Picture Books About Loss for Children · Book Nerd Mommy (2024)

Picture Books About Loss ForChildren

As a parent there are many things I need to teach my children and many experiences that I hope to guide them through successfully. Itis one of the many definitions of motherhood that I embrace and I am loving the journey. I love being their companion as they discover new things and I love teaching them about all the beauty the world has to offer. However, some topics are more difficult to help children understand and are more difficult for me to approach. Through experience I have discovered that books can be a wonderful tool in helping children understand difficult topics and gain a better understanding of things they are experiencing, or even things that they haven’t quite yet. They can be great discussion starters and can help children get a view into something difficult in a safe and structured way.

Here I am sharingand ongoing list of picturebooks that are wonderful for discussing and introducing the topic of “loss” with children. Check back from time to time because I plan on adding to this list. They are all-around beautiful books that are written very well. I hope that one or two may be of help to you in the journey of parenting.

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“Sonya’s Chickens” by Phoebe Wahl– This book is so beautiful. It is the story of a little girl who has some pet chickens and loves them very much. However, despite the fact that she cares for them and protects them to the best of her abilities she discovers one evening that one of her chickens is gone (eaten by another animal such as a fox). She is heartbroken. Her father helps her to understand the natural order of things and they have a burial service for her chicken. In the end she discovers an egg left by that chicken and is excited for the new life waiting to start.

“Life Without Nico” by Andrea Maturana and Francisco Javier Olea– This is the sweet story of two best friends who love spending time together and do everything together. However, one day Nico has to move away for a few months with his family. Maia is sad and lonely without him, but after time she learns to find joy again and even makes a new friend. When Nico does return Maia learns that she still has room in her heart for him and that “there are some things that time cannot change”.

“Because of Thursday” by Patricia Polacco– In this story Annie is a woman who runs a restaurant with her husband and makes the best noodle dish in town. They have a very happy life together and raise two children. They grow in age together and eventually Mario passes away. At first Annie is heartbroken and cannot move on. Her restaurant is closed down and nothing is the same. However, one day a kitten in need shows-up on her porch. Annie finds the companionship and love that she desperately needs in the new kitten and life starts to hold meaning again. She reopens the restaurant and finds a way to be happy once more.

“Grandma’s Gloves” by Cecil Castellucci and Julia Denos– This is a lovely story about a little girl who adores her grandmother. She loves to spend time with her, especially in her grandmothers garden. The two make wonderful memories together, but when her grandmother passes away the little girl feels lonely and hurt. However, she remembers all that her grandmother taught her and finds solace in gardening. It helps her to feel close to her grandmother again and reminds her of all the wonderful times they had. In the end she starts to pass on all her grandmother taught her to her mother and she find peace in that.

“The Heartand TheBottle” by Oliver Jeffers– This is the most “mature” book out of the five as it touches on deeper notes of sadness and loss than the previous four which would work well for younger children. This one is still a very wonderful resource for discussing loss with children, however I would personally use it for older children. It is the story of a little girl who is close to an elderly man (probably her grandfather) who is a mentor to her and fosters her childhood joy and wonder. However, one day he is no longer there (this could be from death, or perhaps he had to go away for another reason)and is no longer there for her. She is so sorrowful that she puts her heart away in a bottle in effort to protect it. She lives the years empty and sad until one day as an adult she meets a little girl who reminds her about the joy of childhood wonder and the beauty the world has to offer. It is then that she is able to return her heart and find peace again.

“My Grandpa’s Chair” by Jiyeon Pak- This is a sweet and gentle book centered on dealing with loss. From the illustrations you can draw the subtle inference that Grandpa is lonely on his love seat because his wife is no longer there to share it with him. Determined to cheer him up, his granddaughter goes chair shopping with him. However, in the end they learn that it isn’t really the chair that makes you happy, it’s who you share it with. This is discovered when the book concludes with the little girl and grandpa sharing a simple stump at the park to take a short rest. This one is darling and the illustrations are every bit as lovely as the story.

“The Forever Tree”by Tereasa Surratt and Donna Lukas- This story is based on the true story of tree that was very important to a family, but in time the father passed away and shortly thereafter the tree contracted a fatal disease. In efforts to preserve the tree as a tribute to the memory of the father the tree was built into a tree house. It is such a sweet story of love, loss and the things that never die.

“Sakura’s Cherry Blossoms” by Robert Paul Weston and Misa Saburi- This story is about a little asian girl who loves spending time with her grandmother, especially having picnics under blossoming cherry trees. However, her world is turned upside down when her family moves to America away from her grandmother, and she is faced with a new country, new language, and new people. Things are made better when she makes a new friend and then they are made hard again when they return to Asia to visit her ailing grandmother who soon passes away. However, her new friendship helps her move through the loss, find a way to remember her grandmother and transition to her new life. It is a sweet story with a lot of depth and its beautiful.

“Where the Ocean Meets the Sky” by Terry Fan and Eric Fan-This book is just SO beautiful! It tells the sentimental story of a young boy named Finn who takes an Imaginative journey in honor of his Grandfather who is no longer with him and whom he loves so much. It is so sweet and sincere and the illustrations are just stunning!

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