A beautifully illustrated and reassuring picture book that explores the issue of the death of a pet in a simple but realistic way. The worries and questions surrounding this difficult experience are made accessible and approachable, helping them to deal with their grief and come to terms with their feelings. The superb A First Look At series consists of a number of reassuring picturebooks that give advice and promote interaction between children, parents, and teachers on a wide variety of personal, social and emotional issues. Notes for parents and teachers at the back of the book provide valuable advice for how to share this book with your child or class. Suitable for Key Stage 1 (ages 5-7), occasional prompts throughout the text give a chance to discuss the issue being raised. Written by trained psychotherapist, journalist and parent, and illustrated by an experienced children's book artist, this is a part of an acclaimed and successful, long-running series of picture-book non-fiction books for Early Years. Books in the series give advice and promote interaction between children, parents and teachers on a wide variety of personal, social and emotional issues. They are excellent tools for teachers to use during classroom discussions.

A picture story book about bereavement to support young children, specifically those who have lost a parent. The waterholes of the African Savannah have dried up and there has not been enough to drink for some of the animals. Ekundayo, a young elephant, struggles to understand the loss of his mother, but the support of his family help and guide him through. Carefully researched about the stages of grief for young children, Sarah J Dodd sensitively portrays this in the response and actions of Ekundayo to help children express and share how they are feeling with those around them. Ekundayo's aunt and father provide words of understanding, reassurance and comfort, and the message that the love of Ekundayo's mother shines on, telling of a greater Love that may not see but never goes away and is everywhere. At the end, Debbie Duncan also provides helpful advice for parents and carers as consider how to talk about death and dying with young children.

Collins Big Cat supports every primary child on their reading journey from phonics to fluency. Top authors and illustrators have created fiction and non-fiction books that children love to read. Book banded for guided and independent reading, there are reading notes in the back, comprehensive teaching and assessment support and ebooks available. A modern retelling of Cinderella ... on roller-skates! Ella is forbidden from going to the roller disco with her stepsisters. Will she follow the rules or follow her dreams? Copper/Band 12 books provide more complex plots and longer chapters that develop reading stamina. Pages 30 and 31 allow children to re-visit the content of the book, supporting comprehension skills, vocabulary development and recall. Ideas for reading in the back of the book provide practical support and stimulating activities.

A Kirkus Best Book of 2021: A Best Picture Book for Starting Conversations A USBBY Outstanding International Book of 2022A Bank Street College of Education Best Book of 2022 War has come to the idyllic town of Rondo. Can three gentle but brave friends stop War's destruction and save their beloved home? Danko, Zirka, and Fabian live peacefully in the small town of Rondo, a magical and joyful place where even the flowers sing! Everything is perfect ... until the fateful day that War arrives. Having never experienced War, the inhabitants don't know what to do. They try to talk to it and fight it, but nothing seems to stop the spread of War's destruction and darkness. Harnessing the power of light, community, and song, Danko, Zirka, and Fabian, along with all their neighbors, must rally together to lead Rondo to victory. How War Changed Rondo reflects the darkness and pain that conflict bring and the wounds that linger long after it's over. This picture book serves as a tribute to peace, resistance, and hope, and was written and illustrated by Romana Romanyshyn and Andriy Lesiv, a husband-and-wife duo from Ukraine.

Beneath the Twin Towers, a pear tree once stood. It still grows there today. This is its story. One September day, the perfect blue sky exploded. Dust billowed. Buildings crumbled. And underneath it all, a tree sprouted green leaves in its distress. Pulled from the wreckage, the tree saw many seasons pass as it slowly recovered far away from home. Until one day, forever scarred and forever stronger, it was replanted at the 9/11 Memorial. This story of the real Survivor Tree uses nature's cycle of colors to reflect on the hope and healing that come after a tragedy -- and assures readers of their own remarkable resilience.

