A sombre thought but of some use perhaps. My preferred title is a factual one – ‘When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide to Understanding Death’ by Lauri Krasnoyarsk Brown and March Brown. A sensible, well-written book about death, dealing with both the emotional aspects of a death but also the more practical elements such as how different cultures commemorate death and what people believe about what if anything happens after death.
A relatively new title is ‘Rabbityness’ by Jo Empson which I very much admire. It deals sensitively with the complex issue of loss. The rabbits are devastated when their brilliant and creative rabbit friend disappears leaving only a deep, dark hole. When the rabbits are eventually able to explore the hole they find a legacy of creativity which helps them fill their world again with colour and music. ‘Badger’s Parting Gifts’ by Susan Varley is rightly seen as a classic in this area. The sense of loss felt by Badger’s friends is overwhelming until they each recall something he contributed to their lives. A similar title is ‘The Memory Tree’ by Britta Teckentrup.
‘The Copper Tree’ by Hilary Robinson and Mandy Stanley is a slightly different work exploring the impact of a death in a community of small children – the death of a beloved teacher and it explores helpfully how people can be remembered. It has great charm and I very much like it. ‘Missing Mummy’ by Rebecca Cobb is another valuable relatively recent title – a moving picture book as a little girl tries to make sense of her mother’s death. A valuable reminder too of how confusing death and subsequent ceremonies can be for a small child. Note to adults: Be sure you can read this without becoming upset before sharing it.
‘Up in Heaven’ by Emma Chichester Clark. An old dog dies leaving a huge gap in his young owner’s life. The young boy is unable to move on and welcome a new puppy until the old dog watching from heaven sends a series of dreams to help him. Lovely pictures as you would expect. Some other titles to consider:
‘The Sad Book’ by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Quentin Blake.
‘The Pond’ by Nicola Davies with wonderful illustrations by Cathy Fisher.
‘Grandad’s Island’ by Benji Davies.
‘Grandpa’ by John Burningham.
‘Milly’s Bug Nut’ by Jill Janney. A short chapter book rather than a picture book.
The Solitary Reader 