Best Books for Children’s Grief

When children are grieving, it’s so important to keep an ongoing conversation about what has happened and what they are feeling. Books for children’s grief can help prompt that conversation.

Children don’t necessarily express their grief like adults. And they may have questions and fears after the death of a parent, sibling, friend or grandparent.

When Dan passed away, I had 6- and 4-year-olds (along with tweens and teens). I wanted to help my children process their grief and continue to move through it. Not talking about our deceased loved ones doesn’t avoid grief; it postpones it. Books were one way to keep intentional conversations going so that my kids could grief in a healthy way.

Today, I’m sharing some of the best books for children’s grief I’ve found.

Someone I Love Died

This book helps answer a child’s questions and fears about death and shows them the comfort and assurance we can have through Jesus.

When Someone Dies: Find Comfort in Jesus

A comforting book about the assurance Jesus gives when kids are grieving a loved one.

When Someone Very Special Dies: Children Can Learn to Cope with Grief (Drawing Out Feelings Series)

This interactive book allows the child to draw pictures in the book to express feelings. It may help prompt conversation or questions and allows kids who don’t or can’t verbalize their feelings to express them through drawing. Note: this book does not talk about heaven or the Christian’s hope after death so I supplemented with our own thoughts as my kids worked their way through this book.

The Memory Box: A Book About Grief 

Tell Me About Heaven

Children often have lots of questions about death and what happens after death. Books on heaven are very comforting. In this book, Randy Alcorn helps answer common questions kids have about heaven and gives assurance of what it’s like for loved ones in heaven.

Heaven God’s Promise for Me

This is a sweet book by Anne Graham Lotz I read with Matt and Annalise after Dan died.  My older kids and I looked at what the Bible says about heaven along with a thick book answering questions about life after death and heaven. But I needed a resource for my youngest kids and so appreciated being able to snuggle, read together and talk about what it’s like for our loved ones  in heaven and what awaits us.

When I’m With Jesus: For any Child with a Loved One in Heaven

Quinn Says Goodbye: Friends May Go Away, but God Is Here to Stay 

One of the newest books for the very young child on loss, though this is in the context of friends. The author wrote this after her own sister was killed in an auto accident growing up.

Where Did My Sweet Grandma Go?: A Preschooler’s Guide to Losing a Loved One 

A book for preschoolers to help them talk about death, grief, and eternal love. This book is beautifully illustrated with watercolors and has follow-up questions, activities, scripture and resources in the parent’s guide.  (**There’s also a new book — Where Did My Sweet Grandpa Go?

When Your Grandparent Dies: A Child’s Guide to Good Grief (Elf-Help Books for Kids) 

This is a book specific for children who are grieving a grandparent.

Sad Isn’t Bad: A Good-Grief Guidebook for Kids Dealing With Loss (Elf-Help Books for Kids) 

Another book in a series to help children understand and anticipate the feelings that can come with grief and be okay with not feeling okay.

Hinds’ Feet on High Places: Delightfully Illustrated and Arranged for Children 

This isn’t a book on grief, but it’s a Christian classic on suffering and difficulty in the life of a Christian. This is an adaptation for children with beautiful illustrations. But it’s not just for children; it was hugely healing for my teens and for me. We read it slowly, a couple of pages each day, talking about the Biblical truth portrayed in the story. Highly recommended.

Streams in the Desert for Kids: 365 Devotions of God’s Awesome Love 

Streams in the Desert is a Christian classic devotional that has comforted hundreds of thousands through difficulty and grief. I was so happy to learn it’s now available in a children’s version, with a year’s worth of encouragement and help to feel better.

I hope these books for children’s grief help you help your child. Let me know if you have a book that you’d recommend to help children through grief!