Grief Lending Library

In this heartfelt book Marilyn Adams shares the loss of her 11-year-old son in a farm incident as well as the process and tremendous growth she experienced to find meaning and purpose today.

• Death of a Child

This story is about a child whose father dies at home. It follows the family from the night of the father's death through the days following the funeral. The feelings of the child and the events surrounding her father's death are realistically portrayed and caringly addressed. The illustrations are bright and colorful and the text is rich and descriptive. This is an excellent resource for families who are experiencing, or will soon experience, the death of a family member.'

• Children

When Isabel Allende’s daughter, Paula, became gravely ill and fell into a coma, the author began to write the story of her family for her unconscious child. A powerful autobiography who straightforward acceptance of the magical and spiritual worlds will remind readers of her first book, The House of the Spirits.

• Death of a Child

In this hopeful five-book set, a mother and her three children ages 5, 7 and 19 share their story after the suicide death of husband and father Don, in 2002. Their reflections are captured in their own words and through poignant art by artist/storyteller Laurie Phillips

• Suicide

On the morning of February 6, 1991, Dennis Apple discovered the lifeless body of his son on their family room couch. Eighteen-year-old Denny had died without warning from what was later explained as complications due to Mono. Sixteen years later, Dennis still struggles with living in a world without his son.Life After the Death of My Son shares a glimpse of the unspeakable pain, helplessness, frustration, and eventual healing that Dennis and his wife, Buelah, have experienced since losing their son.

• Death of a Child

• Sudden & Traumatic Death

After a trouble-free pregnancy, her baby was declared dead on what was to be her date of birth. Following a C-section, Ash fought a fever that raged at 104 degrees and almost succumbed to the silent B-strep infection that had killed her daughter. Devastated by the experience, Ash sought solace and perspective in all the old places and found little relief. In this moving account she discusses the inner changes she faced after the stillbirth of her daughter, delves into spiritual questions that shook her soul, and examines the connection between mother and child that transcends separation and death.

• Death of a Child

• Stillbirth

Written by a mother who lost her 21 year old son to suicide, this book deals with the themes of suicide loss through the lens of the author's personal grief. Addressing the process of post-traumatic growth, this memoir provides the bereaved with therapy exercises and creative activities to help them come to terms with their loss.

• Sudden & Traumatic Death

• Death of a Child / Suicide

A spiritual and practical guide to healing after pregnancy loss. This book points grieving hearts to real hope, and equips family, friends, churches, counselors, and others with understanding and tools for ministering to hurting families after loss.

• Death of a Child

• Miscarriage

This honest, sensitive and beautifully illustrated picture book is designed to help explain the concept of death to children aged 3-7. Written from a child's own words, it is based on the real-life conversations that Elke Barber had with her then three-year-old son, Alex, after the sudden death of his father. 

• Children

• Death of a Father

Nine mothers who lost a child and met in a support group give comfort and direction to bereaved parents. They candidly share with other grieving parents what to expect in the first year and long beyond.

• Death of a Child

Explores the four stages of losing a parent. Children often must endure the painful final stages of a parent’s life, the finality of their death, and their own grief while offering support for a surviving parent. Helps reader acknowledge and respect the differences in how different people process pain, explaining why all people do not feel the same after such a loss.

• General

• Death of a Parent

A deeply moving memoir written by a mom whose only child was killed suddenly in an automobile accident.

• Death of a Child

• Sudden & Traumatic Death

This book is designed to promote resiliency and healing in children that have experienced the death of a loved one. Using simple language and captivating photographs, this book guides children towards a path of understanding their emotions, as well as caring their minds, bodies, and spirits.

• Children

A sensitive book that offers bereaved parents the comfort of knowing how others have navigated this rutted road. Acknowledges that no family ever "recovers" from this tragedy, but rather adapts to a life irretrievably altered.

• Death of a Child

A story of both a devastating tragedy and an exquisite triumph-and the agonizing, relentless conflicted process connecting these two oppositional pulls.

