September 11, 2001
- Resources & Links
Coming Full Circle
A
Selected List of Books for Children
About Death & Dying
compiled by Carolyn Schuler, Consultant Services
Whether it is an insect or an animal, a friend or a relative, death is life-changing, especially for children who are just learning to grow and absorb life's little lessons. When adults hear about such a sad event in a child's life, their tendency is to want to reach out and help that child in any way possible. Most caregivers instinctively ask about a book that will help the child to understand what has happened. COMING FULL CIRCLE is a list of recommended titles, published from 1995-2000, that feature positive, creative, and reassuring examples of other young people learning to cope with the loss of someone who was a significant part of everyday life.
Carefully chosen books, properly presented, are wonderful tools to use to teach children about life cycles in nature, bodily changes in death, and how to express grief. Children's literature can be used to motivate discussions by gently introducing the subject of death in terms the child can understand. However, while reading books may be a very good activity for a child, books about death, dying and grief are not necessarily what a child needs to handle this devastating time of life. Children need the familiarity of their favorite book characters, the humor in a book's plot, and incentive to laugh again and make everything right in the world.
One of the joys in reading is that moment of discovery when you know that someone is like you, or that you are like him or her, and it is okay. Therefore, in addition to titles about death and dying, ask your child what books, of the old favorite or new variety, he or she wants to read. By offering both types of books, children will recognize that emotions can be expressed in words, both happy and sad, and that these same feelings are normal parts of living and growing.
This is the third compilation of titles for this subject created by the Monroe County Library System, Consultant Services Office. In addition to the main, annotated list (alphabetical by author), the titles have been grouped by subjects and age level. Because of their popularity and usefulness, a few selected titles from the two previous booklists appear in a special section entitled, Classic Children's Books about Death and Dying. If you are unfamiliar with the literature that is available, your children's services librarian will help you find age-appropriate titles that may be used for one-on-one sharing or as an activity for group sharing.
Annotated • By Subject • By Age Level • Classics
Monroe
County Library System
Consultant Services Office • Children's Services Division
115 South Avenue • Rochester, NY 14604
(716) 428-8301
 |
Part of the LIBRA Network send comments to Webmaster |
 |