A book list for parents, teachers, and counselors supporting children through the loss of a beloved grandparent, curated by The Children’s Book Review and presented in partnership with author Shenandoah Chefalo.
These 5 Children’s Books Help Kids Cope With Grief and Big Emotions …
Losing a grandparent is often a child’s first meaningful encounter with death and grief. This profound loss can leave children feeling confused, sad, and searching for ways to understand and process their emotions. Carefully chosen picture books can serve as gentle guides during this difficult time, offering comfort, validation, and hope while honoring the special bonds between grandparents and grandchildren.
The following books provide tender support for children navigating the complex emotions of grief, celebrating the enduring love and lasting memories that connect us to those we’ve lost. Each story offers opportunities to discuss the naturalness of death, the importance of cherishing precious memories, and the many ways our loved ones continue to live on in our hearts. These books can help children understand that while grief is natural and necessary, the love we shared with our grandparents never truly leaves us.
Here are some favorite picture books that gently explore the loss of a grandparent:
On the day of Lil Shen’s grandmother’s funeral, Lil feels as alone and sad as it is possible to feel. When she receives a special present from her grandmother—a talking bunny stuffie named Best Bunny—she learns that it’s okay to cry and be sad, and that she doesn’t have to be okay, she just has to try her best. Through Best Bunny’s gentle encouragement, Lil discovers how to manage her grief and remember the good times with her grandmother. This heartwarming story provides a safe and supportive platform for discussing complex emotions, using a comfort object that feels very real and reassuring to young children navigating loss.
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Tommy is four years old, and he loves visiting his grandmother, Nana Downstairs, and his great-grandmother, Nana Upstairs. When Nana Upstairs dies, Tommy’s mother tells him, “Perhaps that was a kiss from Nana Upstairs” when he sees a shooting star. This timeless classic, based on dePaola’s own childhood memories, gently introduces children to the concepts of aging and death while celebrating the precious bonds between generations. The book contains no overbearing philosophizing, offering instead a simple, perfect tale that helps children understand that love and memories endure forever.
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Henry misses his grandpa and doesn’t want him to be gone. With his mom’s gentle support, they visit all the special places that remind them of Grandpa—the rocking chair where he read stories with silly voices, the cucumbers that always made him hiccup, and the jewelry box he used to wind up so they could dance. As they remember the many loving moments they shared, Henry and his mom work through their grief and discover that Grandpa’s love lives on forever in all his favorite places. This tender story, written by an author who is also a psychotherapist, approaches loss in a child-friendly manner while offering practical comfort and hope.
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In a tiny village in India, a young boy learns to paint from his beloved grandfather, Dadaji, who teaches him to make paints from marigolds and brushes from jasmine flowers. After his grandfather dies, leaving behind his best paintbrush with a note “From Dadaji, with love,” the boy feels he will never want to paint again. When a young girl arrives asking to learn to paint just as her mother did from Dadaji, the boy discovers how his grandfather’s artistic legacy touched many lives and finds a way to honor his memory while healing his own heart. This lushly illustrated tale celebrates the power of creativity and mentorship while showing how love and legacy continue long after death.
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Over the course of a year, a young child and their dog watch kingfishers by the river with Grandpa. As spring turns to summer and autumn to winter, the kingfishers raise a family, while Grandpa teaches his grandchild about the power of nature and the circle of life. Written in memory of her father, whose favourite bird was the kingfisher, Anna Wilson takes readers on a lyrical journey that shows just as spring always follows winter, hope will always return if you know where to look for it. This life-affirming picture book uses the metaphor of nature’s cycles to gently introduce children to concepts of life, death, and renewal while celebrating the enduring bond between grandparent and grandchild.
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