Why Do I Feel So Sad? A Grief Book for Children

Why Do I Feel So Sad? A Grief Book for Children
Author:
Tracey Lambert- Prater, LPC
Illustrator: Elena Napoli

Published: July 14, 2020
50 Pages

Reviewed By: Jessica
Date Read: August 9, 2020
Jessica’s Rating: 5 stars

Book Description:

Why Do I Feel So Sad? is an inclusive, age-appropriate, illustrated kid’s book designed to help young children understand their own grief. The examples and beautiful illustrations are rooted in real life, exploring the truth of loss and change, while remaining comforting and hopeful.

Broad enough to encompass many forms of grief, this book reassures kids that they are not alone in their feelings and even suggests simple things they can do to feel better, like drawing, dancing, and talking to friends and family.

Why Do I Feel So Sad? is:

  • Practical and compassionate—Written for early childhood-aged kids, this book touches on common sources of grief—everything from death to divorce or changing schools.
  • Different for everyone—This book normalizes the confusing thoughts and physical symptoms that come with grief, so kids know there’s no one right way to feel or heal.
  • Tips for grownups—Find expert advice and simple strategies for supporting grieving kids in your life.

Children don’t have to go through grief alone; this book provides the tools to help them.

Jessica’s Review:

This children’s picture book is THE resource aimed for children ages 5-7.  It is beautifully and brightly illustrated that enhances each sentence on the page.  This is one book I could see a parent reading with a child and also discussing the pictures.  Fortunately, this is also another picture book that shows a variety of diversity in the people shown on the pages. 

The sentences are simple and also bring about full understanding for the aimed age group.  This book shows that children, and yes, also adults can experience grief for a variety of reasons: From death, to the loss of a pet, a move, and possible changes in life such as divorce.  The book also shows children that they may feel a variety of different ways with their grief and that is ok. 

Throughout the book there are even questions posed to the child that they can answer, which in turn may help the adult they are reading the story with know how to help. It also shows how children can deal with their grief in a positive way. At the end there are resources given for both kids and adults to help with the grieving process.

This is a very well done children’s book that will help all children as they will at some point in life experience some kind of grief. 

I received a copy from the publisher via Amazon Vine.

Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK