materials & resources

35 Ways to Help a Grieving Child (Guidebook Series) by Dougy Center

• Published by Dougy Center, 2023
• ISBN ‎ 978-1890534035
• Practical strategies for helping children through the tragedy of grief.

After A Suicide: Young People Speak Up by Susan Kuklin

• Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1994
• ISBN 0-399-22801-2
• Teenagers deal with suicide of parents, family members, and friends. 

Annie and the Old One by Miska Miles

• Illustrated by Peter Parnall
• Published by Little, Brown, and Company, 1971
• ISBN 0-316-57120-2
• Annie's grandmother has told her Navaho family that she is preparing to die. She will live until the latest rug is finished and asks her loved ones what gift they wish to keep. Annie chooses her grandmother's weaving stick but she panics at the thought of her grandmother's death. Although she works on the rug, every night she unravels all the work which has been done that day. At last, her grandmother explains that death is part of a natural cycle, an integral part of creation. Annie understands and begins to weave the rug again. Newbury Honor Book; ALA Notable Children's Book; Christopher Award

Badger's Parting Gift by Susan Varley

• Published by Mulberry Books, 1984
• ISBN 0-688-11518-7
• Great story about losing an older member of the family and honoring their personal contributions.

The Blue Pearls by Elizabeth Stuart Warfel

• Illustrated by Véronique Giarrusso
• Published by Barefoot Books, 2001
• ISBN 1-902283-78-3
• A beautifully-illustrated book written by a mother who lost her adult daughter to cancer. The story relates a dream of angels searching for the blue pearls needed to finish the lovely dress a woman will receive when she arrives in heaven. The woman is granted a little extra time to love and play with her three daughters while the angels search for the three pearls. A good book for a read-aloud book for very young children, allowing an adult care-giver to discuss death from a religious viewpoint.

The Cemetery Quilt by Kent and Alice Ross

• Published by Houghton Mifflin
• A very wise story of a girl who goes to her grandfather's funeral and talks to her grandmother about death and how she feels about it.

Daddy's Climbing Tree by C.S. Adler

• Published by Clarion Books, 1993
• ISBN 0-395-63032-0 HC
• Jessica, 11, takes her little brother Tycho to her grandparent's house to look for Daddy, who was struck and killed by a hit and run driver. She is sure that he is up in his favorite climbing tree, where he had told her that he had spent many happy hours growing up. But the grandparents don't live there anymore and Daddy isn't there either. She learns to look for his memory in her heart. This is meant for older children to read on their own.

Dragonfly Door by John Adams

• Published by Feather Rock Bks. Inc,2007
• ISBN 978-1934066126
• Inviting story about nature’s way of teaching loss and change.

Everett Anderson's Goodbye by Lucille Clifton

• Published by Henry Holt (An Owlet book), 1983
• ISBN 0-8050-0800-4
• This little picture book goes through the stages of grief in very few words and big pictures.

The Fall of Freddie the Leaf by Leo Buscaglia, PhD

• Published by Slack, 1982
• ISBN 0-943432-89-8 Slack
• ISBN 0-8050-1064-5 Henry Holt
• Natural cycles of life and death discussed in simple terms by a cultural icon.

Finding Grandpa Everywhere: A Young Child Discovers Memories of a Grandparent by John Hodge

• Published by Centering Corporation (October 1998)
• ISBN 978-1561231256
• A young child discovers memories of a grandparent. This book is beautifully illustrated with a storyline that addresses issues that children have after a grandparent dies. It includes a section for teachers and parents.

Flying Hugs and Kisses by Jewel Sample

• Published by Lifevest Publishing, Inc. (April 20, 2006)
• ISBN 978-1598791198
• Heartwarming story about how children learn to accept family loss and change.  Five children creatively take on roles of support toward each other while showing their individual feelings about the death of their baby brother. This sensitive story of grief recovery is a great resource for parents to use to help their children understand and affirm their experience of the loss of a brother or sister.

Goodbye Mousie by Robie H. Harris

• ISBN 0-689-83217-6
• Good Night, Mr. Tom by Michelle Magorian
• Published by Harper Trophy Books, 1992
• ISBN 0-06-440174-X
• This is a complex novel for older readers. It tells the story of young Will Beech, a boy living in London in the days just before World War II. Will is hurting, badly abused by his harsh and bitter mother and evacuated alone from London to be fostered by a gruff old man, Tom Oakley. Mr. Tom takes a shine to the boy, and young Will starts to blossom. He makes friends, especially his best friend Zach, and starts to develop his own gifts, a love of story and a talent for drawing. But then Will's mother turns up; she takes Will away to her own place, a squalid stinking hovel where the beatings begin again and Will starts to sink and wither into despair.  Mr. Tom manages to rescue the boy just in time. Just when things are looking brightest for Will, more blows come. His mother commits suicide while incarcerated for her abuse of Will and for the negligent homicide of his young sister. And then, worst of all, Zach dies in an air raid. Only when another mentor, a disabled artist who lost his leg and own best friend in the war, tells the story of how he kept his friend's pipe and thinks of him when he uses it, does Will start to fill the empty places inside with a realization of his love for Mr. Tom, his adopted Dad, his love for Zach, his dear friend, and the life that goes on, even when good people die. Will asks to have one of Zach's treasured possessions, so he too will have a remembrance, and begins to share his love with another friend who needs help. As C.S. Lewis once said, we are all, at last, surprised by joy. And in this poignant moment of Will's joy we see clearly the upward arc of his life, not perfect, but good, and sure to turn out right in the end. Winner of the IRA Children's Book Award for 1982.

Gran-Gran’s Best Trick by MAD. Holden and L. Dwight

• Published by Mar-Co Products, Inc.
• Grief  by Laurie Beckleman
• Crestwood House ( A Hotline Book), 1995
• ISBN 0-382-24958-5
• A book for adolescents and teenagers dealing with grief.

The Grieving Child: A Parent's Guide by Helen Fitzgerald

• Published by Simon and Schuster, 1992
• ISBN 0-671-76762-3
• A book for parents or caregivers helping children to cope with grief.

Help For the Hard Times: Getting Through Loss by Earl Hipp

• Illustrated by L.K.Hanson
• Published by Hazelden, 1995
• ISBN 1-56838-085-2 PB
• A self-help workbook for older children but valuable for younger children as well if only as a source of hints for things a caregiver could develop on their own.

Helping the Grieving Student: A Guide for Teachers by The Dougy Center

• Published by The Dougy Center
• ISBN 978-1890534011
• This guidebook is an essential resource for elementary, middle and high school teachers, offering practical tips and information for how to respond to a death.

Helping Children Cope with the Illness and Death of a Love One by Joe Ferry & Barbara Bonton

I Had a Friend Named Peter: Talking to Children About the Death of a Friend by Janice Cohn, D.S.W.

• Illustrated by Gail Owens
• Published by William Morrow and Company, 1987
• ISBN 0-688-06685-2
• Betsy's friend Peter has been struck by car and killed. Her parents explain what death is and what will happen. Betsy and her friends at school make pictures of Peter and decide that as long as they remember him, Peter will always be with them in a special way.

I Miss You: A First Look At Death by Pat Thomas

• Published by Barron's Educational Series (January 1, 2001)
• ISBN 978-0764117640
• When a close friend or family member dies, it can be difficult for children to express their feelings. This book helps boys and girls understand that death is a natural complement to life, and that grief and a sense of loss are normal feelings for them to have following a loved one's death. Titles in this sensitively presented series explore the dynamics of various relationships experienced by children of preschool through early school age. Kids are encouraged to understand personal feelings and social problems as a first step in dealing with them.

"I Wish I Could Hold Your Hand —": A Child's Guide to Grief and Loss by Ed.D. Pat Palmer

• Illustrated by Dianne O'Quinn Burke
• Published by Impact Publishers, 1992
• ISBN 978-0915166824
• For older children facing loss and grief of many kinds, and suitable for almost any child when mediated by a parent or caregiver.

If Nathan Were Here by Mary Bahr

• Illustrated by Karen A Jerome
• Published by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers (2000)
• ISBN 0-8028-5187-8
• ISBN 0-8028-5235-1
• This is a story of the grief of a young boy whose best friend has died.  With the help of an understanding teacher, a kind neighbor, and an empathetic parent, the boy finds ways to give expression to his questions and sorrow and to reach out to someone else who needs him.

