This collection of books is offered as support for parents navigating the loss of a child. Some parents find comfort in reading, others prefer listening, and some may not feel ready at all. There is no right time and no right choice. Take what feels helpful and leave the rest.
“Some books don’t ask you to understand your grief — they simply keep you company.”
How to Choose a Book (A Gentle Guide)
If you are newly bereaved, choose books that focus on validation rather than solutions.
Audiobooks may be easier during periods of exhaustion or concentration difficulty.
Books written by parents who experienced a similar manner of death may feel more relatable.
It is okay to read only a few pages, skip sections, or stop entirely.
Many families prefer to borrow books from libraries at first — there is no pressure to purchase.
Below you will find resources for books organized in a manner to help you find what may resonate with you. Some books may be listed more than once. We recommend searching for your books on the following sites:
Buy: Amazon.com: Books Audiobook: Audible Library: WorldCat.org
BOOKS BY STAGE AND TYPE OF LOSS
Newly Bereaved
It’s OK That You’re Not OK – Megan Devine
Healing a Parent’s Grieving Heart – Alan D. Wolfelt
Bearing the Unbearable – Joanne Cacciatore
Books That Often Resonate with Mothers
Beyond Tears: Living After Losing a Child – Ellen Mitchell (Editor)
An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination – Elizabeth McCracken
Books That Often Resonate with Fathers
Grieving Dads – Kelly Farley
He Lost His Baby Too – Kelly Farley & David DiCola
Infant Loss, Stillbirth, or Miscarriage
Empty Cradle, Broken Heart — Deborah L. Davis
An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination — Elizabeth McCracken
Grieving the Child I Never Knew — Kathe Wunnenberg
The Grief Recovery Handbook — John W. James & Russell Friedman
Unspeakable Losses — Kimberly Sears
A Silent Sorrow — Ingrid Kohn & Perry-Lynn Moffitt
Sudden or Adult Child Loss (Any Cause)
The Unspeakable Loss — Nisha Zenoff
I Wasn’t Ready to Say Goodbye — Pamela D. Blair & Brook Noel
It’s OK That You’re Not OK — Megan Devine
Finding Meaning — David Kessler
Grief Is a Journey — Kenneth C. Haugk
A Parent’s Guide to Raising Grieving Children — Phyllis Silverman
Loss Due to Illness or Medical Causes
When a Child Dies from Cancer – Kenneth R. Dokken
A Grief Observed – C.S. Lewis
Healing a Parent’s Grieving Heart — Dena Yoost & Alan Wolfel
The Long Goodbye — Meghan O’Rourke
Gone from My Sight — Barbara Karnes
Grieving the Loss of Someone You Love — Raymond & Mardie Mitson
Accidental Death
Surviving the Death of a Child — Elizabeth Kübler-Ross
Bearing the Unbearable — Joanne Cacciatore
Life After Loss — Bob Deits
Sudden Loss — Brook Noel & Pamela D. Blair
Trauma and Grief — Peter A. Levine
After the Darkest Hour — Elizabeth Kübler-Ross
Suicide Loss
Note for Suicide Loss Resources:
Some of the books listed under Suicide Loss address topics such as self-harm, mental illness, and the circumstances surrounding a loved one’s death. These materials are included because many bereaved parents find validation, understanding, and relief in honest discussions of suicide loss. However, we encourage parents to approach these resources at their own pace, choose what feels supportive right now, and set aside any material that feels overwhelming. Support from a trusted person, counselor, or peer group may be especially helpful when engaging with suicide-loss content.
No Time to Say Goodbye — Carla Fine
After Suicide Loss — Sandy Fox & Bob Baugher
Parenting After the Death of a Child — Erica Goldblatt Hyatt
Touched by Suicide — Michael F. Myers & Carla Fine
Why People Die by Suicide — Thomas Joiner
Healing After the Suicide of a Loved One — Ann Smolin & John Guina
Books for Parents Seeking Comfort (Life after Death)
These resources are offered for comfort, curiosity, and hope. Parents are encouraged to explore what resonates and set aside anything that does not.
There is no right or wrong way to seek meaning after loss.
Core Soul-Journey & Afterlife Exploration
Journey of Souls — Michael Newton, PhD
Destiny of Souls — Michael Newton, PhD
Life Between Lives — The Michael Newton Institute
Near-Death Experiences & Consciousness Beyond Death
Evidence of the Afterlife — Jeffrey Long, MD
Proof of Heaven — Eben Alexander, MD
Consciousness Beyond Life — Pim van Lommel, MD
After — Bruce Greyson, MD
Signs, Communication & Continued Bonds
Signs — Laura Lynne Jackson
The Light Between Us — Laura Lynne Jackson
Hello from Heaven — Bill & Judy Guggenheim
Comfort-Centered Spiritual Reflections
Imagine Heaven — John Burke
Heaven Is for Real — Todd Burpo
The Afterlife of Billy Fingers — Annie Kagan
Soul Purpose, Reincarnation & Meaning
Many Lives, Many Masters — Brian L. Weiss, MD
Same Soul, Many Bodies — Brian L. Weiss, MD
The Soul’s Code — James Hillman
Life After Life — Raymond A. Moody, MD
The Eternal Soul — Jenny Wade, PhD
“When a child dies, the world changes. These books are not here to fix your grief, but to remind you that you are not alone as you learn to live in a changed world.”