RECOMMENDED BOOKS

The Grief Jar is a heart warming book for children about a little bear’s journey with grief – of human nature and the kindness of friends.

The story begins with Bear sitting in a room alone with a big heavy jar filled with feelings that he can’t move by himself. His friends want him to come out and play but they can see that he’s sad and don’t know what to do. Each animal friend comes in to see if they can help, and one by one ask him about his Daddy. As Bear shares stories about his Daddy, he begins to feel he may be able to lift the jar if he can get a little help from his friends. They begin to assist him in carrying his jar, coming up with practical ways to make it easier to carry whilst sharing memories of his Daddy.

3-8 Years

The Hare-Shaped Hole is a beautiful, touching, and poignant picture book which gently explores themes of grief and loss.

Hertle and Bertle were always a pair, though one was a turtle and one was a hare. They were utterly buddies, and best friends forever and whenever you looked, you would find them together… until quite unexpectedly… the end came.

When Hertle disappears for good, Bertle can only see a Hertle-shaped hole where his friend should be. He pleads with it, get angry with it, but the hole still won’t bring his Hertle back. It seems like hope is lost… until Gerda the kindly bear finds him. She explains that he must fill the hole with his memories of Hertle. And slowly… Bertle begins to feel a little bit better.
Powerful and moving text from children’s author and poet John Dougherty is paired perfectly with warm illustrations from the wonderfully talented Thomas Docherty in a thoughtful and sensitive approach to this difficult topic.

This moving picture book can be used as part of a gentle conversation about death and grief with children.

The Rabbit Listened :

When something sad happens, Taylor doesn’t know where to turn. All the animals are sure they have the answer. The chicken wants to talk it out, but Taylor doesn’t feel like chatting. The bear thinks Taylor should get angry, but that’s not quite right either. One by one, the animals try to tell Taylor how to act, and one by one they fail to offer comfort. Then the rabbit arrives. All the rabbit does is listen . . . which is just what Taylor needs

“There is a big piece of my heart and soul in every book I work on, so I support them all equally. I do, however, acknowledge that sometimes a book, like The Rabbit Listened, hits just the right note at the right time. I have been so humbled and honoured by how that book has been received and am very happy for “The Rabbit Listened” to be included on the Rainbows GB recommended books page.“

Cori Doerrfeld

Absence becomes remembrance in this soothing book that offers tender ways to pay tribute throughout daily life to a loved one who is not around. Be it friends, family, pets, or others, memories can carry us beyond the precious moments we have together to keep the ones we love in mind always. Loss becomes remembrance in this book that offers tender ways to pay tribute to, and meaningfully incorporate, a loved one’s lost presence into present and future life experiences. Be it departed friends, family, pets, and more, memories can carry us beyond the precious moments we have together to keep the ones we loved before in mind forever.

Throughout the book the omnipresent narrator encourages thoughtful reflection on the empty spaces left by the loss. The gentle scenes portrayed inspire recovery from sadness and honor those who are absent. This lyrical heartful story provides consent and gently encourage readers to move to a place of peace and acceptance despite the absence.

Amanda Rawson Hill runs a newsletter called Middle Grade at Heart, which is a book club kit with a new middle-grade book each month. Her debut middle-grade book was published in Fall 2018. She lives in Atwater, California.

Gerbert the gosling is strong and brave and has fun times with his family and friends but knows that, one day soon, he won’t be able to keep up with them anymore. As Gerbert prepares for his final migration, he finds a way to show his flock that he will always be with them.

Most books that address loss or grief are specific to a parent, grandparent, or pet. The readers will get to know Gerbert while he is well and will experience the changes he undergoes as he comes to accept that he won’t live forever. The gentle tone of the story will allow readers to come to understand death as a concept and a way to participate in the experience (whether the child reader is preparing for/adjusting to the loss of a pet, a relative, a neighbour or whether the child reader is learning about natural end of life as a universal reality). The emphasis on family love and shared human values avails the book as a ready resource for families across creed and culture.

Meaghann Weaver, MD, MPH, FAAP, is a paediatric oncologist and Chief of the Division of Palliative Care at the Children’s Hospital and Medical Centre in Omaha, Nebraska. She works with a wonderful interdisciplinary Hand in Hand team which strives to foster the strengths and graces of children and families in the Heartland. Dr. Weaver’s favourite life moments are spent painting, dancing, cooking, and gardening with her amazing daughter, Bravery. Dr. Weaver dreams of one day returning to Africa with her family.

