Books for Readers Experiencing Loss

A good friend asked me for a list of books that might be helpful when children and families have lost a loved one. No one book is going to be perfect for all readers at all times, but I looked for books I've read dealing with life, death, loss and/or grief that may help create a space for helpful conversations. If you know of others or have found that any of these could be harmful rather than otherwise, please share your thoughts in the comments.

Death and how some people respond

All of a Sudden and Forever: Help and Healing After the Oklahoma City Bombing by Christ Barton and  Nicole Xu

Boats for Papa by Jessixa Bagley

Death is Stupid by Anastasia Higginbotham

The Funeral by Matt James

The Heart and the Bottle by Oliver Jeffers

A Last Goodbye by Elin Kelsey and Soyeon Kim

A Map Into the World by Kao Kalia Yang and Seo Kim

The Phone Booth in Mr. Hirota's Garden by Heather Smith and Rachel Wada

The Purple Balloon by Christopher Raschka

The Sad Book by Michael Rosen

The Scar by Charlotte Moundlic and Olivier Tallec

The Shared Room by Kao Kalia Yang and Xee Reiter

Where Do They Go? by Julia Alvarez with Sabra Field

*Where Do We Go When We Disappear? by Isabel Minhós Martins and Madalena Motoso (I haven't read this one yet)

Death of a grandparent

The Forever Sky by Thomas Peacock and Annette S. Lee

Grandma Lives in a Perfume Village by Fang Suzhen and Sonja Danowski

Grandmother's Visit by Betty Quan and Carmen Mok

Grandpa's Stories by Joseph Coelho and Allison Colpoys

Ocean Meets Sky by Terry Fan and Eric Fan

Saturdays are for Stella by Candy Wellins and Charlie Eve Ryan

The Yellow Suitcase by Meera Sriram and Meera Sethi

Death of animals

Always Remember by Cece Meng and Jago

Big Cat, Little Cat by Elisha Cooper

Blue by Laura Vacaro Seeger

*Ghost Cat by Kevan Atteberry (I haven't read this one yet)

Ida Always by Caron Levis and Charles Santoso

The Dead Bird by Margaret Wise Brown and Christian Robinson

The Day Tiger Rose Said Goodbye by Jane Yolen and Jim LaMarche

The End of Something Wonderful by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic and George Ermos

The Goodbye Book by Todd Parr

Goodbye Mousie by Robie H. Harris and Jan Ormerod

An Ordinary Day by Elana K. Arnold and Elizabet Vukovic

The Rough Patch by Brian Lies

Not directly about death, but affirming books and those that address strong emotions

All Because You Matter by Tami Chales and Bryan Collier
All Around Us by Xelena Gonzalez and Adriana M. Garcia
I'm Sad by Michael Ian Black and Debbie Ridpath Ohi
My Heart by Corinna Luyken
Life by Cynthia Rylant and Brendan Wenzel
The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld
When Sadness is at Your Door by Eva Eland
You Matter by Christian Robinson 

*edited 6/26/21 to add another I read recently by Chris Barton and a few books suggested by others on Twitter*