"Listen up," Bastien said, ready to divulge the plan that he and his friends had finalized. "This is how we stop those bad brothers." Bastien Bonlivre is in trouble again. His sworn enemy, Olivier Odieux, has escaped jail and is out for revenge... Meanwhile, across Paris, fires are burning, and danger lurks at every corner. Who could be behind this? As clues start piling up, Bastien and his friends Theo, Alice and the mysterious Mathilde must set off on a daring treasure hunt to track down the answers they so desperately need. Because if they don't find them, it won't just be Bastien who is in danger...but the whole of Paris too. "Funny, fast-paced and touching... Bastien's adventures joyfully celebrate the power of storytelling." Julian Sedgwick, author of Tsunami Girl Praise for the Bastien Bonlivre Adventures: "A charming and bookish tale of friendship, villainy and the power of stories." Thomas Taylor, author of Malamander "A delightful literary mystery with a dastardly villain to boot! Perfect for fans of Peter Bunzl and Katherine Rundell." Christopher Edge, author of The Many Worlds of Albie Bright "An absolutely delightful French mystery with plenty of tension and suspense alongside wonderful friendships." L.D.Lapinski, author of The Strangeworlds Travel Agency trilogy

The Secret Garden with a twist: in this follow-up to Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, this full-color graphic novel moves Mary Lennox to a New York City brownstone, where she and her very first group of friends restore an abandoned rooftop garden...and her uncle's heart. Mary Lennox is a loner living in Silicon Valley. With her parents always working, video game and tech become her main source of entertainment and "friends." When her parents pass away in a tragic accident, she moves to New York City to live with her uncle who she barely knows, and to her surprise, keeps a gadget free home. Looking for comfort in this strange, new reality, Mary discovers an abandoned rooftop garden and an even bigger secret...her cousin who suffers from anxiety. With the help of her new friends, Colin and Dickon, Mary works to restore the garden to its former glory while also learning to grieve, build real friendships, and grow. This title will be simultaneously available in hardcover.

"Then when you don't see me anymore, I will be where God is," said Mima, "because God loves you and God loves me, 'All will be well, all will be well, everything will be well.'" Mima is very sick, and just thinking about it makes Julian very sad and very angry. Julian is worried about Mima and wonders if God can hear her or if God cares. So Mima explains to Julian that God loves us and that God can be trusted-even when we are sad or angry. This gentle story of a grandmother's love for her granddaughter incorporates the timeless wisdom of Julian of Norwich: because of God's great love for us, all will be well. Written by Lacy Finn Borgo and beautifully illustrated by Rebecca Evans, All Will Be Well tackles the sensitive subjects of death and grief in a way that can be understood by children when adults read thoughtfully with them. Also included is a note from the author to facilitate further conversation about the content. Discover IVP Kids and share with children the things that matter to God!

Biz knows how to float, right there on the surface--normal okay regular fine. She has her friends, her mom, the twins. She has Grace. And she has her dad, who shouldn't be here but is. So Biz doesn't tell anyone anything--not about her dark, runaway thoughts, not about kissing Grace or noticing Jasper, the new boy. And not about seeing her dad. Because her dad died when she was seven.

But after what happens on the beach, the tethers that hold Biz steady come undone. Her dad disappears and, with him, all comfort. It might be easier, better, sweeter to float all the way away? Or maybe stay a little longer, find her father, bring him back to her. Or maybe--maybe maybe maybe--there's a third way Biz just can't see yet.

Debut author Helena Fox tells a story about love, grief, and inter-generational mental illness, exploring the hard and beautiful places loss can take us, and honoring those who hold us tightly when the current wants to tug us out to sea.

The perfect summer read for fans of Terry Pratchett, David Walliams and Roald Dahl!

When her grandparents explode in their caravan toilet late one night, twelve-year-old Harley discovers a surprising truth: their toilet is a gateway to the Land of the Dead, and they are its Guardians. Well, they were. But there’s no time to mourn their passing. Because Harley’s baby brother has accidentally gone with them to the Land of the Dead. And Harley only has 24 hours to rescue him before he’s trapped there FOREVER!

This hilarious and heartbreaking debut features exploding grandparents, unexpected heroes and a truly EPIC adventure.

Sometimes the best path is the unexpected one.