The Key Into Winter by Janet S. Anderson

• Illustrated by David Soman
• Published by Albert Whitman Prairie Books, 1994
• ISBN 0-8075-4170-2
• This is a magical story about a household in which there are four keys which open the seasons. A young girl hides the key into winter to prevent her grandmother's approaching death. It is an allegory for the natural cycles of life and coming to terms with grief and loss and learning to hope.

The Kids Book About Death and Dying: By and For Kids by Eric E. Rofes and the Unit at Fayerweather School

• Published by Little, Brown and Company
• ISBN 0-316-75390-4
• Children deal with death and dying.

Lifetimes: The Beautiful Way to Explain Death to Children by Bryan Mellonie and Robert Ingpen

• Published by Bantam Books, 1993
• ISBN 0-553-34402-1
• A book about natural lifetimes in all creatures and the fact that sometimes those lives are cut short by accident.

L.O.S.S.: Letting Our Sadness Show by Connie Miller

• Published by Bright Ideas, P. O. Box 218, Excelsiori Springs, MO
• A group packet to help young people in Third through Eight learn how to cope with grief and loss.

Memory Book – A Special Way to Remember Someone You Love by Kathleen Knoderer

• ISBN 157542-055-4
• Mending Peter's Heart by Maureen Whitbold
• Illustrated by Larry Salk
• Published by Portunus Publishing, 1995
• A boy's dog dies and he is helped through his anger and hurt by his grandfather who describes his own love for his wife and his belief that they will all be reunited in a very good place where there isn't any pain.

Missing Hannah: Based on a True Story of Sudden Infant Death by Darlene Kane

• Published by AuthorHouse (January 26, 2006)
• ISBN 1425901360
• Sensitive story portrays a child’s journey as she faces her feelings about the death of her baby sister to SIDS. 

Mrs. Magruder and the Purple Hat by Judy Barron Williams

• Published by Mar*Co Products, Inc.
• Nana Upstairs & Nana Downstairs by Tomie dePaola
• ISBN 0-14-050290-4

Part Of Me Died Too by Virginia Lynn Fry

• Published by Dutton Children's Books
• ISBN 0-525-45068-8 HC
• Children from a year and a half to eighteen deal with the death of beloved pets, parents, dear friends, siblings and other relatives. This book has lots of stories to tell, each helpful in its own way.

Sad Isn't Bad: A Good-Grief Guidebook for Kids Dealing With Loss by Michaelene Mundy

• Published by Abbey Press; annotated edition edition (September 1998)
• ISBN 978-0870293214
• Loaded with positive, life-affirming advice for coping with loss as a child, this guide tells children what they need to know after a loss--that the world is still safe; life is good; and hurting hearts do mend. Written by a school counselor, this book helps comfort children facing of the worst and hardest kind of reality.

The Saddest Time by Norma Simon

• Published by Albert Whitman Prairie Books
• This book contains three short stories about different kinds of death and grief: an uncle with a terminal illness, a classmate killed in an accident, and a grandparent.

Samantha Jane's Missing Smile: A Story About Coping With the Loss of a Parent by Julie Kaplow

• Published by Magination Press (May 15, 2007)
• ISBN 978-1591478089
• The story of a young girl whose father has recently died; deals with the full range of emotions, questions, and worries that children have when a parent has died. Offers ways to remember and honor the lost parent, encourages the open sharing of feelings, and helps children understand that their parents want them to be happy and live their lives fully.

Saying Goodbye by Jim and Joan Bouden

• ISBN 1-878076-12-4
• Skills for Living by Rosemarie Smead Morganett
• Group Counseling Activities for Elementary Students

Tear Soup: A Recipe for Healing After Loss by Pat Schweibert and Chuck DeKlyen

• Illustrated by Taylor Bills
• Published by Grief Watch, 1974
• ISBN 978-0961519766
• Excellent book for all ages, but meant to be worked through by or with an adult. The vocabulary is mature, and the print is… like a regular book — although accompanied by warm and welcoming illustrations — and encourages those who grieve to work through their own grief in their own way, with many helpful ‘recipes’ that the individual may find useful in their own situation. Winner of the Theologos Award, 2001

The Tenth Good Thing About Barney by Judith Viorst

• Illustrated by Erik Blevgard
• Published by Aladdin Paperbacks, 1971
• ISBN 0-689-71203-0
• A very good book about death and the sad feelings of a little girl coming to terms with the death of her cat with the help of her father.

