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Grief and Mourning
Whether it is the death of a friend or relative, or a stranger in another land, or
the death of a beloved pet, death affects gifted children with a depth and power
that often takes us by surprise. This list includes books and other resources that
gifted parents and professionals have found useful when dealing with death and the gifted child or
young adult, as well as for themselves.
If you find yourself on this page in
need, please accept our sincere condolences for your loss.
People... (click
for resources about Pets)
-
After
You Lose Someone You Love: Advice And Insight From The Diaries Of Three Kids
Who've Been There by Amy Dennison, Allie Dennison, and David Dennison

- The real-life journal of three children whose father died suddenly...
-
Annie and the Old One by Miska Miles

- When Annie's Navajo grandmother says that when Annie's mother's rug is
completely woven that the grandmother will die, Annie tries to hold back time
by unweaving the rug in secret... (picture book for all ages)
-
Badger's Parting Gifts by Susan Varley

- All the woodland creatures love old Badger, and when he dies, they are
overwhelmed by their loss. Then, they begin to remember, and through their
memories, the animals find the strength to face the future with hope
-
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Patterson

- A novel (upper elementary or middle school) about two childhood friends
separated suddenly by death. Paterson handles the situation quite
beautifully and affords a real opportunity for parents to discuss the matter
of death with their kids
-
Bruderhof
Grief Companion
- Everyone grieves differently. But no one needs to carry grief alone.
Whatever loss you are grieving, here you can share your loss with others, and
find material that other grieving people have found helpful and comforting.
Grieving takes time. Take time to grieve
-
Dealing
with Death
- PBS On Line high school unit, This guide suggests several writing and
group activities that address perceptions and emotions related to death...
-
Eight
myths about children, adolescents and loss by Kenneth J. Doka,
Living with Grief: Children, Adolescents and Loss

- Common myths and practical suggestions, about children and adolescents and
how they deal with loss and grief. Also by Doka
A Guide
to Children's Grief
-
Final
Gifts: Understanding the Special Awareness, Needs, and Communications of the
Dying
by Maggie Callanan and Patricia Kelley
(or on
Kindle)
- Through their stories we come to appreciate the near-miraculous ways in
which the dying communicate their needs, reveal their feelings, and even
choreograph their own final moments; we also discover the gifts—of wisdom,
faith, and love—that the dying leave for the living to share. Filled with
practical advice on responding to the requests of the dying and helping them
prepare emotionally and spiritually for death, Final Gifts shows how we can
help the dying person live fully to the very end... (older kids and adults)
- A
Guide for Those Helping Others with Grief or
Una
guía para ésos que ayudan a otros con pena
- Excerpted from
I Wasn't Ready to Say Good-bye: a guide for surviving, coping and healing
after the sudden death of a loved one
by Brook Noel and Pamela D. Blair
-
Helping Teens Cope with Death by The Dougy Center

- Adolescence is a period of profound changes. When a teen also deals with a
major loss, those developmental changes and the turmoil they create, can be
compounded. This book helps adults to better understand how a death of a
family member or friend can impact a teen and how to help
-
Helping
Children Cope With the Loss of a Loved One: A Guide for Grownups by
William C. Kroen and Pamela Espeland

- Practical advice to help children of all ages through the process of
grieving, from our friends at Free Spirit Press...
-
I
Will Remember You by Laura Dower

- When someone close dies, life as a teen can seem almost unbearable.
An inspirational and accessible guide to coping with loss...
-
Living
When a Loved One Has Died
by Earl Grollman

- ...explains what emotions to expect when mourning, what pitfalls to avoid,
and how to work through feelings of loss. Suitable for pocket or bedside, this
gentle book guides the lonely and suffering as they move through the many
facets of grief, begin to heal, and slowly build new lives (teen to adult)
-
Lifetimes
by Bryan Mellonie

- A pet . . . a friend . . . or a relative dies, and it must be explained to
a child. This sensitive book is a useful tool in explaining to young
children that death is a part of life and that, eventually, all living
things reach the end of their own special lifetimes. It even deals
briefly with sickness cutting the lifetime short. An excellent
resource...
-
Listen!
by Stephanie Tolan

- Award-winning story about a girl who loses her mom, and finds herself,
with the help of a wild dog...
Christopher Award, for media that “salutes the highest values of the human
spiritˮ
(all readers)
-
On
My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer

- Devastating but beautifully written story of a boy's all-consuming guilt
over the role he plays in the death of his best friend...
-
The
Saddest Time by Norma Simon

- Illness, accident, and old age provide three different scenarios in which
children experience powerful emotions when someone close has died. For
children of many ages
-
Straight
Talk About Death for Teenagers: How to Cope With Losing Someone You Love
by Earl Grollman

- With brief entries such as "Accidental Death," "Self-Inflicted Death,"
"Talking," "Crying," and "Going Nuts," Grollman offers advice and answers the
kinds of questions that teens are likely to ask themselves when grieving the
death of someone close...
-
Talking
about Death: A Dialogue Between Parent and Child by Earl Grollman

