My Grandma Died

This gentle story is written for the very young. It uses simple, honest language to clarify that death is permanent, that the child will never again be able to bake cookies or rock with grandma. The child acknowledges that losing grandma is a greater loss than that of a toy or pet.

My Grandma Died assures the young child that it’s normal to feel angry, frightened and sad when grieving. It also helps a child distinguish between the emotional pain of grief and the physical pain of a scrape or sunburn. Carefully researched and reviewed by therapists who work with preschool and primary-age children, My Grandma Died offers practical, age-appropriate suggestions for coping with loss. The introduction is by a clinical psychologist.

Lory Britain (formerly Lory Freeman) is well known for her classic It’s MY Body and Loving Touches. For several years, she has worked in a large Oregon therapeutic early childhood/family support program, where staff therapists asked for a book that would help adults explain grief to young children.

Carol Deach, a Washington artist whose sensitive illustrations helped make It’s MY Body and Loving Touches successful, has created another collection of gender-neutral drawings that show children acknowledging and coping with death.