Good Grief Books

Adult Grief Information

General Information
~ Don’t Take My Grief Away by Doug Manning
~ When Bad Things Happen to Good People by Harold Kushner
~ Life is Goodbye, Life is Hello by Alla Renee Bozarth
~ Courage to Grieve by Judy Tatelbaum
~ More Than Surviving by Kelly Osmont
~ Grief by Joy and Dr. Marvin Johnson
~ The Wilderness of Grief by Alan Wolfelt
~ No One Should See What I Have Seen by Joy Johnson (in-depth look at dealing with severe trauma)
~ Praying Through Grief by Mauryeen O’Brien
~ Hello From Heaven, by William Guggenheim and Judy Guggenheim (after-death communication experiences)
~ Experiencing Life After Death: A Soul Journey that Everyone Should Take by Rev Keala Vai
~ Talking to the Living and the Dead – Soul to Soul Communications by Rev Keala Vai
~ Healing Grief, Finding Peace: 101 Ways to Cope with the Death of Your Loved One by Dr. Louis LaGrand
~ Love Lives On: Learning from the Extraordinary Encounters of the Bereaved by Dr. Louis LaGrand
~ After Death Communication: Final Farewells by Dr. Louis LaGrand
~ NEW Guided Afterlife Connections: They Come to Change Lives by Rochelle Wright, MS and R. Craig Hogan, PhD

Just for Men
~ Swallowed by a Snake: The Gift of the Masculine Side of Healing by Thomas R. Golden
~ When a Man Faces Grief by James E. Miller & Thomas Golden
~ When Men Grieve: Why Men Grieve Differently and How You Can Help by Elizabeth Levang
~ A Look in the Mirror: A Handbook for Widowers by Ed Ames
~ Widower’s Toolbox by G. J. Schaefer
~ Sweeping Up the Heart: A Father’s Lament for His Daughter by Paul W. Nisly
~ When Goodbye is Forever: Learning to Live Again after the Loss of a Child by John Bramblett (a father’s story)
~ Into the Valley and Out Again by Richard Edler (a father’s story)
~ Grieving Dads: To the Brink and Back by Kelly Farley
~ A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss by Jerry Sittser (death of wife, mother, & daughter)
~ Facing a Father’s Feeling of Failure by Wayne N. Taylor
~ A Child Lost in Flight: Moving on After Tragedy on Flight 229 by Mohan K
~ Amy, My Daughter by Mitch Winehouse
~ Learning to Laugh When You Feel Like Crying: Embracing Life After Loss by Allen Klein (death of a young spouse)
~ Real Men Do Cry by Eric Hipple (A Quarterback’s Inspiring Story of Tackling Depression and Surviving Suicide Loss)
~ My Shoshana: a Father’s Journey Through Loss by Rabbi Rafael Grossman
~ NEW When a Child Dies from Drugs: Practical Help for Parents in Bereavement by Pat Wittberger and Russ Wittberger
~ NEW Gone Boy: A Father’s Search for the Truth in His Son’s Murder by Gregory Gibson
~ NEW Letters to My Son, Turning Loss to Legacy by Mitchell Carmody and Alan Petersen

Homicidal Bereavement
~ No Time for Goodbyes: Coping with Sorrow, Anger, and Injustice After a Tragic Death by Janice Lord
~ Just Us: Overcoming and Understanding Homicidal Loss and Grief by Wanda Henry-Jenkins
~ What to Do When the Police Leave: A Guide to the First Days of Traumatic Loss by Bill Jenkins & Patricia Cornwell

Spouses in Grief
~ A Look in the Mirror: A Handbook for Widowers by Ed Ames
~ Moving to the Center of the Bed by Sheila Weinstein
~ Widower’s Toolbox by G. J. Schaefer
~ Widowed by Dr. Joyce Brothers
~ Widowed Without Warning by Joanne Shortley-Lalonde
~ Taking the Trip: A Journey Through Widowhood by Romaine Presnell
~ I’m Grieving As Fast As I Can: How Young Widows and Widowers Can Cope and Heal by Linda Sones Feinberg
~ Moving Forward on Your Own: A Financial Guidebook for Widows by Kathleen M. Rehl Ph.D. CFP
~ A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss by Jerry Sittser (auto accident; multiple deaths)
~ Finding your Way After Your Spouse Dies by Marta Felber
~ Learning to Laugh When You Feel Like Crying: Embracing Life After Loss by Allen Klein (death of a young spouse)
~ STUNNED by Grief: Remapping Your Life When Loss Changes Everything by Judy Brizendine
~ STUNNED by Grief Journal by Judy Brizendine
~ The Sisterhood of Widows: Sixteen Stories of Grief, Anger and Healing by Mary Francis