- Why do people die? How do you explain the loss of a loved one to a child?
This book is a compassionate guide for adults and children to read together,
featuring a readalong story, answers to questions children ask about death,
and a comprehensive list of resources and organizations that can help
-
Tear
Soup: A Recipe for Healing after Loss
by Pat Schweibert, Chuck DeKlyen, with Taylor Bills

- "There once was an old and somewhat wise woman whom
everyone called Grandy..." This modern fable for children who mourn will be
sure to help every child and adult deal with the loss of a loved one, or a
friend's loss of a loved one. Also visit
Grief Watch for guides and
other resources to help reading
Tear Soup...
-
The Tenth Good Thing About Barney
by Judith Viorst

- Barney was a cat. He died last Friday. And everyone was sad. They did what
most people do when a cat they like dies. They had a funeral. And then they
tried to think of good things about him. They wanted to remember him as he
was; and they thought about some other things, too. Even though Barney
is a pet, many families find this book an excellent resource for the death
of a loved one...
-
Tiger
Eyes by Judy Blume

- Novel about a teen girl losing her father to a violent crime, and dealing
with her grief, her loss and the aftermath in their family... (Young adult)
-
What
on Earth Do You Do When Someone Dies? by Trevor Romain

- Someone you love dies, and your whole world changes.
Straight-forward, honest answers to common questions, with permission to
feel what you're feeling... and to go on with your life. Also
available on DVD
What on Earth Do You Do When Someone Dies?
-
What's
Heaven? by Maria Shriver 
- Borne from actual questions asked by her own daughters, journalist Maria
Shriver's book is a gentle narrative following the conversations that pass
between a mother and a young daughter in the days immediately following the
death of the child's special great-grandmother...
-
What
Is Death? by Etan Boritzer

- The book asks questions as a child might - what is death, what happens to
the body, why does everyone want to know about death, what happens to the
inside of a person (their funny stories, feelings, thoughts, ideas, love) when
they die? Boritzer talks about what different cultures do with the body,
different beliefs of the soul and afterlife (including people who belief
nothing happens), and how making life meaningful now can help a person's
memory live on...
-
When a Friend Dies: A Book for Teens About Grieving & Healing by Marilyn
E. Gootman 
- A simple but powerful book that seems to cover all the little details and
big concerns of the gifted child or teen who is dealing with the death of a
friend...
Pets... (click for
resources about
People)
-
Companion Animal Related Emotions (CARE) Pet Loss Helpline University of
Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine
- People who are either grieving the loss of a companion animal or are
anticipating a loss are encouraged to call (877) 394-CARE (2273). Visit
the site for additional information on the grief process, family grief,
reading resources, and more
-
Cat Heaven
by Cynthia Rylant 
- Sweet, gentle book describes an imaginary cat's life in heaven, the things
they would do, and who would care for them...
-
Coping With Sorrow On The Loss Of Your Pet by Cynthia Rylant

- A more "grown-up" treatment of the situation...
-
Desser
the Best Ever Cat
by Maggie Smith 
- A girl narrator unspools "Desser's" history while weaving in family
stories, such as her own arrival as a newborn ("When I first came home from
the hospital, Desser wasn't sure if he liked me"), her new mobility as a
toddler ("He wasn't too happy when I first started walking") and the two
bonding at last ("but he was glad when I got my big bed" shows the feline
cuddled on top of the youngster)...
-
Dog Heaven
by Cynthia Rylant 
- When dogs go to Heaven, they don't need wings because God knows that
dogs love running best. He gives them fields. Fields and fields and fields...
-
For Every Cat An Angel by Christine Davis

- Sweet, gentle book describes an imaginary cat's life in heaven, the things
they would do, and who would care for them...
-
For Every Dog An Angel by Christine Davis

- Sweet, gentle book describes an imaginary cat's life in heaven, the things
they would do, and who would care for them...
-
Lifetimes
by Bryan Mellonie 
- A pet . . . a friend . . . or a relative dies, and it must be explained to
a child. This sensitive book is a useful tool in explaining to young children
that death is a part of life and that, eventually, all living things reach the
end of their own special lifetimes...
-
Pet's Death
Is a Family Affair CEPS/Veterinary Extension Pet Column
- Losing a pet is sometimes just as hard as losing a close friend or family
member...
-
Remembering
Crystal Sebastian Loth
- Written about a goose Zelda whose best friend Crystal, a turtle, dies...
Good for loss of pet, or as a metaphor.
-
The Tenth Good Thing About Barney
by Judith Viorst

- Barney was a cat. He died last Friday. And everyone was sad. They did what
most people do when a cat they like dies. They had a funeral. And then they
tried to think of good things about him. They wanted to remember him as he
was; and they thought about some other things, too
-
When a Pet Dies by Fred Rogers

- Mister Rogers helps children share feelings of the loss of a pet while
offering reassurance that grieving is a natural, healing thing to do
Last updated
December 01, 2020
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