• Sudden & Traumatic Death

• Death of a Child / Suicide

The author analyzes the effects of a death in the family on the lives of children and adults.

• Professional

How parents can survive when more than one child dies. The author speaks of his experiences of going back to work, marriage and Jessica, the surviving big sister who was at home.

• Death of a Child

• Death of children

This practical compendium is filled with frank advice for fellow survivors. Dealing with the three major survivors' issues (the question "Why?", anger over the event, and guilt) the book gives description of typical patterns in grief process and offers helpful steps to recovery. Chapters include dealing with others, handling holidays, and effects of death and tragedy on the family unit. Of special interest is a portion of one chapter devoted to grief issues of surviving children.

• Sudden & Traumatic Death

• Suicide

A reader friendly guide to helping children. Includes: supporting grieving children and teens, signs of grief in children and teens, what you can do, teachable moments, and taking care of yourself. Information that will help schools when a death in the classroom occurs.

• Children

• School Resources

This short, easy to read book offers simple but important advice and guidance for school teachers and staff on what to do when a child is grieving. It includes advice on explaining death to children, insights into how children may be feeling and how they may react, and ways in which they can be supported. The book also covers how bereavement can affect a child and how it can affect the whole school in the case of a death of a pupil or staff member.

• Helping Children

• School Resources

On November 3, 2020, Tim and Aileen Challies received the shocking news that their son Nick had died. Seasons of Sorrow includes a selection of Tim's reflections sharing the poignancy of early grief, the doubts and fears that plague us during loss, and the faith and joy that sustain us through sorrow.

• Death of a Child

• Sudden & Traumatic Death / Religious

Mary Beth unveils her struggle to allow God to write the story of her life, both the happy chapters and the tragic ones. And as the story unfolds, she has been forced to wrestle with some of life’s biggest questions. No matter where you find yourself in your own life story, you will treasure the way Mary Beth shows that even in the hard times, there is hope if you choose to SEE.

• Death of a Child

• Sudden & Traumatic Death / Religious

After her son, Zachary, dies in her arms at birth, visual artist and author Alexis Marie Chute disappears into her “Year of Distraction.” It is only when Chute learns she is pregnant again that she sets out to find healing and rediscover her identity―just in time, she hopes, to welcome her next child.

• Death of a Child

Honest and straightforward, this story explores the many emotions a child who has experienced a death may experience, from anger and guilt to sadness and bewilderment. Ultimately, Missing Mommy focuses on the positive―the recognition that the child is not alone but still part of a family that loves and supports him.

• Children

• Death of a Mother

A collection of poems following the death of an infant. Expresses grief, anguish and anger.

• Death of a Child

• Death of a Baby

Ages 8-11. A compassionate yet straightforward story to assist young children and their caregivers as they deal with an impending death of a mother. The bright, childlike artwork and simple, straightforward language offer readers a hopeful message. The book does not specify what is wrong with the mother, so it could apply to a number of situations or illnesses.

• Children

• Anticipatory / Before the Death

Letters from those who have experienced the death of a child, sibling or other loved one to parents who have just had a child die.

• Death of a Child

Focused on the traumatic nature that death presents in children's lives. It also includes a rang over a variety of topics, from supporting children during disaster, through the benefits of death education, to the value of ritual in helping children adjust to a radically altered set of circumstances following loss.

• Helping Children

• Sudden & Traumatic Death

A young child discovers a grandparents love grows even after death. After the death of her grandfather, Camillia decides to plant the garden she used to plant with her grandfather. She dresses the scarecrow in grandfathers old clothes and makes the best garden ever.

• Children

• Death of a Grandparent

Poetry that expresses the needs and feelings of children, the elderly, and those who are ill, dying or mourning a death.