Lori Wiener, PhD, DCSW, is co-director of the Behavioural Science Core and Head of the Psychosocial Support and Research Program at the paediatric oncology branch of the National Cancer Institute. As both a clinician and behavioural scientist, Dr. Wiener has dedicated her career to applying what she has learned from her work with seriously ill children and their families to create new therapeutic, communication, and educational tools. She lives in Annapolis, Maryland with her family and several animals, including a pup named Tessa, a rescue cat named Tupelo, and a pond filled with goldfish, koi and noisy frogs. One of Dr. Wiener’s favourite pastimes is photographing the migration of snow geese. 

Bonnie Zucker, PsyD, is a licensed psychologist in private practice. She received her undergraduate degree from George Washington University, USA, her master’s degree from the University of Baltimore, USA, and her doctoral degree from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology in Chicago, USA.

Dr Zucker specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders and is the author of Anxiety-Free Kids and Take Control of OCD and, co-author of Resilience Builder Program for Children & Adolescents and two relaxation CDs.

A beautiful and gentle look at the circle of life, using Christine Pym’s gorgeous animals characters to explore the emotions and facts around death, with questions such as Is it ok to talk about dying? What happens when someone dies? Can I shout and cry and hide away? and how can I stop feeling sad?

Katie Daynes

“My brother Jo died in a car crash when he was 18. I can vividly remember the moment 16-year-old me received the news – and the days, nights, weeks and months of heartache that followed. Poetry and novels helped. Knowing I wasn’t alone in my grief helped. Treasuring Jo’s memory helped. Over 25 years later, when I was given the chance to write a children’s book about coping with death, I grasped it with both hands.

I wanted to use simple honesty and tender examples to create a useful tool for both children and adults. Working closely with the wonderful illustrator, Christine Pym, we created a cast of characters who could put a voice to all those questions that explode in your head when someone dies. We also had the experienced child psychologist Dr. Sasha Lillie Lyons on hand for advice, guidance and extra words of wisdom.“

Freddie Yate’s journey is packed with outrageous escapades that somehow ring true. He’s a very endearing character and the bond between him and his friends is touching and believable. It’s a well-written story that pulls no punches.

Jenny Pearson :

I wrote The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates following the death of my step-father and the discussions that followed with my children – his grandchildren. Death is something that we don’t always like to talk about, but as teachers, supporting children who are going through a bereavement is something that most of us will experience. And we have a responsibility to do that to the best of our ability. Through reading and sharing stories we are able to open up discussions with our classes which help build empathy and understanding

Dive beneath the waves with this spell-binding adventure of friendship, forgiveness and bravery, set on the shores of Papua New Guinea, perfect for fans of Katherine Rundell and Eva Ibbotson.

“I want to be able to call the sharks. Teach me the magic and show me the ways.”

Blue Wing is desperate to become a shark caller, but instead she must befriend infuriating newcomer Maple, who arrives unexpectedly on Blue Wing’s island.

At first, the girls are too angry to share their secrets and become friends. But when the tide breathes the promise of treasure, they must journey together to the bottom of the ocean to brave the deadliest shark of them all…

Arlo visited Nana every Sunday. She would always have new sweets waiting for him inside a special jar. When Arlo finds out Nana has passed away, he keeps the jar with him to feel safe and closer to his Nana. As his sadness turns to anger, a storm builds inside the jar, until Arlo has enough and smashes it open! After the storm washes him out to sea, Arlo spots Nana sailing off into the
moonlight. He knows she will be happy and safe, wherever she is headed.  This book is  a vital resource to families who are trying to navigate the emotional aftermath of any kind of loss. It shows us that all types of feelings are real and valid.

Recommended reading age : 3 to 7 Years

Samuel Langley-Swain

I wrote The ‘Storm in a Jar’ to initially explore the build-up of anger, experienced through the eyes of a child. It came from a fantastic metaphor my adopted son used to describe his own built-up anger. After my great grandmother passed away, I decided to integrate grief into the story and used imagery from a nightmare that my friend’s child had about black jellyfish, and a dream I had about my great-grandmother sailing off into the moon, to thread the story together. She lived to 102 so it was a great point of reflection for me, being able to focus more on my son’s grief, losing his first family member. I wrote the book with an hour of her passing and unlike other books which create a metaphor for death, this book focusses on the emotional journey that follows.