Reading List: Picture Books about Death

This is a list of picture books about grief, heaven, and death. It is such a hard topic to discuss with littles and I have separated them based on what type of death the book may be discussing. Some are also juvenile nonfiction and easy readers.

Death of a Pet/Animal:

Becker, Aaron - A Stone for Sascha

Brown, Margaret Wise - The Dead Bird

Burleigh, Robert - Good-bye, Sheepie

Huneck, Stephen - Sally Goes to Heaven

Karst, Patrice - The Invisible Leash

Petersen, Christine - The Smart Kid's Guide to Losing a Pet

Rylant, Cynthia - Cat Heaven

Rylant, Cynthia - Dog Heaven

Tillman, Nancy - The Heaven of Animals

Walsh, Barbara - Sammy in the Sky

Wild, Margaret - Harry & Hopper

Wilhelm, Hans - I'll Always Love You

Yolen, Jane - The Day Tiger Rose Said Good-Bye

Death of a Grandparent:

Castellucci, Cecil - Grandma's Gloves

Coelho, Joseph - Grandpa's Stories

Doray, Malika - One More Wednesday

Plourde, Lynn - Thank You, Grandpa

Death of a Parent:

Cobb, Rebecca - Missing Mommy

Hole, Stian - Anna's Heaven

Moundlic, Charlotte - The Scar

Smith, Heather - The Phone Booth in Mr. Hirota's Garden

Death of a Sibling:

Noble, Rachel - Finn's Feather

Schwiebert, Pat - We Were Gonna Have a Baby, But We Had an Angel Instead

Simon, Jack - This Book is for All Kids, but Especially My Sister Libby: Libby Died

Death of Other Family Members:

James, Matt - The Funeral

Mathers, Petra - When Aunt Mattie Got Her Wings

Wood, Douglas - Aunt Mary's Rose

Death of a Friend:

Durant, Alan - Always and Forever

Hoefler, Kate - Rabbit and the Motorbike

Loth, Sebastian - Remembering Crystal

Death/Heaven in General:

Alvarez, Julia - Where Do They Go?

Arnold, Elana K. - An Ordinary Day

Burke, Tyler Clark - Where Are You Now?

Burpo, Todd - Heaven is for Real for Kids

Crossmeister, David - What Happens at a Funeral?

Hest, Pimm Van - Maybe Dying is Like Becoming a Butterfly

McDonnell, Patrick - Just Like Heaven

Shriver, Maria - What's Heaven?