SJPL Picks: Tough Topics - Loss and GriefLike this list

29 items

• Just What to Do

  Lukoff, Kyle,

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  A child discovers that there is no single right thing to do when someone is sad or grieving.

• The Hole

  Bonilla, Lindsay,

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  Talking to a friend helps a little boy who is grieving the loss of his brother

• Is It Asleep?

  Tallec, Olivier,

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  Squirrel and his best friend, Pock the mushroom, learn about the cycle of life and death when they discover a blackbird lying still on the path.

• Our Lake

  Kang, Angie,

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  Two grieving brothers visit the lake their father took them to for the first time.

• And They Walk on

  Maillard, Kevin Noble,

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  A young boy reflects on the enduring presence of a loved one who has "walked on," finding comfort in memories, stories, and the love that lives on in his heart.

• An Ordinary Day

  Arnold, Elana K.,

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  An ordinary day in an ordinary neighborhood turns out to be extraordinary in this story about new life, death, and family

• The Rabbit Listened

  Doerrfeld, Cori,

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  When Taylor's block castle is destroyed, all the animals think they know just what to do, but only the rabbit quietly listens to how Taylor is feeling. Although not specifically about grief, this books shares how powerful it can be to just be…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Together We Remember

  Morera, Jackie,

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  Gisele and Papi find a way to create new memories on their first Father's Day without Mami.

• Cape

  Johnson, Kevin,

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  After losing the person in his life he loves more than anything, a young child holds onto a cape as a source of comfort and strength as he navigates the sadness and joy of his memories.

• Popo the Xolo

  Lopez, Paloma Angelina,

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  Nana transitions from life to death through the nine levels of Mictlān, accompanied by her beloved xoloitzcuintle, Popo.

• The Laugh

  Evans, Fay,

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  A little girl loves her mother's laugh, but after her mother dies, she fears she will never hear the laugh again.

• An Ofrenda for Perro

  Valdés B., Judith,

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  Benito loves Perro. But when Perro passes away, Benito is heartbroken. During the Day of the Dead celebration, he tries to understand the meaning of the flores de cempasuchil, candles, pan de muertos, photographs, and sharing memories of departed…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Good-bye, Bear

  Chapman, Jane, 1970-

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  Bear died on a Friday, while sunlight speckled the grass and caterpillars nibbled leaves in the forest. Beaver and Mole, two of Bear's friends, return some of bear's belongings to his tree house, not quite understanding why their friend is no longer…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Dadaji's Paintbrush

  Sirdeshpande, Rashmi,

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  Once, in a tiny village in India, there was a young boy who loved to paint. He lived with his grandfather, who taught him to paint with his fingers, to make paints from marigolds and brushes made from jasmine flowers. Sometimes, the village children…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Tunnel

  Howden, Sarah,

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  After something bad happens, a child has trouble connecting with those around him. His loved ones try to reach out and talk to him, but he only feels like running away.

• Bear Island

  Cordell, Matthew, 1975-

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  Louise and her family are sad over the loss of their beloved dog, Charlie. "Life will not be the same," Louise says, as she visits a little island that Charlie loved. But on a visit to the island after Charlie's death, something strange happens: She…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• With a Butterfly's Wings

  López Ávila, Pilar, 1969-

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  A grandmother and her granddaughter explore together the secrets of nature and forge a bond that will live out forever. With Butterfly's Wings is a tender story about a girl who loses her beloved grandmother finds comfort in remembering her through…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Ladder to the Moon

  Soetoro-Ng, Maya, 1970-

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  Available as an eBook. Also available in Spanish, as a print book and eBook. Suhaila's wish to know her deceased grandmother is granted when a golden ladder appears at her window and Grandma Annie invites her on a journey to the Moon, where they…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Big Cat, Little Cat

  Cooper, Elisha,

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  Also available as an eBook. A simply illustrated explanation of the circle of life and death.

• The Dead Bird

  Brown, Margaret Wise, 1910-1952,

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  When they find a dead bird, a group of children bury it in the woods, sing a song to it, and put flowers on the grave.