Jack is on the verge for leaving for college, but before he does, he wants to track down his estranged brother, Alex and find some closure in the wake of their father's death. Meanwhile, Hallie has just found out some upsetting news about a friend in Oregon, and she has a small window to go see him before it's too late.

Jack and Hallie are practically strangers. They shared a class together years ago and haven't seen each other since, though they have more in common than they'd ever imagine. And when fate puts them into the same rideshare to the bus terminal, it kicks off an unconventional and hysterical adventure that may lead them to their own true selves...and maybe to each other.

This is a powerful story of hope and friendship, perfect for fans of Wonder and The Goldfish Boy. Exploring self-image, family and grief, this book will make you laugh and cry.

Meet Will Levine.

Here are three things Will loves: turtles, the nature reserve behind school, being left alone.

And one thing Will really hates: his nickname.

Kids at school call Will Turtle Boy because of his funny-looking chin. But when Will meets RJ, he learns not everyone is his enemy. RJ has a bucket list of adventures which extends way beyond his hospital room, and he needs help ticking them off.

Will may want to stay in his shell, but RJ is determined to push him right out of it. And for Will to take on what seems like an impossible mission, he’s going to have to be brave in more ways than one.

A touching story of unlikely friendship and the redemptive power of love. The last thing either Jana (13) or Louise (17) is looking for on this hot and boring summer is a friend of totally the wrong age. But then one day, they abandon their responsibilities and irritating families, and head off in a 'borrowed' car for a day by the lake. Their adventure is simple - beer, ice-cream, swimming, singing - but the friendship it forges between them turns out to be profound. When Jana experiences loss, it is only Louise's tender and funny postcards that can haul her out of depression - right out of her bedroom window and off on another adventure. Written in a light, amusing style, and in the alternating voices of its two heroines, this is a touching story of the redemptive power of love. 'Wherever It Is Summer deftly explores the no-man's-land between childhood and adulthood and the power of female friendship, in language that is subtle and surprising.' - Deirdre Sullivan, author of Tangleweed and Brine

'With a bolt of lightning on my kicks . . . The court is SIZZLING. My sweat is DRIZZLING. Stop all that quivering. 'Cuz tonight I'm delivering,' raps twelve-year-old Josh Bell. Thanks to their dad, he and his twin brother, Jordan, are kings on the court. But Josh has more than basketball in his blood – he's got mad beats, too, which help him find his rhythm when it's all on the line.

See the Bell family in a whole new light through Dawud Anyabwile's dynamic illustrations as the brothers' winning season unfolds, and the world as they know it begins to change.

"Raw, real and deeply hopeful" – ALICE OSEMAN

Rumi Seto spends a lot of time worrying. What to eat, where to go, who to love. But one thing she is sure of – she wants to spend her life writing music with her younger sister, Lea.

Then Lea dies in a car accident, and Rumi is sent to live with her aunt in Hawaii. Now, miles from home, Rumi struggles to navigate the loss of her sister, feeling abandoned by her mother, and the aching absence of music.

With the help of the "boys next door" – teenage surfer Kai, who doesn't take anything too seriously, and old George Watanabe, who succumbed to grief years ago – Rumi seeks her way back to music, to write the song she and Lea never had the chance to finish.

With unflinching honesty, Summer Bird Blue explores big truths about insurmountable grief, unconditional love, and how to forgive even when it feels impossible.

Longlisted for the Carnegie Medal. A heartbreaking story, narrated by twelve-year-old Jack, whose family is caring for fourteen-year-old Joseph. Joseph is misunderstood. He was incarcerated for trying to kill a teacher. Or so the rumours say. But Jack and his family see something others in town don't want to. What's more, Joseph has a daughter he's never seen. The two boys go on a journey through the bitter Maine winter to help Joseph find his baby - no matter the cost.

Although the circumstances surrounding a death are difficult to handle at any age, adolescence brings with it challenges and struggles that until now have been largely overlooked. But in this unique and compassionate guide, renowned grief counselor Helen Fitzgerald turns her attention to the special needs of adolescents struggling with loss and gives them the tools they need to work through their pain and grief.

