PARENT OLD
Stacy Had a Little Sister. (baby sister)
Old, Wendie.

JE PARENT QUI
Tiger Flowers. (uncle) Quinlan, Patricia.

JE PARENT ROT
Another Christmas. (grandfather)
Roth, Susan.

JE PARENT SPE
After Charlotte’s Mom Died. (mother)
Spelman, Cornelia.

JE PARENT STO
The Golden Bird. (self - child)
Stolpe, Han.

JE PARENT TUR
A Little Bit of Rob. (son/brother)
Turner, Barbara J.

JE PARENT WAR
The Blue Pearls. (angels)
Warfel, Elizabeth Stuart.

JE PARENT WES
Painting Sunsets with the Angels. (boy)
Wesson. Vann.

JE PARENT WIL
I’ll Always Love You. (pet)
Wilhelm, Hans.

J PARENT BUN
The Happy Funeral. (grandfather)
Bunting, Eve.

J PARENT BUR
Grandma’s Purple Flowers. (grandmother)
Burrowes, Adjoa J.

J PARENT CLI
Everett Anderson’s Goodbye. (father)
Clifton, Lucille.

J PARENT DEE
The Last Dance. (friend)
Deedy, Carmen Agra.

J PARENT HAY
Grandma’s Gone to Live in the Stars. (grandmother)
Haynes, Max.

J PARENT NYS
Jenny & Grandpa: What is it Like to be Old? (grandfather)
Nystrom, Carolyn.

J PARENT SIM
The Saddest Time. (uncle/classmate/grandmother)
Simon, Norma.

J PARENT TIF
A Quilt for Elizabeth. (father)
Tiffault, Benette W.

NON-FICTION

J 155 BUS
The Fall of Freddie the Leaf: A Story of Life for All Ages.
Buscaglia, Leo F.
(see also J VIDEO 155 FAL)

J 155.937 AND
Death.
Anderson, Lydia.

J 155.937 LES
Learning to Say Good-by: When A Parent Dies.
LeShan, Eda.

J 236.1 NYS
What Happens When We Die?
Nystrom, Carolyn.

J 306.9 GAF
Dealing with Death.
Gaffron, Norma.

J 393 MAY
Death Customs.
Mayled, Jon.

J 393 RUS
Death Customs.
Rushton, Lucy.

J 811.54 GRI
What is Goodbye?
Grimes, Nikki.

JB PUTTER
Shira: A Legacy of Courage
Grollman, Sharon.

JB SASAKI
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes.
Coerr, Eleanor.

Death of a Parent

J BOHLMEIJER
Something Very Sorry. (mother)
Bohlmeijer, Arno.

J DECLEMENTS
The Fourth Grade Wizards. (mother)
DeClements, Barthe.

J GRIFFITHS
Rafa’s Dog. (mother)
Griffiths, Helen.

J HURWITZ Ozzie
On His Own. (father)
Hurwitz, Johanna.

J KAPLAN
The Empty Chair. (mother)
Kaplan, Bess.

J KIDD
Onion Tears. (father & mother)
Kidd, Diana.

J LEONARD
Saving Damaris. (mother)
Leonard, Laura.

J PASSEY
Speak to the Rain. (mother)
Passey, Helen.

J PATERSON
Flip-Flop Girl. (father)
Paterson, Katherine.

J POLIKOFF
Life’s a Funny Proposition, Horatio. (father)
Polikoff, Barbara.

J RODOWSKY
The Turnabout Shop. (mother)
Radowsky, Colby.

J STONE
All the Blue Moons at the Wallace Hotel. (father)
Stone, Phoebe.

J STRETE
The World in Grandfather’s Hands. (father)
Strete, Craig.

J WILSON
Robin On His Own. (mother)
Wilson, Johnniece.

JH BLUME
Tiger Eyes. (father)
Blume, Judy.

JH BROOKS
Two Moons in August: A Novel. (mother)
Brooks, Martha.

JH CONLY
Crazy Lady! (mother)
Conly, Jane.

JH CREECH
Walk Two Moons. (mother & grandmother)
Creech, Sharon.

JH DEFELICE
Death at Devil’s Bridge. (father)
DeFelice, Cynthia.

JH DESSEN
The Truth About Forever. (father)
Dessen, Sarah.

JH GROVE
The Crystal Garden. (father)
Grove, Vicki.

JH HIRSCH
Ellen Anders On Her Own. (mother)
Hirsch, Karen.

