Recently I asked a question to a group of colleagues to solicit ideas for building a collection of books for children that address grief and loss. I have gone ahead and purchased 8 titles which are available to read in the Sunday School classroom. These books are appropriate for 3 years old and up, and many have something to offer the adults reading them too. Only two refer to heaven and none of them offer definitive answers but they do help start conversations either after a loss or just as a normal part of life. If you are interested in checking them out come and visit the classroom. If you have any ideas of your own to add to our collection I’d love to hear them.
Tear Soup (Schwiebert & DeKlyen) 8 years +. A picture book about the process of grief. Don’t be deceived by the pictures, this story is for ages 8 and up (and up!) It reflects on how we all deal with grief differently. It isn’t clear who Grandy has lost, making the story of broader appeal. Younger children may need help understanding the story.
What’s Heaven? (Shriver) 5 years +. Through the process of a mother answering the questions her daughter has after the death of a great grandparent this story brings up death and heaven, the soul and funerals. It offers broad answers and reassurance with space for conversation.
Badger’s Parting Gifts (Varley) 4 years +. Badger is old and knows he will die, his concern is for his friends not himself. After his death a cold winter begins and as the spring arrives the animals reflect on all they learnt from Badger. A great starter for conversations about memories and things you won’t forget about someone.
Annie and the Old One (Miles) 6 years +. Annie would like to slow time to keep her grandmother with her but learns to accept that while sadness is OK loss cannot be prevented. Simple illustrations and descriptions of the Navajo world.
The Memory String (Bunting) 4 years +. Laura is still dealing with the loss of her mother along with the remarriage of her father. Perhaps a literal reading might be a little clumsy but as a prompt to create a memory project this is nice.
Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs (Bunting) 4 years +. A simply told story of the relationship between a boy and his great grandmother. We hear more about their friendship than about the subsequent loss, a gentle story.
The Invisible String (Karst) 3 years +. This story explains how we are all connected to those we love by an invisible string, regardless of distance. This can be applied not only to death but to physical separation, either short or long term, as well as to address separation anxiety.
And God cried too (Gellman) 7 years +. Written after 9/11 this little chapter book addresses “the things that make us sad and the things that make us happy again”. Each chapter tells us a little more about Big Angel Gabe teaching Little Angel Mikey and the reflections at the end of the chapters apply the stories to life.
~Jan Scrutton. Children’s Minister