• General

This book is a remarkable collection of quotations, personal reflections, and prayers intended for those who find themselves in their own “season of grief.” The insights and stories from Ann Dawson’s own experience after the death of her son are carefully placed alongside the comforting and often inspiring words of writers like C.S. Lewis and Kahlil Gibran.

• General

• Death of a Child

A book of love and comfort for mothers who have experienced the deep sorrow of losing a child. Each page is like opening a gift…bright, beautiful, joyful illustrations and gentle, poignant words describe heaven from a child’s eyes.

• Death of a Child

From one of America’s most iconic writers a stunning book of electric honesty and passion. Joan Didion explores an intensely personal yet universal experience – her husband’s sudden death. This book will speak to anyone who has ever loved a husband or wife or child.

• Death of a Partner

For couples whose child has died. Looks at men's grief, women's grief, building your relationship after your child dies, how to help each other heal.

• Death of a Child

• Couples Grief

Discusses various issues that children and adolescents face before, during, and after the death of a loved one. Also touches on the dying child. Topics that are discussed include developmental perspectives, children’s hospice care, sibling loss, loss of a parent, loss of a friend, and loss experienced by military children.

• Helping Children & Teens

No mother ever expects to grieve the death of her child before or immediately after the child is born. When the unthinkable happens, where do women turn for help? Written from the perspective of one grieving mommy to another, this book encourages and challenges women to delve into a deeper understanding of God’s Word and His promises as they relate to loss by miscarriage, stillbirth, or early infant loss.

• Death of a Child

• Miscarraige / Stillbirth / Infant Death

This booklet was created to help you embrace hope as you do the hard work of grieving in the painful aftermath of miscarriage. Grief takes time. Healing is a process. Give yourself the space and grace you need to mourn.

• Death of a Child

• Miscarriage

After the unexpected death of his son, Richard’s life seemed to stop. The next few years were spent climbing out of the bottom of a valley he had not known existed before. It is a story about what is important in life, sorrow, faith, acceptance and rebirth.

• Death of a Child

• Sudden & Traumatic Death

A collection of candid stories from grieving dads that were interviewed over a two year period. The book offers insight from fellow members of, in the haunting words of one dad, “this terrible, terrible club,” which consists of men who have experienced the death of a child. This book is a collection of survival stories by men who have survived the worst possible loss and lived to tell the tale.

• Death of a Child

• Men and grief

Effective treatment of the dying person and his or her family, educating the child for death and our striving for self-esteem and power, impact of the idea of death on the law, and the role of grief in mental health.

• Anticipatory / Before the Death

• Historical

Ages 6-10. Changes such as divorce, abuse, or the death of a loved one can cause children to run away or hide from the problem. This book is created especially to help teach children to see running away for what it truly is: a dangerous means of avoiding problems.

• Children

• All Loss

The death of a child at any age seems a most cruel reversal of nature. This gentle book includes: helping yourself when it hurts, the grief journey, the layers of loss, other family members, the wounded spirit and caring for yourself.

• Death of a Child

Treating children with complicated mourning and advice for parents. This study on magical thought offers interactive healing techniques, correcting distorted death stories, prescribed therapy, and uniting parents to assist grieving children.

• Helping Children

Five or more years after the death of their children, twenty-five families open their hearts and share stories of courage, hope and their attempts to make sense out of the most unbearable loss of all. What did they do to move on with their lives, to make each day meaningful again, to remember their child? In addition to helping themselves, learn how these parents help others and what advice they give to those still having difficulty living in a world without their child.

• Death of a Child

Fried’s letters, written after their deaths to a number of his most memorable patients, surely served as a catharsis for him, a means of venting pent-up grief. Compiled, they iterate the life affirmations of the children he came to know and admire over the years

• General

This prose poem shows how the author dealt with her teenage daughter’s unexpected death. A collaboration of art and poetry.

• Death of a Child

A handbook for teachers who this year alone, will deal with more than three million grieving children. Case study, class support for the grieving child, and ideas from counselors who have dealt with a series of deaths. Age appropriate responses included.

