Books about death for children?

[AintNobodyHereButUsRavens]

I'm sure there's one I've seen mentioned that's about dinosaurs but I don't know what it's called. A friends little girl has become aware of death (no-one she knows personally) and she's now frightened that her family are going to die. She's 3 (or 4?). So I'm looking for books to recommend to my friend that might help.

Not sure if this is the sort of thing you’re after, but there’s one of the Mog books - I think it’s called Goodbye Mog - where Mog (a cat) dies.

Mog remains as a ghost cat watching the family for a while, and helps out their new kitten before flying off into the light.

Badger's Parting Gifts is brilliant. We read it lots of times when the DCs Granny died.

There's also a good one called 'Death, Duck and the Tulip' by Wolf Erlbruch.

There is a really good book called 'I found a dead bird' by Jan Thornhill but that one may be a bit old for a very young child.

The Paper Dolls? It’s good on how death is just part of life but I don’t know if it will help with fears that family are going to die.

The Mog book starts with Mog feeling very tired and closing her eyes. My ds didn't want to go to sleep for a month afterwards. But lots of people recommend it so maybe it was just my boy who got worried.

No Matter What by Debi Gliori

We have one about a willow tree. It deals with death really beautifully only I can't read it without sobbing. So my children totally ignore the message of the story and just wonder what's up with mum.

It's called Gentle Willow if you want to look it up.

There is also “The Tenth Good Thing Sbout Barney”. It’s also about a pet rather than a person, but it has, for me, the advantage of realism. (Spoiler alert) the tenth good thing about Barney is that he’s in the ground helping the plants to grow, rather than floating about watching over people. Whatever you believe about cats’ souls (or people’s, for that matter), that seems like a good place to start from.

If you look on Child Bereavment UK’s website you’ll find lots of useful links to books that might help. Considering her age, certain colouring in books that are geared towards younger children understanding death might be good.

Badger's Parting Gifts is brilliant. We read it lots of times when the DCs Granny died.

Yes, DD repeatedly asked for that after a beloved great uncle died when she was 3. This was before the Mog one... I had trouble reading that aloud without crying, you may need to read through beforehand and desensitise yourself a bit with some of these!