JH HOLT
Keeper of the Night. (mother’s suicide)
Holt, Kimberly Willis.

JH LEHNE
Coyote Girl. (mother)
Lehne, Judith Logan.

JH MARTIN
With You & Without You. (father)
Martin, Ann M.

JH MAZER
Girlhearts. (mother)
Mazer, Norma Fox.

JH MAZER
When the Phone Rang. (parents)
Mazer, Harry.

JH PFEFFER
Sybil at Sixteen. (father)
Pfeffer, Susan Beth.

JH PORTE
Something Terrible Happened: A Novel. (mother)
Porte, Barbara Ann.

JH ROBERTS
Secrets at Hidden Valley. (father)
Roberts, Willo Davis.

JH ROSS
In the Quiet. (mother)
Ross, Adrienne.

JH SNYDER
Spyhole Secrets. (father)
Snyder, Zilpha Keatley.

JH THESMAN
Nothing Grows Here. (father)
Thesman, Jean.

JH TOLAN
Who’s There? (parents)
Tolan, Stephanie S.

JH WARNER
This Isn’t About the Money. (parents)
Warner, Sally.

JH WILLIAMS
Carolina Autumn. (father & sister)
Williams, Carol Lynch.

Death of a Grandparent

JE ANDERSON
The Key Into Winter. (grandmother)
Anderson, Janet.

JE CASELEY
When Grandpa Came to Stay. (grandmother)
Caseley, Judith.

JE DEPAOLA
Nana Upstairs & Nana Downstairs (great-grandmother)
DePaola, Tomie

JE ENGEL
Eleanor, Arthur & Claire. (grandfather)
Engel, Diana.

JE FOX
Sophie. (grandfather)
Fox, Mem.

JE HOOPES
Nana. (grandmother)
Hoopes, Lyn.

JE KROLL
Fireflies, Peach Pies, & Lullabies. (great-grandmother)
Kroll, Virginia.

JE NODAR
Abuelita’s Paradise. (grandmother)
Nodar, Carmen Santiago.

JE RUSSO
Grandpa Abe. (step-grandfather)
Russo, Marisabina.

JE WHELAN
Bringing the Farm House Home. (grandmother)
Whelan, Gloria.

JE YOLEN
Grandad Bill’s Song. (grandfather)
Yolen, Jane.

JE ZOLOTOW
My Grandson Lew. (grandfather)
Zolotow, Charlotte.

HOLIDAY JE CAZET
Christmas Moon. (grandfather)
Cazet, Denys.

J BROOKS
Everywhere. (grandfather)
Brooks, Bruce.

J BYARS
A Blossom Promise. (grandfather)
Byars, Betsy.

J CLIFFORD
The Remembering Box.
(grandmother) Clifford, Eth.

J FORWARD
Traveling Backward. (grandfather)
Forward, Toby.

J JOOSSE
Ghost Wings. (grandmother)
Joosse, Barbara M.

J JUKES
Blackberries in the Dark. (grandfather)
Jukes, Mavis.

J MILES
Annie & the Old One. (grandmother)
Miles, Miska.
(also see J VIDEO ANN)

J SLEPIAN
The Broccoli Tapes. (grandmother)
Slepian, Jan.

J SMITH
Janna and the Kings. (grandfather)
Smith, Patricia.

J WILES
Love, Ruby Lavender (grandfather)
Wiles, Debbie.

J WILLNER-PARDO
Hunting Grandma’s Treasures. (grandmother)
Willner-Pardo, Gina.

JH CREECH
Walk Two Moons. (grandmother& mother)
Creech, Sharon.

JH L’ENGLE
A Ring of Endless Light. (grandfather)
L’Engle, Madeleine.

JH MAZER
After the Rain. (grandfather)
Mazer, Norma Fox.

JH MURPHY
Gold Star Sister. (grandmother)
Murphy, Claire Rudolf.

Death of a Sibling

JE ALEXANDER
Nadia the Willful. (brother)
Alexander, Sue.

J FLETCHER
Fig Pudding. (brother)
Fletcher, Ralph J.

J KATZ
Snowdrops for Cousin Ruth. (twin brother)
Katz, Susan.

J LEE
The Magic Moth. (sister)
Lee, Virginia.

J MARINO
Eighty-eight Steps to September. (brother)
Marino, Jan.

J OSBORNE
Run, Run, as Fast as You Can (brother)
Osborne, Mary Pope.