Bereaved Adult Children and Siblings
~ Recovering from the Loss of a Parent by Katherine Donnelly
~ When Parents Die: A Guide for Adults by Edward Myers ~ Losing a Parent: Practical Help for You and Other Family Members by Fiona Marshall
~A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss by Jerry Sittser (auto accident; multiple deaths)
~ Finding Your Way after Your Parent Dies by Rev. Richard Gilbert & Darcie D. Sims
~ Before Their Time edited by Mary Stimming & Maureen Stimming (adult children’s experiences of parental suicide)
~ Motherless Daughters: The Legacy of Loss by Hope Edelman
~ Recovering from the Death of a Sibling by Katherine Donnelly
~ Letters to Sara: The Agony of Adult Sibling Loss by Anne McCurry
~ An Empty Chair: Living in the Wake of a Sibling’s Suicide by Sara Swan Miller
~ Do They Have Bad Days in Heaven? Surviving the Suicide Loss of a Sibling by Michelle Linn-Gust
~ When All That is Left of Me is Love by Linda Campanella

Survivors of Suicide
~ NEW Artful Grief: A Diary of Healing by Sharon Strouse (teen suicide)
~ After Suicide: A Ray of Hope for Those Left Behind by Joseph Richman, Eleanora Betsy Ross
~ This is Survivable – When Someone You Love Completes Suicide by Sondra Sexton-Jones
~ The Empty Chair–The Journey Of Grief After Suicide by Beryl S. Glover, Glenda Stansbury (Editor)
~ Survivors of Suicide by Rita Robinson & Phyllis Hart
~ Before Their Time edited by Mary & Maureen Stimming (adult children’s experiences of parental suicide)
~ An Empty Chair: Living in the Wake of a Sibling’s Suicide by Sara Swan Miller, Martin B. Miller (Preface)
~ His Bright Light: The Story of Nick Traina by Danielle Steel (her son’s death by suicide)
~ A Message of Hope by Pat Overley (son’s death by suicide)
~ Do They Have Bad Days in Heaven? Surviving the Suicide Loss of a Sibling by Michelle Linn-Gust
~ Someone I Love Died By Suicide by Doreen Cammarata (helping children cope with a loved one’s death)
~ Leaving the Hall Light On: A Mother’s Memoir of Living with Her Son’s Bipolar Disorder and Surviving His Suicide by Madeline Sharples
~ Real Men Do Cry by Eric Hipple (A Quarterback’s Inspiring Story of Tackling Depression and Surviving Suicide Loss)
~ After Suicide Loss by Bob Baugher, Ph.D. and Jack Jordan, Ph.D.
~ The Last Teenage Suicide by Norman Geller (suicide death of a friend)
~ After a Parent’s Suicide: Helping Children Heal by Margo Requarth (explaining suicide to children and teens)
~ After a Suicide Death by The Dougy Center (an Activity Book for Grieving Kids)
~ But I Didn’t Say Goodbye by Barbara Rubel (helping children and families after a suicide)
~ NEW Devastating Losses: How Parents Cope with the Loss of a Child to Suicide or Drugs by William Feigelman, John Jordan, John McIntosh, and Beverly Feigelman

Suicide Prevention
~ Suicide: Prevention, Intervention, Postvention by Earl A. Grollman
~ A Teenager’s Book About Suicide by Earl Grollman
~ Hurting Yourself by Jeanne Harper (for teens who have attempted suicide)
~ NEW Save the Teens by Carolyn Zahnow

AIDS Death
~ AIDS: The Ultimate Challenge by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
~ Recovering from the Loss of a Loved One from AIDS by Katherine Donnelly
~ Losing Uncle Tim by Mary Kate Jordan (explaining AIDS death to children age 8+)

