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.

Rabbit enjoys doing rabbity things, but he also loves un-rabbity things! When Rabbit suddenly disappears, no one knows where he has gone. His friends are desolate. But, as it turns out, Rabbit has left behind some very special gifts for them, to help them discover their own unrabbity talents! This is a stunning debut picture book by author/illustrator Jo Empson. Rabbityness celebrates individuality, encourages the creativity in everyone and positively introduces children to dealing with loss of any kind.

Badger is so old that he knows he must soon die, so he does his best to prepare his friends. When he finally passes away, they are grief-stricken, but one by one they remember the special things he taught them during his life. By sharing their memories, they realise that although Badger is no longer with them physically, he lives on through his friends. Celebrating the 35th anniversary of this quintessential and multi award-winning picture book about losing a loved one. Features a helpful reading guide from Child Bereavement UK that provides tips for reading Badger's Parting Gifts with children and helping them better understand grief. Endorsed by Child Bereavement UK.

Rabbit enjoys doing rabbity things, but he also loves un-rabbity things! When Rabbit suddenly disappears, no one knows where he has gone. His friends are desolate. But, as it turns out, Rabbit has left behind some very special gifts for them, to help them discover their own unrabbity talents! This is a stunning debut picture book by author/illustrator Jo Empson. Rabbityness celebrates individuality, encourages the creativity in everyone and positively introduces children to dealing with loss of any kind. Part of CLPE's 'Corebooks' Selection.

Provides information, advice, and activities to help young people deal with the death of someone they love.

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.

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.

From award-winning author and illustrator, Wolf Erlbruch, comes one of the world's best children's books about grief and loss. In a curiously heart-warming and elegantly illustrated story, a duck strikes up an unlikely friendship with Death. Duck and Death play together and discuss big questions. Death, dressed in a dressing gown and slippers, is sympathetic and kind and will be duck's companion until the end. "I'm cold," she said one evening. "Will you warm me a little?" Snowflakes drifted down. Something had happened. Death looked at the duck. She'd stopped breathing. She lay quite still. Explaining the topic of death in a way that is honest, lightly philosophical and with gentle humor, this enchanting book has been translated into multiple languages, adapted into an animated movie and short film and performed on stages worldwide. Wolf Erlbruch received the Hans Christian Andersen Medal in 2006 and was the winner of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in 2017. Tender and direct, this is an excellent tool for helping to explain and talk about death, dying and bereavement with children Loved by adults and children, parents and grandparents, also suitable for schools, grief centers and counsellors Praise for Duck, Death and the Tulip "The gold standard of picture books about death is Duck, Death and the Tulip...It's hard to describe how this extraordinarily tender book manages to be both heartbreaking and comforting, but it does.--The New York Times The most extraordinary picture book I've seen in many a year. A duck becomes friends with Death, and it's the most natural thing in the world. Trust me, adults get far more weirded out by this book than children ever do. Amazing.--Patrick Ness, Time Out London The most moving book I've read this year is the German picture book Duck, Death and The Tulip by Wolf Erlbruch, about the strange, uneasy friendship.--Meg Rosoff, The Financial Times "The German children's book author and illustrator Wolf Erlbruch offers a wonderfully warm and assuring answer in Duck, Death and the Tulip - a marvelous addition to the handful of intelligent and imaginative children's books about death and loss."--Maria Popova, Brainpickings "Duck, Death and the Tulip by Wolf Erlbruch is a superb picture book from Germany, that tells a gentle story of the relationship between Death and a duck. Death is portrayed as a sympathetic figure in a dressing gown who is with us all the time, but who only comes into Duck's consciousness towards the end of his life. It is warm, poignant and witty."--Anthony Browne, The Guardian

Kino lives on a farm on the side of a mountain in Japan. His friend, Jiya, lives in a fishing village below. Everyone, including Kino and Jiya, has heard of the big wave. No one suspects it will wipe out the whole village and Jiya's family, too. As Jiya struggles to overcome his sorrow, he understands it is in the presence of danger that one learns to be brave, and to appreciate how wonderful life can be.

The famous story of a Japanese boy who must face life after escaping the tidal wave destruction of his family and village.

