Supporting a family through the death of a beloved animal is tender, complex work. Parents and caregivers often find themselves searching for the right words—both to understand their own grief and to guide children through theirs. This curated booklist brings together compassionate, accessible resources for all ages, offering language, stories, and perspectives that help families talk openly about death, honor their bond with their animal, and navigate the emotions that follow loss.
Book List for Your Family
Children’s Picture Books and Stories About Grief and Pet Loss
Children often make sense of loss through stories long before they can express their feelings directly. These picture books use simple language, relatable characters, and gentle metaphors to help kids understand what death means, what grief feels like, and how love continues even after a pet has died. They’re wonderful tools for starting conversations and supporting emotional expression.
- Rylant, C. (1997). Dog Heaven. Scholastic.
A colorful picture book that helps children imagine a playful afterlife with everlasting joy for their beloved dog. Besides the ‘heaven’ reference, this book is mostly nondenominational. - Rylant, C. (1997). Cat Heaven. Scholastic. Similar to Dog Heaven, this book offers children comfort in picturing a peaceful resting place for their cat.
- Karst, P. (2019). The Invisible Leash: An Invisible String Story About the Loss of a Pet. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. A reassuring story for children that highlights the enduring bond between them and their pet, even after the pet's passing.
- Wahman, W. (2021). Old Pearl. Athenium/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books. A picture book for children of all ages in which a young boy deals with the sadness of losing a pet in this gentle, sweet ode to how nothing can take away what lives in their heart.
- Viorst, J.202 (1971). The Tenth Good Thing About Barney. Atheneum. A classic children’s book that helps young readers process grief by remembering positive memories of their pet.
- Rogers, F. (1988). When a Pet Dies. Putnam. Written by Fred Rogers, of the classic children's TV program, this book speaks to kids about death and grief in simple, honest language.
- Kowalski, G. (2012). Goodbye, Friend: Healing Wisdom for Anyone Who Has Ever Lost a Pet. New World Library. A compassionate guide for adults navigating the emotional journey of losing a pet, with reflections and rituals for healing. Christian references.
Reading About Death, Dying and Grief to Support Your Family
Before we can help children make sense of a pet’s death, we often need language, perspective, and grounding for ourselves. Our chosen books offer broader guidance on grief and dying, giving you tools to communicate with compassion, answer hard questions, and support your family through loss.
- Dolan Del-Vecchio, K. and Lopez-Saxton, N. (2013). The Pet Loss Companion: Healing Advice from Family Therapists Who Lead Pet Loss Support Groups. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. Many find solace in this discussion of the emotional roller coaster that bereaved adult pet parents can experience, and in the authors’ helpful insights about how they have helped their clients and support group attendees navigate the experience of death. Also see their popular weekly podcast by the same name.
- Karnes, B. (1986). Gone from My Sight: The Dying Experience. Barbara Karnes Books. A classic, simple booklet that explains in clear, gentle terms how death occurs in both humans and animals. It can be useful in planning for a pet hospice-supported natural death, and also appropriate retrospectively if a pet dies unexpectedly without euthanasia assistance. Includes illustrations and is appropriate for preteen-level readers and older.
- Karnes, B. (2004). The Eleventh Hour: A Caring Guideline for the Hours to Minutes Before Death. Barbara Karnes Books. A compassionate guide that helps adults and children understand what to expect in the final stages of life, whether in a human hospice or when preparing youth for an animal to experience a hospice-supported natural death.
- Pope, G. (2008). Soar, My Butterfly: The Animal Dying Experience. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. A simple booklet to inform and comfort those who are accompanying a beloved animal companion on the journey to transition. Pet parents can prepare themselves and their children by building a deeper understanding of the specific signs and symptoms they may encounter at each stage of the dying process.
- Wolfelt, A. (1996). Helping Children Cope with Grief. Routledge. A practical resource for parents, teachers, and caregivers offering strategies to support children as they face loss.
- Wolfelt, A. (2004). A Child’s View of Grief: A Guide for Parents, Teachers, and Counselors. Companion Press. A concise booklet that helps adults understand how children experience grief and how to support them through it.
- Wolfelt, A. (2013). Companioning the grieving child: A soulful guide for caregivers. Companion Press. A comprehensive guide that provides compassionate insight and practical tools for supporting grieving children.
Bringing It Together for Your Loved Ones
Grief touches every member of a family differently, and there’s no single “right” way to move through the loss of a beloved animal. The books in this list—whether written for adults, children, or meant to be shared together—offer language, perspective, and comfort for every stage of the journey. Our hope is that these resources help you feel more prepared, more connected, and more supported as you navigate conversations about death, dying, and the love that remains. 🐾❣️👣🌈