• Helping Children

• School Resources

Goodman challenges us to open ourselves to a different set of stages that she labels numbness, unrelenting pain, searching, and reinventing. She writes with comforting openness about pretending that she was progressing through the standard stages, was "getting over" the death of her son, and was searching for a more clearly defined faith.

• Death of a Child

A young boy from California, Nicholas Green, was killed by highway robbers while vacationing in Italy with his family. His parents agreed to donate his organs, which went to seven Italians waiting for transplants. This story has changed lives around the world.

• Sudden & Traumatic Death

• Homicide / Death of a Child / Organ Donation

When life becomes difficult, we set out on a search to find answers to significant questions: Why would God allow this to happen? What good could come out of this? What will it look like to trust him? This collection explores Scripture in regard to the causes and purposes of suffering, as well as what it means to trust God in the midst of hardship and pain.

• General

• Death of a Child / Religious

A book of prayers for families who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, or early infant death.

• Death of a Child

• Religious

Here, finally, is a book for grieving parents that acknowledges their pain and offers encouragement for the future. In these meditations and prayers based on biblical passages, Melissa Sexson Hanson writes honestly and movingly of her own grief during two miscarriages and of the difficulty of the recovery process. She also describes clearly the faithfulness of God's healing presence in her life, providing a sense of hope to all those seeking comfort after a similar loss.

• Death of a Child

• Miscarriage

The author uses her own experience of the suicide of her son to help others through the unique grieving process of a suicide survivor.

• Sudden & Traumatic Death

• Death of a Child / Suicide

This book shows how God provides roses--special occasions, people, and memories--to help us through sorrow. Drawing from the loss of her children (crib death, pneumonia, drunk driver collision) Heavilin will help you understand the grieving process, support family members, give insight into sibling grief, and maintain your marriage during this difficult time.

• General

• Death of a Child

PARENT COUNCIL REVIEW® 'A young child struggles with his grief over the death of his fish. He is especially upset when others comment 'it was only a fish.' Then to add to his distress, his father flushes Puffer down the toilet. A wise aunt suggests a memorial service, and the story ends with a healing eulogy. A wonderful story for young children grieving over the death of a beloved pet.'

• Children

• Death of a Pet

This compassionate and practical guide offers a new model of bereavement care for nurses, physicians, social workers, chaplains and other bedside obstetric caregivers, as they companion families who have experienced miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth and other forms of perinatal loss.

• Death of a Child

• Professional

Clara writes of her own grief, and interviews women and men. The moving, honest responses to these interviews tells the reader that through the tears and rage and awful silence, God still loves us and knows our children.

• Death of a Child

• Miscarriage

A wonderful resource for helping children understand death, grief, and remembrance, this is the story of a young boy who has been told that he has 'lost' his grandfather. The boy remembers when he himself was lost in the mall and wants to help his grandmother find his grandfather. When he learns that his grandfather is not lost but dead, the boy remembers the old man's kindness, love, and generosity. Material objects then begin to evoke warm memories of his grandfather. This touching story will encourage young readers to discuss their feelings of loss and grief.

• Children

• Death of a Grandfather

This book consists of poems, letters, diary entries, and essays written by parents, grandparents, professional counselors, siblings, friends, and babysitters-all of whom discuss their personal experiences in confronting SIDS. After an informational opening chapter, the remaining 17 chapters focus on confronting one's loss and that of loved ones and how to move forward.

• Death of a Child

• SIDS

Shows how children at various ages understand death and offers positive ways for parents and other caring adults to help them grieve.

• Helping Children

Death is hard enough for adults to accept. For children, the experience of loss can be overwhelming. In this concise, practical guide, grief counselor Huntley offers principles for helping children of all ages understand death, work through predictable "tasks of grieving," and take steps toward healing and acceptance.

• Helping Children

For women and men who are single and dealing with the death of a child in miscarriage, as an infant or as an older child.

