Bird is Dead (a simple book on grief for children)

Sometimes when a child is grieving, she or he can take longer to recover than other people, who just tell them to ‘move on’. Here is a book to give hope and healing, to help children understand death, and learn to grieve and heal, when someone they love dies. Also read about grieving the death of companion animals.

Bird is Dead includes gentle words and images to make death an approachable subject, with illustrations by a therapist-turned-artist.

In a simple but warm way, this picture book of collaged birds can help discussions with children about what happens when someone (or an animal dies), how to understand feelings of grief and how people experience loss differently, when something tragic happens.

Bird is dead. Yesterday he was alive. How do the other birds know? On your back + feet up = dead. Some of the birds cry a little. And that’s alright.

Crying together can be nice. When it’s time to give Bird a funeral, they reminisce about him, and then have tea with worms (or cake, if you don’t like worms).

Winston’s Wish (free support for bereaved children)

Winston’s Wish is a charity that offers free accessible online grief support for children and young people up to age 25, who are bereaved or facing the death of someone close to them.