What on Earth Do You Do When Someone Dies? By Trevor Romain

• Published by Free Spirit Publishing (1999)
• ISBN 1-57542-055-4
• In a compassionate, enlightening, straightforward manner, this book addresses the many questions and thoughts that children have after the death of someone close. 

When Dinosaurs Die: a Guide to Understanding Death by Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown

• Published by Little, Brown and Company, 1996
• ISBN 0-316-10917-7
• A multicultural look at dying and the customs that surround it

When a Grandparent Dies: A Kid's Own Workbook for Remembering Shiva and the Year Beyond by Nechama

• Liss-levinson, PhD
• Published by Jewish Lights Publishing, 1995
• ISBN 1-879045-44-3
• The rituals surrounding death are clearly explained.

When Someone Very Special Dies: Children Learn to Cope With Grief by Marge Heegaard

• Published by Woodland Press
• ISBN 0-9620502-0-2
• A workbook to be illustrated by the child with pictures. There are rough outlines to follow in a kind of free-form coloring book.

When Something Terrible Happens: Children Learn to Cope With Grief by Marge Heegaard

• Published by Woodland Press
• ISBN 0-9620502-3-7
• A workbook to be illustrated by the child with pictures. There are rough outlines to follow in a kind of free-form coloring book.

Will I Live Forever? By Carolyn Nystrom

• Published by Candle Books (February 18, 2006)
• ISBN 978-0825473067
• Simplistic Christian story about the loss of a bird and the discovery of the questions surrounding death and heaven.

Why the Snowman Melts by Diane Harvey

• Designed and illustrated by Amy Paulson
• Published by Sandstone Publishing., 2010
• ISBN 978-0-615-36790-3
• A non-threatening picture book specifically designed to be worked through with a caregiver or counselor. It tells the story of young children who are excited by the opportunity of a coming snowstorm to build a snowman they name Eddie. They arrange everything, clothes, decorations, even involving neighborhood children in the activity. Soon, though, the weather warms and the snowman starts to melt. The children are very sad, but their parents explain that nothing lasts forever, and that they have good memories of Eddie, and can plan to build a new snowman next year. The book includes discussion questions, a selection of pictures which show various emotional states, and a pair of pictures with blank faces on which a child can draw their own feelings. The metaphor is broad and flexible enough to work well with many types of grief and disappointment, and shows the importance of reaching out to friends and family when you are sad or troubled.

Gentle Willow: A Story for Children About Dying by Joyce C. Mills

• Published by Magination Press (November 2003)
• ISBN 978-1591470724
• Written for children who may not survive their illness or for the children who know them, this tender and touching tale helps address feelings of disbelief, anger, and sadness, along with love and compassion. Amanda and Little Tree discover that their friend Gentle Willow isn't feeling well. Amanda summons the Tree Wizards, who visit Gentle Willow and determine that they can't fix her. Amanda is angry at first, but eventually she listens to the Tree Wizards as they explain that death is a transformation and journey into the unknown. They also counsel Amanda that the medicine she can give Gentle Willow is love. In a final act of love, Amanda comforts Gentle Willow, who is afraid, with a story about the caterpillar who transforms into a butterfly.

Kathy's Hats: A Story of Hope by Trudy Krisher

• Illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott
• Published by Albert Whitman and Company
• ISBN 0-8075-4116-8
• A story of a child with cancer and the hats she wears.

My Journey of Hope:A Child's Guidebook for Living with Cancer by Sarah Jean Kovar, Age 11

• Published by Zondervan Publishing House
• ISBN 0-310-37450-2
• A personal story by a young girl with a life-threatening disease.

On The Wings Of A Butterfly: A Story About Life and Death by Marilyn Maple

• A story of a child with cancer.

When I Die, Will I Get Better? by Joeri and Piet Breebart

• Published by Peter Bedrick Books, NY
• ISBN 0-87226-375-4
• A small child told this story of an animal family to his father after the serious illness and death of his little brother to help him understand and explain what happened.

Will I Still Have To Make My Bed In The Morning? by Barry Rudner

• Illustrated by Peggy Trabalka
• Published by Art Print and Publishing Company
• ISBN 0-925928-10-0
• A child with a terminal illness wonders about dying.