• Death of a Child

For parents experiencing loss from miscarriage, stillbirth or early infant death. The author covers the many feelings, fears and fantasies that come, and adds a lot of easy to read and helpful information on physical reactions.

• Death of a Child

• Miscarriage/Stillbirth/ Infant Death

A good look into the possible causes, medical interventions and physical reactions to miscarriage. Goes into detail about feelings with the main message of “Be kind to yourself.”

• Death of a Child

• Miscarriage

Suitable for children aged 4+, this is an ideal book for parents and caregivers to read with their children, as well as teachers, therapists and counsellors working with young children. This book guides children gently through 17 of the 'big' questions they often ask about death and dying.

• Children

An outstanding book to help parents explain the idea of death in ways that are understandable to children. Includes sections on the process of grief and ways to help children cope with loss.

• Helping Children

For persons experiencing fetal death. Deals with feelings, anger, guilt, questions, withdrawal, reaching out, dads, couples, relationships, statements that hurt, and memorializing the baby.

• Death of a Child

• Miscarriage

For parents who have experienced the death of a stillborn baby or a very young infant. Gives suggestions on things a parent should consider for remembrances.

• Death of a Child

• Stillbirth / Early Infant Death

“As a grieving father, R. Glenn Kelly exposes the inner thoughts of a man who has lost the most precious of gifts; his child. Written with the powerful and honest emotion that only someone who has walked in his shoes can truly understand, R. Glenn provides encouragement, insight, and hope to men who are “in the club no one wants to belong to.

• Death of a Child

• Men and grief

With an understanding and empathetic voice, Kim exposes the hurt in your heart, reveals the healing in God’s heart, and brings the two together to create a whole heart where restoration-and celebration-are possible after an abortion.

• Death of a Child

• Religious / Abortion

This crisis memoir explores questions we all ask when a loved one dies. It is the true story of one woman's struggle to survive the pain of being left behind when her 15-year-old daughter dies suddenly in a car accident. This book is about life and love, and the search for peace and joy following a great loss.

• Death of a Child

• Sudden & Traumatic Death

Provides practical suggestions to validate parents' grief; cope with the unique concerns of early loss, crisis pregnancies, stillbirth, and newborn death; find medical, religious, and family support; and manage their lives afterwards.

• Death of a Child

• Miscarriage

Heartbroken is a unique blend of the history of opioid addiction in the U.S., the honesty and courage of families affected and strategies to provide healing and hope. Seven parents share their diverse journeys through the opioid crisis and the traumatic grief of losing a child to drug addiction, in the hope of shining a light into the darkness that can enter any of our families.And, maybe, just maybe, keep another child and their family from this heartbreak.

• Sudden & Traumatic Death

• Death of a Child / Overdose

The subject of children and death made comprehensible to parents, relatives, doctors, nurses, social workers, and everyone else concerned.

• Helping Children

For parents who have lost an infant child. The author shares the story of the brief life of her son who is born with a rare heart defect. Stresses the importance of recognizing grace and beauty in the here and now.

• Death of a Child

A compilation of true stories from parents who have had a baby die.

• Death of a Child

For helping children cope with the death of a brother or sister.

• Helping Children

• Death of a Sibling

Explores children's evolving views of death; describes and discusses what children themselves think of life and death. Offers guidelines for explaining death to a child.

• Helping Children

What happens to children – those unborn, stillborn, or youngsters – when they die? Can you hope to see them again? Can you let go of your fear and guilt? Can God’s love soothe a wound so jagged? With Scriptural authority and the warmth of a pastor’s heart, John MacArthur examines the breadth of the entire bible and reveals in this compelling book that the Heavenly Father’s care for every life.

• Death of a Child

• Religious

Losing your mother to cancer is never easy, no matter what your age. But for a child, the loss is incomprehensible. The time together, special experiences, and memories are much too abbreviated. Perhaps the most difficult of all, is the loss of a mother's love. The Little Pink Book™ series explores cancer through the eyes of a child using whimsical stick characters and an unpretentious storyline. Death and loss are not easily talked about, yet they are events that all of us must eventually face.