Bereaved Parents

General Information
~ NEW Artful Grief: A Diary of Healing by Sharon Strouse (child suicide)
~ NEW Creating a New Normal… After the Death of a Child by Sandy Fox
~ NEW I Have No Intention of Saying Goodbye by Sandy Fox
~ Children Die, Too by Joy and Marv Johnson
~ Dear Parents: Letters to Bereaved Parents by Joy Johnson
~ Recovering from the Loss of a Child by Katherine Donnelly
~ The Bereaved Parent by Harriett Sarnoff-Schiff
~ Roses In December By Marilyn Willett Heavilin (multiple deaths of children)
~ For Better or Worse by Maribeth Wilder Doerr (handbook for couples whose child has died)
~ Single Parent Grief by Sherokee Ilse
~ What Can I Say and Do? By Kelly Osmont (what to say or do for a bereaved parent, employee, or relative)
~ Who Lives Happily Ever After (violent death) by Sharon Turnbull
~ When a Child Has Been Murdered by Bonnie Hunt Conrad
~ Lessons by Susan Abbott (terminal illness death)
~ Remember Lee by Linda Musser (auto accident death)
~ A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss by Jerry Sittser (auto accident; multiple deaths)
~ A Mother’s Journey of Love, Loss and Beyond by Jennifer L. Scalise (accidental death)
~ Never Too Old for a Lullaby by Juanita White (death of an adult child)
~ Momma Mockingbird by Sauni Wood (death of an adult child)
~ My Son, My Son by Iris Bolton (suicide death)
~ His Bright Light: The Story of Nick Traina by Danielle Steel (her son’s death by suicide)
~ Suicide of a Child by Adina Wrobleski
~ A Message of Hope by Pat Overley (son’s death by suicide)
~ Leaving the Hall Light On: A Mother’s Memoir of Living with Her Son’s Bipolar Disorder and Surviving His Suicide by Madeline Sharples
~ When Every Day Matters: A Mother’s Memoir on Love, Loss and Life by Mary Jane Hurley Brant (death of an adult child/cancer)
~ When a Child Dies from Drugs: Practical Help for Parents in Bereavement by Pat Wittberger and Russ Wittberger
~ Journeys of Grief: Miracles Do Happen by Sheila Kay Turner
~ Heaven’s Child by Caroline Flohr (teen car accident)
~ Griefland by Armen Bacon and Nancy Miller (accidental overdose)
~ NEW Recapturing the Joy: A Journal for bereaved Parents by Deb Anthony
~ NEW Amost 18: A Mother’s Journey Through Grief

Father’s Grief
~ Sweeping Up the Heart: A Father’s Lament for His Daughter by Paul W. Nisly
~ Into the Valley and Out Again by Richard Edler
~ When Goodbye is Forever: Learning to Live Again After the Loss of a Child (a father’s story) by John Bramblett
~ Grieving Dads: To the Brink and Back by Kelly Farley
~ A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss by Jerry Sittser (auto accident; multiple deaths)
~ Facing a Father’s Feeling of Failure by Wayne N. Taylor
~ Amy, My Daughter by Mitch Winehouse
~ A Child Lost in Flight: Moving on After Tragedy on Flight 229 by Mohan K
~ My Shoshana: a Father’s Journey Through Loss by Rabbi Rafael Grossman
~ When a Child Dies from Drugs: Practical Help for Parents in Bereavement by Pat Wittberger and Russ Wittberger
~ New Beyond Tears: Living After Losing a Child by Ellen Mitchell
~ New Letters to My Son, Turning Loss to Legacy by Mitchell Carmody and Alan Petersen

Infant Death
~ When Hello Means Goodbye by Pat Schwiebert, R.N. & Paul Kirk, M.D.
~ An Empty Cradle, A Full Heart by Christine O’Keeffe Lafser
~ Empty Cradle, Broken Heart: Surviving the Death of Your Baby by Deborah L. Davis
~ Newborn Death by Centering Corporation ~ Healing Together (for couples whose baby died) by M. Lister and S. Lowell
~ MotherCare by Sherokee Ilse (physical care & beyond after a baby dies)
~ Another Baby? Maybe… by Sherokee Ilse (pregnancy after loss)
~ Coming to Term: A Father’s Story of Birth, Loss, and Survival by William H.  Woodwell
~ When a Baby Dies by the Compassionate Friends
~ Sibling Grief – After Miscarriage, Stillbirth, or Infant Death (grief experienced by surviving brothers and sisters)
~ Grieving Grandparents by Sherokee Isle and Lori Leininger
~ When a Grandchild Dies by Nadine Galinsky ~ Grandparents Cry Twice by Mary Lou Reed

Pre-Natal Losses
~ Miscarriage by Centering Corporation
~ Miscarriage: A Man’s Book by Rick Wheat
~ All Seasons Pass by Martha Manning
~ Empty Arms: Coping After Miscarriage, Stillbirth and Infant Death by Sherokee Ilse
~ Unsupported Losses by Sherokee Ilse (ectopic and molar pregnancy)
~ Ectopic Pregnancy Centering Corporation Resource