When Someone Has a Very Serious Illness: Children Can Learn to Cope With Grief and Loss by Marge Heegaard

• Published by Woodland Press
• ISBN 0-9620502-4
• A workbook to be illustrated by the child with pictures. There are rough outlines to follow in a kind of free-form coloring book.

A Window Of Time by Audrey O. Leighton

• Illustrated By Rhona Kyrias
• Published by Nadja Publishing, 1995
• ISBN 0-9636335-1-1
• Shawn's grandfather has Alzheimer's Disease but they still love each other and share special times in grandfather's "time machine."

The Memory Box by Mary Bahr

• Illustrated by David Cunningham
• Published by Albert Whitman Prairie Books, 1992
• ISBN 0-8075-5052-3 HC
• ISBN 0-8075-5053-1 PB
• Zach's grandfather is in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's Disease and together, they save up memories for the "memory box."

Sachiko Means Happiness by Kimiko Sakai 

• Illustrated by Tomie Arai
• Published by Children's Book Press, 1990
• ISBN 0-89239-122-7
• Sachiko's grandmother is in the later stages of Alzheimer's Disease and a little girl learns both compassion and acceptance as she deals with her grandmother's limitations and special gifts.

Great-Uncle Alfred Forgets by Ben Shecter

• Published by HarperCollins Publishers, 1996
• ISBN 0-06-026218-4 HC
• ISBN 0-06-026219-2 Library Binding
• Emily takes her great-uncle, who has Alzheimer's Disease, for a walk and discovers his unique outlook as well as his limitations.

Chicken Soup for the Grieving Soul: Stories about Life, Death and Overcoming the Loss of a Loved One by Jack Canfield

• Published by Health Communications, Inc., 2003
• ISBN: 1558749020
• This collection of inspirational stories will undoubtedly touch many hearts. Written by authors who have lost loved ones, these stories offer comfort, peace and understanding to those going through the grieving process.  Individual people deal with grief in their own ways and within their own time, but the guidance and supportthey receive from others is what helps them through it. One of the key messages of Chicken Soup for the Grieving Soul is that togetherness and sharing are the keys to moving on. In these stories people share their experiences with coping and they share deep memories. Each one has found that putting thoughts and feelings into words is not only cathartic, it allows them to reconnect with their loved one and others. Words of encouragement are plentiful in this edition and they go straight to the heart. Chapters encompass the complete grieving experience and include: Final Gifts, the Power of Support, Coping and Healing, Those We Will Miss, Special Moments, Insights and Lessons, and Living Again.  Readers will be comforted and inspired by the stories of regaining strength and hope, such as holding meaningful services, performing thoughtful deeds and cherishing special memories. Most important, just as the writers have come to appreciate life through the grieving process, readers will discover how to do the same. This soothing bowl of stories is the perfect gift to bring comfort, strength and courage.

Final Gifts: Understanding the Special Awareness, Needs, and Communications of the Dying by Maggie Callanan , Patricia Kelley

• Published by Random House Publishing Group, 1992
• ISBN: 0553378767
• In this moving and compassionate book, hospice nurses Maggie Callanan and Patricia Kelley share their intimate experiences with patients at the end of life, drawn from more than twenty years experience tending the terminally ill. Through their stories we come to appreciate the near-miraculous ways in which the dying communicate their needs, reveal their feelings, and even choreograph their own final moments; we also discover the gifts—of wisdom, faith, and love—that the dying leave for the living to share. Filled with practical advice on responding to the requests of the dying and helping them prepare emotionally and spiritually for death, Final Gifts shows how we can help the dying person live fully to the very end.

Finding Your Way after Your Spouse Dies by Marta Felber

• Published by Avenue Records, 2000
• ISBN: 0877939322
• If you have suffered the death of your spouse, you have experienced one of the most painful and disorienting experiences life can offer. In the days immediately following the loss, you may need everything from advice on finances to a home-cooked meal. But there is nothing you need more than the warm, reassuring voice of one who has traveled this path before and survived.  In Finding Your Way After Your Spouse Dies, Marta Felber offers just such a voice--caring, hopeful, always pointing ahead to a tomorrow that will be a little easier than today. Having experienced her own spouse's death, Felber is never glib or simplistic. She knows the grief her readers are feeling, and she encourages them to give it full expression. At the same time, she offers sound, practical suggestions on how to navigate difficult days.

