Death

Gray Fox (Jonathan London)
Gray Fox is at one with nature and his place in it. When his life is brought to a sudden end, we see, through the eyes of a compassionate young boy, that nature offers recompense for loss (1st 2nd)

Parent, Grandparent, Friend

I Miss You: A First Look at Death (Pat Thomas)
This reassuring picture book explores the difficult issue of death. Childrens feelings and questions about this sensitive subject are looked at in a simple but realistic way (Pre 1st)

My Grandfathers Hat (Melanie Scheller)
A boy recalls his special relationship with his grandfather by playing with his grandfathers old hat (Pre 2nd)

Eleanor, Arthur, and Claire (Diana Engel)
Claire, a young mouse, loves spending her summers with her grandparents, and although she finds things changed after her grandfathers death she and her grandmother find the strength to go on without him (K 1st)

Bye, Mis Lela (Dorothy Carter)
At first, Sugar Plum cries when her mother leaves her with Mis Lela, but the happy days they spend together make Sugar Plum want to remember her, even after she dies (K 2nd)

What On Earth Do You Do When Someone Dies? (Trevor Romain)
Simple, insightful, and straight from the heart, this book is for any child who has lost a loved one or other special person (K 6th)

Abuelitas Paradise (Carmen Santiago Nodar)
Although her grandmother had died, Marita sits in Abuelitas rocking chair and remembers the stories Abuelita told of life in Puerto Rico (1st 2nd)

Saying Good-Bye to Grandma (Jane Resh Thomas)
Teaches Jewish children about death through the story of a young girl whose beloved grandmother, Bubby, dies unexpectedly (2nd 3rd)

Sun and Spoon (Kevin Henkes)
After the death of his grandmother, ten-year-old Spoon observes the changes in his grandfather and tries to find the perfect artifact to preserve his memories of her. (3rd 6th)

Pet

Jims Dog Muffins (Miriam Cohen)
When Jims dog is killed, the other first graders experience with him his natural reactions to death (K 1st)

Goodbye, Max (Holly Keller)
Ben blames his parents for the death of his dog, Max, and does not want the new puppy they brought home (K 1st)

Under the Blackberries (Rachel Pank)
Sonia and her cat Barnie are inseparable, until the day there is an accident and he goes away for good (K 1st)

The Tenth Good Thing About Barney (Judith Viorst)
In an attempt to overcome his grief, a boy tries to think of the ten best things about his dead cat (K 1st)

Grandfathers Laika (Mats Wahl)
Grandpa and his grandson Matthew share their worries and overcome their grief together when Grandpas dog becomes sick and dies (K 2nd)

Murphy and Kate (Ellen Howard)
Kate and her dog Murphy are best friends, and when Murphy dies Kate does not think she can ever be happy again (2nd 3rd)