BLOGS > AUGUST 4, 2021
BY JILLIAN HEISE
It is never easy as a teacher to navigate a classroom community through loss. Whether it be a student, student’s family member, staff, or a beloved pet, death is something that a teacher will have to address with students at some point in their career. And in our current circumstances of a global pandemic, it is even more heavily on the minds of educators and children.
So what can we do when these heartbreaking situations come up? How can we help support students through grief and loss with a sense of empathy and support for remembrance? We can turn to picture books to guide our way.
Every school year, I get questions or see posts asking about good picture books on loss to share with a class or gift to someone who is grieving. It can be hard -- as educators are not social workers or counselors -- to know what to do, and many teachers are afraid of messing it up and making it worse. Sometimes the best thing to do is talk about it. Sometimes the best thing to do is not talk about it. Sometimes the best thing to do is a combination of both. I do believe in the power of #ClassroomBookADay to be responsive to the needs of the kids in a particular classroom, and that means I can’t just keep pushing forward with books I have planned when tragedy befalls our classroom, school, or broader community. I need to be able to use the choices of read-alouds to support the emotional needs of students and staff. Sometimes that will mean bringing in a picture book that might help us laugh and feel normal again. And other times it means we will need to face it head-on.
When someone experiences a loss, we often see prayers for comfort and peace. I believe that through sharing any of these 20 picture books, those moments of peace and comfort in the memories can be found, as well as the support for knowing they are not alone in feeling sad or angry or helpless as well. Because when tragedy happens, I turn to books to say what I sometimes don’t know how to say myself. I hope these books will be useful to you. I hope you will find some comfort in them. And I hope they will help you to guide students, or yourself, through stages of grief in a supportive way.
Jillian Heise
Jillian Heise, NBCT and MLIS, is currently a K-5 Library Media Teacher in southeastern Wisconsin. She previously taught Grades 7 and 8 ELA in the Milwaukee area for 11 years. Jillian is the founder of #classroombookaday and dedicated to supporting all student identities and lived experiences through access to inclusive literature. She brings her literacy expertise and knowledge of kidlit to her role as Chair of the USRA Children's Literature Committee. You can find Jillian online at Heise Reads & Recommends and @heisereads.
Read all Jillian Heise #ClassroomBookADay articles here.
Watch webinar recording presented by Jillian Heise, Building Community: #ClassroomBookADay Read-Alouds.
Preview exciting fall 2025 eGalleys from Capstone!
September 15, 2025
We’ve partnered with Capstone and NetGalley* to provide digital access to 15 upcoming nonfiction and fiction titles releasing January 1, 2026. You’ll want to take advantage of this early access so you can then preorder the titles you love on...
Read more
Why the Food Group Series Continues to Take the Cake
September 15, 2025
From The Bad Seed to The Smart Cookie, Jory John and Pete Oswald’s Food Group series has become a staple in classrooms and libraries across the country. With its clever characters, laugh-out-loud humor, heartfelt lessons, and captivating illustrations, the series has helped educators...
Read more
2025 Fall Into Reading Giveaway with Orca Book Publishers
September 15, 2025
Three lucky winners will receive these new Orca releases – including both fiction and nonfiction – for their collection. Don’t miss out! Enter our giveaway by October 13, 2025 for your chance to win. Enter Today All the Things We FoundBy Joanne...
Read more
What We're Reading - September 2025 Edition
August 13, 2025
Welcome to another installment of What We’re Reading, a space where we share the titles we’re currently devouring – especially the ones that transport us to magical worlds filled with mythical creatures and daring adventures.This month, we’re diving into Impossible...
Read more
August 1, 2025
Camp Out with a Good Book: Fall 2025 Book eFairsDiscover some of the most anticipated books coming to Follett Book eFairs this fall in the Title Highlight Flyers below. Then, don’t miss the next chapter in our fun-filled camping adventure...
Read more
Unbeatable Deals on Favorite Next-in-Series Books
July 15, 2025
Plot twist! For a limited time only, Follett Content is offering next-in-series releases at an amazing preorder discount. These hit series are beloved by readers of all ages, and the new installments are sure to be favorites in your classroom or...
Read more