Getting to the Other Side of Grief: Overcoming the Loss of a Spouse by Susan J. Zonnebelt-Smeenge , Robert C. De Vries

• Published by Baker Publishing Group, 1998
• ISBN: 080105821X
• This sensitive and biblically oriented book offers a roadmap for bereaved spouses on the journey through grief to resolution.

A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss by Jerry Sittser

• Published by Zondervan
• ISBN: 0310258952
• An expanded edition of this classic book on grief and loss---with a new preface and epilogueLoss came suddenly for Jerry Sittser. In an instant, a tragic car accident claimed three generations of his family: his mother, his wife, and his young daughter. While most of us will not experience such a catastrophic loss in our lifetime, all of us will taste it. And we can, if we choose, know as well the grace that transforms it.A Grace Disguised plumbs the depths of sorrow, whether due to illness, divorce, or the loss of someone we love. The circumstances are not important; what we do with those circumstances is. In coming to the end of ourselves, we can come to the beginning of a new life---one marked by spiritual depth, joy, compassion, and a deeper appreciation of simple blessings.

Grief Observed by C. S. Lewis

• Published by Harper Collins Publishers, 2011
• ISBN: 0060652381
• Written with love, humility, and faith, this brief but poignant volume was first published in 1961 and concerns the death of C. S. Lewis's wife, the American-born poet Joy Davidman. In her introduction to this new edition, Madeleine L'Engle writes: "I am grateful to Lewis for having the courage to yell, to doubt, to kick at God in angry violence. This is a part of a healthy grief which is not often encouraged. It is helpful indeed that C. S. Lewis, who has been such a successful apologist for Christianity, should have the courage to admit doubt about what he has so superbly proclaimed. It gives us permission to admit our own doubts, our own angers and anguishes, and to know that they are part of the soul's growth." Written in longhand in notebooks that Lewis found in his home, A Grief Observed probes the "mad midnight moments" of Lewis's mourning and loss, moments in which he questioned what he had previously believed about life and death, marriage, and even God. Indecision and self-pity assailed Lewis. "We are under the harrow and can't escape," he writes. "I know that the thing I want is exactly the thing I can never get. The old life, the jokes, the drinks, the arguments, the lovemaking, the tiny, heartbreaking commonplace." Writing A Grief Observed as "a defense against total collapse, a safety valve," he came to recognize that "bereavement is a universal and integral part of our experience of love." Lewis writes his statement of faith with precision, humor, and grace. Yet neither is Lewis reluctant to confess his continuing doubts and his awareness of his own human frailty. This is precisely the quality which suggests that A Grief Observed may become "among the great devotional books of our age."

How to Go on Living when Someone You Love Dies by Therese A. Rando

• Published by Random House Publishing, 1991
• ISBN: 0553352695
• Mourning the death of a loved one is a process all of us will go through at one time or another.  But wherever the death is sudden or anticipated, few of us are prepared for it or for the grief it brings. There is no right or wrong way to grieve; each person's response to loss will be different.  Now, in this compassionate, comprehensive guide,  Therese A. Rando, Ph.D., bereavement specialist and  author of Loss And Anticipatory  Grief, leads you gently through the painful but  necessary process of grieving and helps you find  the best way for yourself.  Whether the death was sudden of expected, from accident, illness, suicide, homicide, or natural causes,  Dr.  Rando will help you learn to:  Understand and resolve your  grief; Talk to children about  death; Resolve unfinished business; Take  care of yourself; Accept the help  and support of others; Get through  holidays and other difficult times of the  year; Plan funerals and personal  bereavement rituals.  There is no way around the  pain of loss, but there is a way through it. Dr.  Rando offers the solace, comfort, and guidance to  help you accept your loss and move into your new  life without forgetting your treasured  past.