1948 Children’s Book Award (Child Study Association)

Discover that bereavement can be a beginning, not an ending, in this beautiful story of one boy's grief when he loses his beloved grandfather. Dadaji loves to teach others to paint, especially his grandson. But after Dadaji passes away, the boy can't bear to use the favourite paintbrush his grandfather left for him. When a little girl knocks on the door, the boy discovers how many lives Dadaji touched with his art, and finds a way to continue his legacy. A School Library Journal Best Books of the Year book!

From number one New York Times bestselling author Sarah Dessen comes a big-hearted novel about a girl who reconnects with a part of her family she hasn’t seen since she was a little girl – and falls in love, all over the course of a magical summer.

Emma Saylor doesn’t remember a lot about her mother, who died when she was ten. But she does remember the stories her mom told her about the big lake that went on forever.

Now it’s just Emma and her dad, and life is good, if a little predictable . . . until Emma is unexpectedly sent to spend the summer with her mother’s family – her grandmother and cousins she hasn’t seen since she was a little girl.

When Emma arrives at the Lake, and spends more time with her mother’s side of the family, she starts to feel like she is two different people . To her father, she is Emma. But to her new family, she is Saylor, the name her mother always called her.

Then there’s Roo, the boy who was her very best friend when she was little. Roo holds the key to her family’s history, and slowly, he helps her put the pieces together about her past. It’s hard not to get caught up in the magic of the Lake – and Saylor finds herself falling under Roo’s spell as well.

But when it’s finally time to go back home, which side of Emma Saylor will win?

Intended for use with late elementary-school-aged and middle-school-aged children who have experienced the death of someone special, the Mourning Child Grief Support Group Curriculum: Middle Childhood Edition is for professionals who work in schools, hospitals, hospices, mental health agencies, or any setting that serves bereaved children. The Middle Childhood Edition contains lesson plans for 10 sessions that include age-appropriate activities. These fun and engaging activities enable young children to approach highly sensitive and painful topics. The authors provide detailed instructions and learning objectives to guide users through the curriculum.

Related link: Free Email Alerting

Intended for use with elementary-school-aged children who have experienced the death of someone special, Mourning Child Grief Support Group Curriculum: Early Childhood Edition is for professionals who work in schools, hospitals, hospices, mental health agencies, or any setting that serves bereaved children. The Middle Childhood Edition contains lesson plans for 10 sessions that include age-appropriate activities. These fun and engaging activities enable young children to approach highly sensitive and painful topics. The authors provide detailed instructions and learning objectives to guide users through the curriculum.

Related link: Free Email Alerting

Contents:
Grief is a Family Process. A Note to Group Facilitators. Sample Telephone Interview. Mourning Child Pre-School Curriculum: Week 1. Mourning Child Pre-School Curriculum: Week2. Mourning Child Pre-School Curriculum: Week 3. Mourning Child Pre-School Curriculum: Week 4. Mourning Child Pre-School Curriculum: Week 5. Mourning Child Pre-School Curriculum: Week 6. Mourning Child Pre-School Curriculum: Week 7. Mourning Child Pre-School Curriculum: Week 8. Mourning Child Pre-School Curriculum: Week 9. Mourning Child Pre-School Curriculum: Week 10. Appendix 1: A Description of Materials. Appendix 2: Samples of Materials to be Used. Appendix 3: Sample Notes to be Sent Home to Caregivers. Appendix 4: Special Activities for Special Days and Sample. Denny the Duck Stories.

The Grief Support Group Curriculum provides a basis for assisting children and teenagers as they learn about mourning through facing death of a close or special friend. The aim of this curriculum is to facilitate healthy variations of mourning and positive adaptations following the death of a friend or family member. The work illustrates mourning in four stages of development and is accordingly divided into four separate texts. The texts focus on preschool-aged children, children in kindergarten through grade two, children in grades three through six, and teenagers.
This format affords participants opportunities to meet peers who have also experienced loss. The participants are helped to approach and express their grief through a variety of activities including drawing, sculpting, music, games, keeping a journal, problem-solving, drama, stories and movements. By providing death education, coping, and self-care techniques, the group sessions help youths get in touch with their feelings and the pain of loss.
Each curriculum contains ten ninety-minute sessions that should be implemented over a period of ten weeks. By employing age-appropriate themes to engage the child and provide continuity throughout the sessions, the division of material within the curricula assures that the activities reflect the developmental level of the grieving child or adolescent. Each person grieves differently, and Mourning Child Grief Support Group Curriculum addresses the issues related to mourning while recognizing the importance of individuality in grieving.