Pregnancy After Loss
~ Another Baby? Maybe. . . by Sherokee Ilse with Maribeth Doerr
~ Trying Again: A Guide to Pregnancy After Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and Infant Loss by Ann Douglas
~ Helping Children Cope with Infant Sibling Death
~ Talking With Children About Perinatal Loss by Bereavement Services Resource
~ Where’s Jess? A book for Siblings by Ray and Jody Goldstein (death of a young sibling)

Death of an Only Child or All Children
Alive Alone by Kay Bevington (booklet and newsletter) 1112 Champaign Drive, Van Wert, OH 45891 http://www.alivealone.org This is an EXCELLENT web site with much information and recommended books for bereaved parents ~ We Need Not Walk Alone (magazine) by the Compassionate Friends organization

Books for Parents with No Surviving Children
~ Now Childless by Kay Bevington & Don Hackett
~ First You Die by Marie Levine
~ Not So Small a Circle by Rita Stout
~ Parting is Not Goodbye by Kelly Osmont
~ Saying Olin to Say Goodbye by Don Hackett
~ Standing Beside You by Linda Mauer
~ The Secret Wound by Lois Gold

Children and Grief

Explaining Death to Children
~ Tell Me, Papa by Joy & Marv Johnson ages 3-8 (explaining death & funerals)
~ Lifetimes: A Beautiful Way to Explain Death to Children by B. Mellonie & R. Ingpen (ages) 3-8
~ I Know I Made It Happen by Lynn Blackburn (helping children understand it was not their fault)
~ Children Grieve, Too by Joy and Marv Johnson
~ Keys to Helping Children Deal with Death and Grief by Joy Johnson
~ Lean on Me Gently by Doug Manning
~ Healing a Child’s Grieving Heart by Alan Wolfelt
~ Healing a Teen’s Grieving Heart by Alan Wolfelt
~ Grief Comes to Class – An Educator’s Guide by Majel Gliko-Braden
~ Sibling Grief by Marcia Scherago (a parent’s guide for all age groups)
~ Helping Children Grieve – When Someone They Love Dies by Theresa Huntley
~ Helping Children Cope with Death by The Dougy Center
~ Adolescent Encounters with Death, Bereavement and Coping by David Balk & Charles Corr
~ Helping the Grieving Student: A Guide for Teachers by The Dougy Center
~ When Death Comes to Your School by The Dougy Center
~ After a Murder: A Workbook for Grieving Kids by The Dougy Center
~ Never the Same: Coming to Terms with the Death of a Parent by The Dougy Center (for children under age 18)
~ When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide to Understanding Death by Laura Kransy Brown
~ NEW Loss by Patricia Hortense Murphy and Diane Matyas

Books for Children
~ NEW Am I Like My Daddy? by Marcy Blesy (for children of all ages)
~ Thank You for Coming to Say Goodbye by Roberts & Johnson age 6-12 (death & funerals)
~ Timothy Duck by Lynn Blackburn ages 6-10 (death of a friend)
~ The Snowman by Robin Vogel ages 5-10 (death of a dad)
~ A Quilt for Elizabeth by Benette Tiffault ages 8-11 (dad’s death)
~ Learning to Say Goodbye: When a Parent Dies by Edna LeShan ages 8+
~ Secret Places: The Story of a Child’s Adventure with Grief by James Campbell age 7-10 (father’s death)
~ I Heard Your Mommy Died by Mark Scrivani ages 3-7
~ I Heard Your Daddy Died by Mark Scrivani ages 3-7
~ Someone Special Died by Joan Singleton Prestine (for young children)
~ When Someone VERY Special Dies by Marge Heegaard (a workbook to help kids grieve ages 9+)
~ A Terrible Thing Happened by Margaret M. Holmes (for children who have witnessed violence and trauma ages 4+)
~ We Were Going to Have a Baby But We Had an Angel Instead by Pat Schwiebert (ages 3+)
~ Brave Bart by Caroline H. Sheppard (traumatized cat seeking help to cope)
~ The Empty Place by Roberta Tremes ages 5-10 (death of a sibling)
~ No New Baby by Centering Corporation (for children 4-8 whose mommy miscarries)
~ Am I Still a Sister? by Alicia Sims ages 6+
~ It’s OK: Survival Kit for Bereaved Brothers and Sisters by Thomas Crouthamel, Sr.
~ Grandpa’s Berries by Julie Dickerson ages 7-10
~ Green Mittens for Grandma by Bernice Hanks ages 5-9
~ After a Parent’s Suicide by Margo Requarth (explaining suicide to children and teens)
~ A Child Remembers by Enid Traisman (grief journal for children ages 8-12)
~ NEW And Still They Bloom: A Family’s Journey of Loss and Healing by Amy Rovere (ages 9 – 12)
~ NEW The Fall of Freddie the Leaf: A Story Of Life For All Ages by Leo Buscaglia
~ NEW The Giving Tree by Shel Siverstein ahes 10+
~ NEW My Uncle Keith Died by Carol Loehr (suicide death)

