Explaining death to a child has got to be one of the toughest tasks we have as parents and carers. Whether mourning a family member or friend, or coming to terms with other losses, the books in this collection offer support for the grieving process, give opportunities to start difficult conversations, and provide young people with tools to manage loss and bereavement in their lives.

Debut author Charissa Coultard's picture book The Fun We Had was inspired by her own experiences of losing her mother shortly after the birth of her first child. It offers a perfect way to talk to young children about sadness and loss and is a truly lovely testament to that very special relationship between grandparent and child. The rhyming text is poignant but understated and Sam Usher’s watercolour and ink illustrations beautifully document the changing seasons, the carefree joy of young children and the lasting power or happiness.

For many children, their first experience of grief comes with the death of a pet. Emma Bettridge and Josephine Birch remember the loss of losing their own cherished family pets, and of the poignancy of saying goodbye, in this poetic story for 5-7 year olds. Goodbye Hobbs is beautifully illustrated and full of lyricism, and is a sensitive and effective way to describe love and loss to young children.

For 9-12 readers, Bird Boy by Catherine Bruton is a heart-wrenchingly honest story about the death of a parent. Radiant with the restorative power of nature, not least the magic of birds, this is the moving, empathetic story of eleven-year-old Will sent to stay with his taciturn uncle following the tragic loss of his mother. Though his uncle’s home in the mountains is a far cry from his former flat, here Will maintains a bond with his beloved bird-loving mother when he spies an osprey’s nest, replete with two tiny chicks. One of the chicks is injured in a fierce storm and Will is determined to save it, and whilst the chick heals Will also starts to heal, finding a strength inside as he learns to "let people in, to ask for help, to trust”.

There are many websites and online resources that offer help to bereaved families;

The Childhood Bereavement Network provides practical and emotional help to children, parents and family members experiencing the loss of someone close. Young children often struggle to articulate their feelings and will find comfort in Lost for Words, an online resource from family bereavement blogger and Life Matters chair Benjamin Brooks-Dutton, made up of thoughts, quotes and advice from bereaved children. It also has specialist advice and resources for schools and service providers.

Child Bereavement UK gives guidance and support to help young people learn to cope and understand their grief, with videos and downloadable resources aimed at both parents and children. There are also details on finding local support networks and a freephone helpline.

The Rainbow Trust is dedicated to supporting families with a seriously ill child and they have sensitive advice on helping children cope with the death of a sibling. 

The NHS website has details of support centres and message boards which offer help for children suffering, or about to, suffer loss. There are also links and details of practical help through counselling and mental health services.

Children's Grief Awareness Week runs annually in November and is a chance to show support for bereaved children across the UK. Its focus is to show solidarity with grieving children, young people and their families in their community, and to raise awareness of their needs and how to help. It also is an opportunity to fundraise for this essential service.

Children's Grief Awareness Week this year runs from 18-24 November.

Childhood Bereavement Network @CBNtweets

Child Bereavement UK @cbukhelp

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