Top Children’s Picture Books

 

When a pet dies, the right children’s book can help kids deal with the death of a pet. It may be a book about dog heaven, a book about what happens when a cat dies, a special day for a dying dog or a burial for a beloved pet mouse. These ten children’s picture books about the death of a pet will provide comfort to children ages 3-12 and their families when a dog, cat or other pet dies. The authors and illustrators of these children’s picture books pay homage to the enduring love between a pet and a child and a pet and a family through their stories. Sharing a children’s picture book about the death of a pet can provide an opportunity for children to express their feelings when a beloved pet dies.

Dog Heaven

Dog Heaven, an affectionate and joyous look at what heaven must be like for dogs, can be a great comfort for both children and adults who believe in a heaven as a place where dogs go. When our dog died, I bought this children’s picture book, which was written and illustrated by Cynthia Rylant, for my husband and it helped to ease his grief. With text and full-page acrylic paintings, Rylant shows a heaven filled with dogs’ favorite things. 

Goodbye, Mousie

Goodbye, Mousie is an excellent picture book for 3-5-year-olds dealing with the death of a pet. With denial, then a mixture of anger and sadness, a little boy reacts to the death of his pet. With sensitivity and love, his parents help him prepare to bury Mousie. He finds comfort in painting the box Mousie is to be buried in and filling it with things the mouse would enjoy. This reassuring story by Robie H. Harris is beautifully illustrated with muted watercolor and black pencil artwork by Jan Ormerod.

The Tenth Good Thing About Barney

The Tenth Good Thing About Barney by Judith Viorst, with illustrations by Erik Blegvad, is a classic. A boy grieves about the death of his cat, Barney. His mother suggests he think of ten good things to remember about Barney. His friend Annie thinks Barney is in heaven, but the boy and his father aren’t sure. Remembering Barney as brave, smart, funny, and more is a comfort, but the boy can’t think of the tenth thing until he realizes that “Barney’s in the ground and he’s helping to grow flowers.”

Jasper’s Day

Jasper’s Day, by Marjorie Blain Parker, is a poignant, yet wonderfully comforting, picture book about a beloved dying dog’s special day before he is euthanized by the vet. Having been through the experience several times, the book really moved me. Janet Wilson’s chalk pastels beautifully illustrate a little boy’s love for his dog and the whole family’s sadness as they say goodbye by giving Jasper a last day filled with his favorite activities.

Lifetimes: The Beautiful Way to Explain Death to Children

Lifetimes: The Beautiful Way to Explain Death to Children by Bryan Mellonie is an excellent book to use to introduce death as part of the cycle of life in nature. It starts, “There is a beginning and ending for everything that is alive. In between is living.” The artwork for that text is a full-page painting of a bird’s nest with two eggs nestled in it. The text and beautifully rendered illustrations by Robert Ingpen include animals, flowers, plants, and people. This picture book is perfect for introducing young children to the concept of death without scaring them.