Writing not only about but also for teenagers, Fitzgerald adeptly covers the entire range of situations in which teens may find themselves grieving a death, whether the cause was old age, terminal illness, school violence, or suicide. She helps teens address the gamut of strong and difficult emotions they will experience and the new situations they will face, including family changes, issues with friends, problems at school, and the courage needed to move forward with one's own life.

Using the clear and accessible format that has made The Mourning Handbook and The Grieving Child enduring and helpful classics, Fitzgerald guides teens through everything from the sickbed to the funeral, from the first day back at school to the first anniversary of the death. Above all, she lets teens know that even in their darkest hour, they are not alone.

Children find grief difficult, and understanding where a loved one has gone can be a tricky topic to explain... Billy misses his mummy very much. She lives in the clouds. Some days the sun is shining and Mummy's clouds are nowhere to be seen. Those are Billy's favourite days. He and Daddy would play in the garden all day long, and Billy knows that Mummy is letting the sun shine for them. But not all days are like that. Sometimes Mummy's clouds are dark, and Billy feels sad and alone. This moving and sensitively-written picture book gently explores grief and teaches children how to deal with their emotions surrounding the death of a loved one. With beautiful and colourful illustrations to accompany the touching narrative, this children's book is perfect for adults to share with their little ones and to help them understand what they are going through. You don't have to weather the storm alone! The loss of a loved one can be a difficult topic to discuss with little ones, and this heart-warming book can help you support them through their stages of grief. Follow Billy and his father as they navigate the loss of his mother through beautifully emotive illustrations and text: - A large format book that adults and children can easily read together - A sensitively-written narrative that helps children to process their grief and emotions - Gentle full-page illustrations that allow children to become immersed in the story - A non-fiction page that shows children and their families some of the ways to open the conversation about grief and loss Written in collaboration with an experienced grief professional, Lost in the Clouds gently explores the topic of grief and teaches children and their family members how to understand and deal with their emotions surrounding the death of a loved one.

Frida Kahlo -- from inside a museum painting -- inspires twelve-year-old Lily LeRoy to use art to 'memorise' her dying sister and find a life she loves. Learning these lessons while becoming an artist herself, Lily negotiates a path through a terrible, blessed time and still find a life she loves. Ages 9 to 13 years.

A 2021 Coretta Scott King Honor Book! Winner of the 2020 National Book Award for Young People's Literature! Winner of the 2020 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Fiction and Poetry! In a small but turbulent Louisiana town, one boy's grief takes him beyond the bayous of his backyard, to learn that there is no right way to be yourself. FOUR STARRED REVIEWS! Booklist School Library Journal Publishers Weekly The Horn Book Twelve-year-old Kingston James is sure his brother Khalid has turned into a dragonfly. When Khalid unexpectedly passed away, he shed what was his first skin for another to live down by the bayou in their small Louisiana town. Khalid still visits in dreams, and King must keep these secrets to himself as he watches grief transform his family. It would be easier if King could talk with his best friend, Sandy Sanders. But just days before he died, Khalid told King to end their friendship, after overhearing a secret about Sandy-that he thinks he might be gay. "You don't want anyone to think you're gay too, do you?" But when Sandy goes missing, sparking a town-wide search, and King finds his former best friend hiding in a tent in his backyard, he agrees to help Sandy escape from his abusive father, and the two begin an adventure as they build their own private paradise down by the bayou and among the dragonflies. As King's friendship with Sandy is reignited, he's forced to confront questions about himself and the reality of his brother's death. The Thing About Jellyfish meets The Stars Beneath Our Feet in this story about loss, grief, and finding the courage to discover one's identity, from the author of Hurricane Child.

The "New York Times "bestselling sequel to "Wither" reveals a world as captivating--and as treacherous--as the one Rhine left behind.
Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but they're still in danger. Outside, they find a world even more disquieting than the one they ran away from. Determined to get to Manhattan and find Rhine's twin brother, Rowan, the two press forward, amid threats of being captured again...or worse.
The road they are on is long and perilous--and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and men die at age twenty-five, time is precious. In this sequel to Lauren DeStefano's harrowing "Wither," Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price--now that she has more to lose than ever.