A place in my heart, by Annette Aubrey
Andrew's grandad has died, and Andrew is feeling very sad and confused. Explore with your child the difficult issue of bereavement as Andrew talks about his feelings with his mum and dad.
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Big Cat Pepper, by Elizabeth Partridge
The narrator of this story is a young boy of school age. He loves his cat, Pepper, and spends a lot of time with him. One day Pepper doesn't seem himself, and slowly his worsening health makes it clear that he's going to die soon. When that day arrives, our narrator and his mother bury him in the garden, and she explains to him that that Pepper's spirit will always be with him. A genuinely moving story, with an uplifting ending.
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Goodbye Mog, by Judith Kerr
Mog was tired - dead tired. She thought, 'I want to sleep for ever'. And so she did. But a little bit of her stayed awake to see what would happen next. So Mog keeps watch over the upset Thomas family, who miss her terribly, and she wonders how they will ever manage without her. Originally published: 2002
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Granpa, by John Burningham
The special relationship between a girl & her grandfather
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Harry & Hopper, by Margaret Wild
Harry and Hopper are inseparable, until the day Harry comes home from school to find that Hopper is dying. An incredibly moving exploration of love and loss, and how a grieving child comes to terms with the death of a much loved companion. Sensitively told, and untimately life affirming.
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Michael Rosen's sad book, by Michael Rosen
We all have 'sad stuff' to deal with in life. What makes Michael Rosen most sad is thinking about his son, Eddie, who died. In this book he writes about his sadness, how it affects him, and some of the things he does to try to cope with it.
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Remembering Crystal, by Sebastian Loth
Gentle tale of 2 friends - young Zelda, and old Crystal. They play, read, take trips and talk about everything together. But one day Crystal isn't there. Zelda looks everywhere for her, even when the other geese try to explain to her that Crystal was very old, and her time had come to die. Eventually Zelda accepts that she will never see Crystal again, but that Crystal will always be in her heart. Lovely, simple illustrations quietly follow Zelda's grief and give lots of opportunities to discuss how we feel about the loss of a loved one.
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Sniff, by Yokococo
A lovely, gentle story of Fennel the dog, who sets off on a journey one morning with Granny's slipper on his nose. Why is he so sad?
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The memory tree, by Britta Teckentrup
Fox has lived a long and happy life in the forest. One day, he lies down in his favourite clearing, takes a deep breath and falls asleep forever. Before long, Fox's friends begin to gather in the clearing. One by one, they tell stories of the special moments that they shared with Fox. And, as they share their memories, a tree blooms, big and strong
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The paper dolls, by Julia Donaldson
A string of paper dolls go on a fantastical adventure through the house and out into the garden. They soon escape the clutches of the toy dinosaur and the snapping jaws of the oven-glove crocodile, but then a very real pair of scissors threatens. Not ostensibly a book about bereavement, but a gentle introduction to loss, and the idea that memories are permanent. The little girl's memory includes "a kind granny", who has obviously passed away, so could be an idea to discuss.
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