• Children

• Death of a Mother

"The intent of this book is to share the knowledge and experience of a variety of concerned individuals involved in the care of children facing death."

• Helping Children

• Terminally Ill Children / Historical

The authors explore the difficult emotions parents face, including sadness, guilt, anger, powerlessness and questions about faith. Drawing on the stories of people they have counseled, and their own experiences, the authors share the many challenges.

• Death of a Child

• Religious

Ages 4-9. Children often have questions about life and death. This helpful book provides answers in terms children can comfortably understand as it explains God's role and His promise of eternal life as revealed in the Bible. An excellent resource when children deal with death for the first time. Formerly entitled If I Should Die, If I Should Live.

• Children

• Religious

The second book of the series, It's Ok to be Happy!, continues to follow a little girl's journey as she tries to navigate life after the death of her father. The themes in the book include a support group for children, equine-assisted therapy, and different ways to remember a loved one. (The first book in this series is entitled, But I Don't Want to Say Goodbye!)

• Children

• Death of a Father

The authors share the impact of Caleb’s life and affirm that life includes the inevitability of death rather than denies it. Here the gift of life is measured not in length but in depth.

• Death of a Child

• Historical

The author uses her personal experience of her daughter's death to help other parents deal with their grief in the days, weeks, months and years after losing a child.

• Death of a Child

A collection of poetry, fiction, and essays compiled by a journalist and a social worker, both of whom have had a child die.

• Death of a Child

Written from her own experiences, Elizabeth answers the question every bereaved parent asks, Will I ever get over it? Both a guide and a meditation, this book is valuable to friends and relatives as well.

• Death of a Child

Todd Monson's story, as told by his mother, touches the deep center of emotional and spiritual life.

• Death of a Child

• Historical

This guide provides hundreds of hands-on activities tailored for grieving children in three age groups: preschool, elementary, and teens. Through the use of readings, games, discussion questions, and arts and crafts, caregivers can help grieving young people acknowledge the reality of the death, embrace the pain of the loss, remember the person who died, develop a new self-identity, search for meaning, and accept support.

• Helping Children & Teens

A story of faith and love told so that others may find comfort and understanding when faced with the most painful of all losses: the death of one's child.

• Death of a Child

• Religious

The author shows how to teach your child to trust God and celebrate life and to deal with, learn from, and have hope in the face of death.

• Helping Children

• Religious

Although this is a book for those left behind in the aftermath of violence, it offers concrete and practical steps, allowing family and friend’s safe passage through this incredibly harrowing journey.

• Sudden & Traumatic Death

• Death of a Child

Tells of the unique relationship between the author and her son who was killed in an accident.

• Death of a Child

Contains the author’s personal observations and conclusions about grief after the death of a child. He describes techniques for working through grief that may be especially helpful for the bereaved father.

• Death of a Child

• Men and grief

This bold narrative written by the drummer and lyricist for the band Rush shows how Peart tried to stay alive by staying on the move after the loss of his 19-year-old daughter and his wife.

• Death of a Partner

• Death of a Child

Across the pages of this book, a father makes a courageous effort to put into print his deepest feelings regarding life. Spectacular photographs throughout help convey the emotions fathers experience after the death of a child.

• Death of a Child

One third of all women who conceive will have at least one miscarriage. This important book offers guidance for the sorrowing and helps them move on. It tackles the tough questions, including "Why did this happen?", and "Should we try again?" as well as exploring options for treatment and emotional healing.

• Death of a Child

• Miscarriage / Stillborn

Ages 5-12. Crafted for terminally ill and/or grieving children. Tool for opening discussion on the impending death of a young person.

• Children

• Before the Death

This book offers support, understanding, and, ultimately, comfort and hope from those who have sowed the same tears over the death of a child.

• Death of a Child