Books for Teens
~ How It Feels When a Parent Dies by Jill Krementz (age 6-18)
~ Facing Change by Donna O’Toole
~ Dear Zoe by Phillip Beard
~ Healing Your Grieving Heart for Teens by Alan Wolfelt
~ When a Friend Dies by Marilyn Gootman
~ Straight Talk About Death for Teenagers by Earl Grollman
~ Flowers for the Ones You’ve Known by Centering Corporation (letters from grieving teens)
~ When Death Walks In by Mark Scrivani
~ I Will Remember You by Laura Dower
~ The Grieving Teen by Helen Fitzgerald
~ Help for Hard Times by Earl Hipp
~ The Last Teenage Suicide by Norman Geller (suicide death of a friend)
~ After a Parent’s Suicide: Helping Children Heal by Margo Requarth (explaining suicide to children and teens)
~ After a Suicide Death by The Dougy Center (an Activity Book for Grieving Kids)
~ But I Didn’t Say Goodbye by Barbara Rubel (helping children and families after a suicide)
~ In My World by Linda Lazar (journal for teens who are facing a life-threatening illness)
~ Hurting Yourself by Jeanne Harper (for teens who have attempted suicide)
~ A Teenager’s Book About Suicide by Earl Grollman
~ Fire in My Heart, Ice in My Veins by Enid Traisman (grief journal for teens)
~ NEW If Only by Carole Geithner (returning to school after a parent’s death)

Surviving the Holidays

~ The Empty Chair by Robert C. De Vries & Susan Zonnebelt-Smeenge (bereaved spouses)
~ A Decembered Grief: Living with Loss While Others are Celebrating by Harold Ivan Smith
~ Healing Your Holiday Grief: 100 Practical Ideas for Blending Mourning and Celebration During the Holiday Season by Alan Wolfelt
~ Holiday Hope: Remembering Loved Ones During Special Times of the Year by Fairview Press (short essays with practical tips for coping with grief)
~ Thoughts for the Holidays by Doug Manning
~ 35 Ways to Help a Grieving Child from the Dougy Center
~ Getting Past Christmas by Carlene Enroth
~ Sweet memories by Elaine Stillwell (creating memories for the holidays)
~ Helping the Bereaved Celebrate the Holidays by James Miller
~ How Will I Get Through the Holidays? by James Miller
~ Mourning Discoveries by Roberts & Findlay (for bereaved parents and their families)

Additional Resources

~ Understanding Teenage Depression by Maureen Empfield & Nicholas Bakalar
~ When Nothing Matters Anymore: A Survival Guide for Depressed Teens by Bev Cobain
~ The Scale of Peace by Elizabeth Ann Rogers (about prejudice)
~ Nobody Knew What to Do by Becky McCain (bullying ages 6-9)
~ Don’t Pick on Me by Susan Green (bullying ages 9-12)
~ My Body is Private by Linda Girard (sexual abuse ages 6-10)
~ The Hurt by Teddi Doleski (hurtful words and healing ages 6-8)

Divorce
~ Growing Through Divorce by Jim Smoke

Families and Relationships
~ NEW Violence Among Us: Ministry to Families in Crises by Brenda Brandson and Paula J. Silva

Mental Illness ~ Bi-Polar Disorder
~ NEW Madness: A Bipolar Life by Marya Hornbacher
~ NEW An Unquiet Mind – A Memoir of Moods and Madness by Kay Redfield Jamison
~ NEW Girl Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen
~ NEW The Center Cannot Hold by Elyn R. Saks

Places to Find Books about Grief

~ Amazon
~ Barnes and Noble
~ Centering Corporation is the largest resource in North America for grief resources. They have a free catalogue. Phone: 866-218-0101 EMAIL

Links of Interest

~ The Dougy Center
~ Grow - Grief Recovery Online
~ Inspire - various topics
~ National Alliance for Grieving Children

**If you are looking for a book about a specific type of loss or grief issue OR you have a book that you would like to recommend to add to this list, please feel free to contact me:
Peggy Sweeney
Bereavement Educator
The Sweeney Alliance
(830) 377-7389
peggy@sweeneyalliance.org