I Wasn't Ready to Say Goodbye: Surviving, Coping and Healing After the Sudden Death of a Loved One by Brook Noel , Pamela D. Blair

• Published by Sourcebooks, Inc.
• ISBN: 1402212216
• This updated edition of the best-selling bereavement classic will touch, comfort, uplift and console. Authors Brook Noel and Pamela D. Blair, Ph.D. explore sudden death and offers a comforting hand to hold for those who are grieving the sudden death of a loved one.  I Wasn't Ready to Say Goodbye covers such difficult topics as the first few weeks, suicide, death of a child, children and grief, funerals and rituals, physical effects, homicide and depression. New material covers the unique circumstances of loss, men and women's grieving styles, religion and faith, myths and misunderstandings, I Wasn't Ready to Say Goodbye reflects the shifting face of grief. These pages have offered solace to over eighty thousand people, ranging from seniors to teenagers and from the newly bereaved to those who lost a loved one years ago. Individuals engulfed by the immediate aftermath will find a special chapter covering the first few weeks. Tapping their personal histories and drawing on numerous interviews, authors Brook Noel and Pamela D. Blair, Ph.D, explore unexpected death and its role in the cycle of life. I Wasn't Ready to Say Goodbye provides survivors with a rock-steady anchor from which to weather the storm of pain and begin to rebuild their lives.

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch , Jeffrey Zaslow

• Published by Hyperion, 1998
• ISBN: 1401323251
• "We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand."  —Randy Pausch
• A lot of professors give talks titled "The Last Lecture." Professors are asked to consider their demise and to ruminate on what matters most to them. And while they speak, audiences can't help but mull the same question: What wisdom would we impart to the world if we knew it was our last chance? If we had to vanish tomorrow, what would we want as our legacy?  When Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon, was asked to give such a lecture, he didn't have to imagine it as his last, since he had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer. But the lecture he gave—"Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams"—wasn't about dying. It was about the importance of overcoming obstacles, of enabling the dreams of others, of seizing every moment (because "time is all you have and you may find one day that you have less than you think"). It was a summation of everything Randy had come to believe. It was about living. In this book, Randy Pausch has combined the humor, inspiration and intelligence that made his lecture such a phenomenon and given it an indelible form. It is a book that will be shared for generations to come.

Living When a Loved One Has Died by Earl A. Grollman

• Published by Beacon, 1997
• ISBN: 0807027197
• When someone you love dies, Earl Grollman writes, "there is no way to predict how you will feel. The reactions of grief are not like recipes, with given ingredients, and certain results. . . . Grief is universal. At the same time it is extremely personal. Heal in your own way."  If someone you know is grieving, Living When a Loved One Has Died can help. Earl Grollman explains what emotions to expect when mourning, what pitfalls to avoid, and how to work through feelings of loss. Suitable for pocket or bedside, this gentle book guides the lonely and suffering as they move through the many facets of grief, begin to heal, and slowly build new lives.

Living When a Young Friend Commits Suicide by Earl A. Grollman

• Published by Beacon, 2010
• ISBN: 0807095540
• In the last thirty years, the suicide rate among young people has tripled. In this book addressed to the young survivors of this epidemic, Earl A. Grollman, the internationally known lecturer, writer, and grief counselor, and Max Malikow, a psychotherapist and pastoral counselor, offer solace and guidance to adolescents who are confronted with someone of their own age who is contemplating or has committed suicide.

The Long Goodbye by Meghan O’Rourke

• Published by Penguin Group, 2001
• ISBN 1594487987
• From one of America's foremost young literary voices, a transcendent portrait of the unbearable anguish of grief and the enduring power of familial love.   What does it mean to mourn today, in a culture that has largely set aside rituals that acknowledge grief? After her mother died of cancer at the age of fifty-five, Meghan O'Rourke found that nothing had prepared her for the intensity of her sorrow. In the first anguished days, she began to create a record of her interior life as a mourner, trying to capture the paradox of grief-its monumental agony and microscopic intimacies-an endeavor that ultimately bloomed into a profound look at how caring for her mother during her illness changed and strengthened their bond.  O'Rourke's story is one of a life gone off the rails, of how watching her mother's illness-and separating from her husband-left her fundamentally altered. But it is also one of resilience, as she observes her family persevere even in the face of immeasurable loss.  With lyricism and unswerving candor, The Long Goodbye conveys the fleeting moments of joy that make up a life, and the way memory can lead us out of the jagged darkness of loss. Effortlessly blending research and reflection, the personal and the universal, it is not only an exceptional memoir, but a necessary one.

