grief in children

"Navigating the grief and bereavement process can be a challenging and unpredictable experience, especially for children. Whether it's the loss of a family member, friend, pet, or other loved one, children often don't know how to cope with the complicated and complex emotions that accompany death. Written and illustrated by a therapist (and mother), Andrea Dorn, MSW, When Someone Dies walks children through the bereavement process in a simple, concrete, and developmentally appropriate way. Through the lens of mindfulness, children will learn how to say goodbye, make space for any emotions that arise, and work through their grief. Written for parents, teachers, and therapists alike, this straightforward yet powerful book includes: Optional engagement questions to build connection and personalize the reading experience Short mindfulness and self-compassion meditations A developmental guide to children's understanding of death"--.

"Developed by experts in the fields of early childhood and activism against injustice, this topic-driven board book offers clear, concrete language and compelling imagery to introduce the concept of grief. This book aims to normalize the topic of death by discussing what it means and how it feels to experience loss. It centers around several questions that arise about grief and honest, simple ways to answer them. While young children are avid observers and questioners of their world, adults often shut down or postpone conversations on complicated topics because it's hard to know where to begin. Research shows that talking about tough issues from the age of two not only helps children understand what they see, but also increases self-awareness, self-esteem, and allows them to recognize and confront things that are unfair, like discrimination and prejudice. These books offer a supportive approach that considers both the child and the adult. Stunning art accompanies the simple and interactive text, and the backmatter offers additional resources and ideas for extending this discussion"--.

"From the neuroscience of bereavement to trauma-informed pedagogies, social-emotional learning to teacher-wellbeing, "Leaning from Loss" comprises stories, strategies, and supporting evidence regarding best practices for teaching bereaved students and navigating themes of mortality at school"--.

"Kip is a quiet kid in a loud city. She's easy to miss and that's the way she likes it. Then, one day, Kip's quiet life is suddenly interrupted. Ten of her favorite characters have stepped out of their worlds and into hers. But what happens when a dragon-hunting rabbit leaves his comic strip? When an old man leaves his picture book? When a ninja leaves her TV show, a race-car driver leaves their video game, and a dinosaur turns up from Kip's nightmares?"--Provided by publisher.

A long ago "accident." An isolated girl named Aviva. A community that wants to help, but doesn't know how. And a ghostly dybbuk, that no one but Aviva can see, causing mayhem and mischief that everyone blames on her. That is the setting for this suspenseful novel of a girl who seems to have lost everything, including her best friend Kayla, and a mother who was once vibrant and popular, but who now can't always get out of bed in the morning. As tensions escalate in the Jewish community of Beacon with incidents of vandalism and a swastika carved into new concrete poured near the synagogue, so does the tension grow between Aviva and Kayla and the girls at their school, and so do the actions of the dybbuk grow worse. Could real harm be coming Aviva's way? And is it somehow related to the "accident" that took her father years ago? Aviva vs. the Dybbuk is a compelling, tender story about friendship and community, grief and healing, and one indomitable girl who somehow manages to connect them all.

Provides support and practical guidance for teenagers grieving the death of a friend, discussing the variety of feelings the experience can produce and how to handle them, whether it is wrong to have fun, what to do if friends start acting strangely, and how to find a counselor or therapist, and includes comments from teens and a directory of further resources.

"Since the 'accident' Aviva has lived with her mother in a tiny apartment above the mikvah that serves the women of their Orthodox shul. Aviva's good at sports. She's smart, but struggling a bit in school. She HAD a best friend, Kayla, but for mysterious reasons they've fallen out, and the other girls at school have sided against Aviva. Making matters worse, Aviva's mother has never quite recovered from the event that took Aviva's father's life. The community tries to help, but there's always a reason to turn down invitations to Shabbat dinner or other social occasions. Then there's the dybbuk, a ghostly boy who makes himself visible only to Aviva, and who does his best to cause trouble--emptying the purse of one visitor to the mikvah when she's not looking. Tearing up the check of another, when they really need the money. The dybbuk's antics start to get worse and worse, just as Aviva's deteriorated friendship with Kayla is pushed to a point of confrontation, and the town they both live in experiences a frightening escalation of anti-Semitic violence and vandalism...bringing up long-repressed memories of family tragedy. This story is intensely suspenseful and full of the questions so many middle schoolers face...from will I stop feeling so isolated at school to will our community be the target of intolerance and violence. But what gives this story such rich texture and detail are the surroundings and perspective of a contemporary Orthodox Jewish girl. Debut author Mari Lowe shows us the feelings of one appealing and vulnerable girl, in a story that is the definition of achieving the universal through the specific. Contributing to middle school readers what writers like Chaim Potok, Philip Roth, and Nathan Englander have given to adults, Mari Lowe combines elements of mystery, religion, and everyday troubles into an unforgettable story of one indomitable girl and the close community that is never more than a hands-reach away"--Provided by the publisher.

Draws on examples from the Harry Potter series and other classic children's books to help children and adolescents deal with their own grief and loss issues, offering activities, games, and discussion questions to help children cope with their emotions after the loss of a loved one.

"There are zero reasons for Theo Ripley to look forward to his family vacation. Not only are he, sister Laura, and nature-obsessed Dad going to Big Bend, the least popular National Park, but once there, the family will be camping. And Theo is an indoor animal. Then, Theo's dad hits him with a whopper of a surprise--an auditioning-to-be-his-stepmom girlfriend. Theo must find a way to face his grief and talk to his dad before his family is forever changed"--Provided by publisher.

On the day of his mother's funeral, a young boy conjures the very visitor he needs to see: a gorilla. Wise and gentle, the gorilla stays on to answer the heart-heavy questions the boy hesitates to ask his father: Where did his mother go? Will she come back home? Will we all die? Yet with the gorilla's friendship,the boy slowly begins to discover moments of comfort in tending flowers, playing catch, and climbing trees. Most of all, the gorilla knows that it helps to simply talk about the loss especially with those who share your grief and who may feel alone too.