J WALLACE-BRODEUR
Blue Eyes Better. (older brother)
Wallace-Brodeur, Ruth.

JH DREYER
After Elaine. (older sister)
Dreyer, Ann L.

JH LAIRD
Loving Ben. (brother)
Laird, Elizabeth.

JH LOWRY
A Summer to Die. (sister)
Lowry, Lois.

JH PARK
Mick Harte Was Here. (brother)
Park, Barbara.
(also see J AUDIO BOOK PAR)

JH WEYR
When I Was Older. (brother)
Weyr, Garret.

JH WILLIAMS
Carolina Autumn. (sister & father)
Williams, Carol Lynch.

Other

JE COHEN
Jim’s Dog Muffins. (dog)
Cohen, Miriam.

JE EHRLICH
Maggie & Silky & Joe. (dog)
Ehrlich, Amy.

JE GRIFFITH
Dream Meadow. (old woman & her dog) Griffith, Helen V.

JE HOWARD
Murphy & Kate. (dog)
Howard, Ellen.

JE LYON
Ada’s Pal. (dog)
Lyon, George Ella.

JE NEWMAN
The Best Cat in the World. (cat)
Newman, Leslea.

JE ROSENBERRY
The Growing-up Tree. (tree)
Rosenberry, Vera.

JE RYLANT
Cat Heaven. (cat)
Rylant, Cynthia.

JE RYLANT
Dog Heaven. (dog)
Rylant, Cynthia.

JE VARLEY
Badger’s Parting Gifts. (friend)
Varley, Susan.

JE VIORST
The Tenth Good Thing About Barney. (dog)
Viorst, Judith.

JE WALLACE-BRODEUR
Goodbye, Mitch. (cat)
Wallace-Brodeur, Ruth.

JE WILD
Toby. (dog)
Wild, Margaret.

JE WILD
The Very Best of Friends. (husband)
Wild, Margaret.

JE ZOLOTOW
The Old Dog. (dog)
Zolotow, Charlotte.

JR COSBY
The Day I Saw My Father Cry. (family friend)
Cosby, Bill.

J GRAEBER
Mustard. (cat)
Graeber, Charlotte.

J HAMILTON
Cousins. (cousin)
Hamilton, Virginia.

J HENRY
The Last Leaf. (self - adult)
Henry, O.

J KENNEDY
Oliver Hyde’s Dishcloth Concert. (wife)
Kennedy, Richard.

J MACLACHLAN
Baby. (infant son)
MacLachlan, Patricia.

J PATERSON
Bridge to Terabithia. (friend)
Paterson, Katherine.
(see also J AUDIO BOOK PAT & J VIDEO BRI)

J PAULSEN
A Christmas Sonata. (cousin)
Paulsen, Gary. (see also J AUDIO BOOK PAULSEN)

J RYLANT
Missing May. (aunt - guardian)
Rylant, Cynthia.

J SMITH, C.
Rain is Not My Indian Name. (friend)
Smith, Cynthia Leitich.

J SMITH. D.
A Taste of Blackberries. (friend)
Smith, Doris Buchanan.

J UPDIKE
The Sounds of Summer. (dog)
Updike, David.

J WHITE
Charlotte’s Web. (friend)
White, E. B.
(see also J VIDEO CHA& J AUDIO BOOK WHI)

JH HESSE
Phoenix Rising. (friend)
Hesse, Karen.

JH HILL
See Ya, Simon. (friend)
Hill, David.

JH HONEYCUTT
Twilight in Grace Falls. (cousin)
Honeycutt, Natalie.

JH KOSS
Stolen Words. (aunt)
Koss, Amy.

JH MILLS
Dinah Forever. (elderly friend)
Mills, Claudia.

JH OUGHTON
Music from a Place Called Half Moon. (friend)
Oughton, Jerrie.

JH WILSON
Vicky Angel. (friend)
Wilson, Jacqueline.

JH YUMOTO
The Friends. (elderly friend)
Yumoto, Kazumi.
(see also J AUDIO BOOK YUM)

JH ZINDEL
A Begonia for Miss Applebaum. (teacher)
Zindel, Paul.

REFERENCE

J REF 016.1559 RUD
Books to Help Children Cope with Separation & Loss: An Annotated Bibliography.
Rudman, Masha.

Youth Services at St. Charles Public Library
630) 584-9390

Revised 1/05