12 Books That Help Explain Grief to a Child

Explaining grief and loss to a child can be really tricky and often times confusing. You want to make sure you are being age appropriate, you want to say the right words, you don’t want to scare them. There is so much to think about!

But when looking for resources for children, it’s made a lot easier by having access to children’s books. There are a number of beautiful stories available that help children navigate grief, understand loss and allow you a path to start a conversation when you know there are questions brewing. A number of these books are available through local libraries, or you can take a look at our website for some of our favourite titles.

Below I have collated some incredible stories that our children and many others around Australia have benefited from.

Specific to Pregnancy and Infant Loss:

1. Gentle Willow - Joyce C Mills

2. Born To Fly - Tamara Whittaker

3. You Could Have Been - Ann Marie Imrie

4. My Sibling Above / Love From Above - Mikhailla Fitzgerald

5. Our Shining Star - Allisha Whyte

6. The Invisible String - Patrice Karst

7. Finn’s Feather - Rachel Noble and Zoey Abbott

Referring to Grief and Loss:

1. The Grief Wave - Tracey Moroney

2. A Shelter for Sadness - Anne Booth

3. Waiting for Wolf - Sandra Dieckmann

4. The Heart and the Bottle - Oliver Jeffers

5. The Memory Box: A Book About Grief - Joanna Rowland

If you have come across a book about pregnancy and infant loss or grief and found it really beneficial for your child, let us know. We hope these resources help you open up the conversation and answer your child’s questions through what can be a very difficult time to navigate.

So much love,

Jess xxx