In the spirit of the winter holidays, I’m highlighting two marvelous children’s grief books. Loss during the season of light and joy is especially painful. You give a great gift when you help families with children who are trying to make sense of such loss.
Cry, Heart, But Never Break is a courageous presentation of Death as unstoppable when inevitable, yet still gentle and kind. Written for children 4-8 years, the sparse text and soft watercolor illustrations tell the story of four siblings who try to keep Death from taking their beloved grandmother. When the time comes, Death tells a lovely story to illustrate how Sorrow is inextricably linked with Delight. So, too, Grief and Joy. The oldest child comforts a younger one: “Life is moving on. This is how it must be.” For youngsters dealing with loss, this book encourages them to see Death as kind and natural. It helps prepare them for the grief-and-remembering journey, one that is both painful and healing.
The Memory Box elaborates on the “remembering” part of children’s grief journey. This book features a girl who is sad after losing a loved one (no specifics) and fearful of forgetting that loved one. Readers watch her use a variety of techniques to remember her loved one and their special times together. Importantly, she moves on, creating new memories, which she shares with her loved one by keeping her loved one’s spirit alive in her heart.
Healthy Survivors do whatever it takes to help their children (and themselves) embrace life after the loss of a love.
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