Related link: Free Email Alerting

My friend Mr Mornington has always lived next door to us. His favourite things are gardening and eating cherry cake and playing his saxophone. He's not the best rememberer, though. A little girl lives next door to Mr Mornington, who has played saxophone all over the world. These days, he's a bit tired of all that travelling, so now he plays it just for her. Together, they have a favourite song: one that conjures up memories of all their favourite things. But when Mr Mornington moves into a care home, his young friend wonders if he'll be able to remember her – or any of his favourite things at all... perhaps there's something she can do to help? This heartfelt and gently humorous picture book explores the subject of dementia in an original way. Drawing on themes of music therapy and the value of community and intergenerational friendship, it has a warm yet realistic ending that will help readers to process their own feelings of loss. Includes Mr Mornington's famous cherry cake recipe at the back of the book, so you can try one of his favourite things.

The Times' Best Books for Children 2021 "How quickly teenagers fall apart - and how fast they can heal. This is the hopeful message from Sita Brahmachari, a writer who mixes verse and prose to tell stories that stick." - Alex O'Connell, The Times Kai, Orla and Zak grew up together, their days spent on the patch of wilderness in between their homes, a small green space in a sprawling grey city. Music, laughter and friendship bind them together and they have big plans for their future - until Kai's family suffers a huge loss. Trying to cope with his own grief, as well as watching it tear his family apart, Kai is drawn into a new and more dangerous crowd, until his dreams for the future are a distant memory. Excluded from school and retreating from his loved ones, it seems as though his path is set, his story foretold. Orla, Zak and new classmate Om are determined to help him find his way back. But are they too late?< A heart-breaking and poignant novel from award-winning author Sita Brahmachari, for fans of THE BLACK FLAMINGO, AND THE STARS WERE BURNING BRIGHTLY and POET X. PRAISE FOR WHEN SHADOWS FALL: "When Shadows Fall is an invitation to join a community at the heart of which is the tale of a young man gripped by tragedy and trauma. The book offers hope though mutual support and a focus in figuring out what really matters... I was moved and uplifted." - Michael Rosen "Full of empathy and hope ... Kai's story is a must read for teens to explore how easily things can fall apart but also how we can heal." - A. M. Dassu, author of Boy, Everywhere "A song of growing up, grief and the power of connection, When Shadows Fall is an illuminating and lyrical read" - Polly Ho-Yen, author of Boy in the Tower "Beautifully told with real care, tenderness and heart" - Jasbinder Bilan, author of Asha and the Spirit Bird "Sita's lyrical prose captures the raw emotions of adolescence - of a young person navigating their way through grief and troubled times. A book for all of us." - Gill Lewis, author of Swan Song "A heart-wrenching story about loss and art and nature, about how things can fall apart and how friends stand beside one another no matter what" - Rashmi Sirdeshpande, author of How to Change the World "Empathetic, original, searingly sad in places, but full of hope, & the power of friendship, art, music, wild places, and ravens" - Nicola Penfold, author of Where the World Turns Wild "A gripping, tender, terrifying work... Impactful, innovative, and deeply moving." - Sinead O'Hart, author of The Eye of the North

Fans of Rebecca Stead and Lynda Mullaly Hunt will embrace this heartwarming story about the effects of grief, the power of friendship, and learning that sometimes not all lost things are meant to be found.When twelve-year-old Leah goes to spend the summer in Chicago with her little cousin TJ, she's shocked to discover that he's gone mute after surviving a school shooting. She knows there isn't a "right way" to deal with his pain, but when she learns that he's sneaking out to visit a laundromat at night, it seems all wrong.Determined to discover why the laundromat brings her cousin to life, Leah and her new friend Violet follow him, unwittingly falling into an imaginary world called "The Land of Lost Things," home to the socks and coins and buttons that disappear in the dryer. And when TJ hears about the wonders beyond the portal in the back of the dryer, he actually speaks!Eager to keep him talking, Leah and her new friends populate the world with characters, performing elaborate puppet shows that grab the attention of YouTube viewers everywhere. Soon Leah realizes that there's something in this special world that TJ has to find and get back. But as the Lost Things Club works together to try and make TJ's dreams a reality, they learn there are some lost things that can't come back.