Loving left with me" : an annotated selective bibliography of books about death and grief

Abstract

The purpose of this bibliography is to provide multiple access points, including subject access, to age appropriate books dealing with death and grief for children and teenagers, aged 0 to 16 years. There is also a section of non-fiction books for adults. This acknowledges the fact that when a child suffers a loss, then there will usually be a grieving adult. Death can be a taboo topic in today's Western societies, one which adults find difficult to discuss and explain. However much adults try to protect them, children are not immune to losses both small and large. This bibliography is meant to act as a guide to books which can help introduce and explain the subject of death. The use of books for this purpose is termed bibliotherapy, a concept which therapists and counsellors are increasingly using. There are many definitions of bibliotherapy, the most basic one is: Bibliotherapy is the therapeutic use of books in the treatment of illness or personal problems. (Stanley. Jacqueline. Reading to heal: how to use bibliotherapy to improve your life. Boston, Mass.: Element, 1999. p 3.)

The bibliography's indexes provide multiple access points to enable adults to select books appropriate to their child or teenager and/or to their situation. The indexes include. title author illustrator subject New Zealand/Australian/Pacific Authorship The Subject indexes include the relationship of the deceased to the child and the cause of death.