Necessary Losses by Judith Viorst

• Published by Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group, 1998
• ISBN: 0684844958
• In Necessary Losses, Judith Viorst turns her considerable talents to a serious and far-reaching subject: how we grow and change through the losses that are an inevitable and necessary part of life. She argues persuasively that through the loss of our mothers' protection, the loss of the impossible expectations we bring to relationships, the loss of our younger selves, and the loss of our loved ones through separation and death, we gain deeper perspective, true maturity, and fuller wisdom about life. She has written a book that is both life affirming and life changing.

Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson by Mitch Albom

• Published by Crown Publishing Group, 2002
• ISBN: 076790592X
• Maybe it was a grandparent, or a teacher. Someone older who understood you when you were young and searching, who helped you see the world as a more profound place, and gave you advice to help you make your way through it. For Mitch Albom, that person was Morrie Schwartz, his college professor from nearly twenty years ago.  Maybe, like Mitch, you lost track of your mentor as you made your way, and the insights faded, and the world seemed colder. Wouldn't you like to see that person again, ask the bigger questions that still haunt you?  Mitch Albom had that second chance. He rediscovered Morrie in the last months of the older man's life. Knowing he was dying, Morrie visited with Mitch in his study every Tuesday, just as they used to back in college.  Tuesdays With Morrie is a magical chronicle of their time together, through which Mitch shares Morrie's lasting gift to the world.

Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss and Love by Matt Logelin

• Published by Grand Central Publishing, 2011
• ISBN: 0446564303
• Matt and Liz Logelin were high school sweethearts. After years of long-distance dating, the pair finally settled together in Los Angeles, and they had it all: a perfect marriage, a gorgeous new home, and a baby girl on the way. Liz's pregnancy was rocky, but they welcomed Madeline, beautiful and healthy, into the world on March 24, 2008.  Just twenty-seven hours later, Liz suffered a pulmonary embolism and died instantly, without ever holding the daughter whose arrival she had so eagerly awaited. Though confronted with devastating grief and the responsibilities of a new and single father, Matt did not surrender to devastation; he chose to keep moving forward— to make a life for Maddy.   In this memoir, Matt shares bittersweet and often humorous anecdotes of his courtship and marriage to Liz; of relying on his newborn daughter for the support that she unknowingly provided; and of the extraordinary online community of strangers who have become his friends. In honoring Liz's legacy, heartache has become solace.

When Will I Stop Hurting?: Dealing with a Recent Death by June Cerza Kolf

• Published by Baker Publishing Group, 2002
• ISBN: 080106385X
• You've lost someone you loved, and now the pain seems unendurable. June Cerza Kolf understands. She, too, has suffered the wound of grief, and as a veteran of hospice work, has counseled many mourning people. In this gentle, empathic book, Kolf leads you through the stages of grief, helping you understand what to expect as time goes on and making you mindful of potential pitfalls such as feeling anger or guilt, dealing with holidays, and experiencing physical distress. No matter what the loss has been, it takes time and heart-wrenching work for the wound to heal. Kolf takes you by the hand and helps you do this painful—yet vital—work. She offers practical and therapeutic ways of dealing with depression and easing pain and gives creative ideas for expressing your love and remembrance. The grief exercises provided in this book are an outlet for working through your pain on your own or in a small-group setting. Most of all, as When Will I Stop Hurting? guides you through the rough terrain of grieving, it will also point you to God, the one true source of healing.

Speakinggrief.org

• Speaking Grief | Public Media Documentary and Awareness Initiative
• Provides helpful information about grief and how to support yourself and others

Center for Loss & Life Transition

• https://www.centerforloss.com 

 Refuge in Grief (Megan Devine)

• https://refugeingrief.com

 National Institute on Aging

• https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/mourning-death-spouse

Hospice Foundation of America

• https://hospicefoundation.org/Grief-(1)

Grief.com, Because Love Never Dies

• https://grief.com

What's Your Grief?

• https://whatsyourgrief.com
• Covers a wide range of topics

Grief Share

• https://www.griefshare.org
• Network of Christian Support Groups

Mindful Resilience

• http://www.mindfulresilience.com

National Hospice and Palliative Organization (NHPCO)

• https://www.nhpco.org/

Bereaved Parents of the USA (BP/USA)

• https://www.bereavedparentsusa.org/

American Association of Suicidology

• https://suicidology.org/

The Dougy Center

• https://www.dougy.org