The Empty Place: A Child’s Guide Through Grief by Roberta Temes

Illustrated by Kim Carlisle. 48 p., Small Horizons, 1992.

A third-grade boy sometimes feels empty, sad, lonely, guilty, or scared because his sister, Jennifer, died after an illness. He is supported by a babysitter, Betsy, whose brother died in an accident. Betsy encourages the boy to remember Jennifer in ways that are helpful to him, and to talk to people about his feelings. She helps him to resolve his guilty feelings. She reassures him that his acute feelings of grief are not permanent, and that his parents will joke with him again. She encourages him to write his thoughts and feelings about Jennifer in a special notebook. He will use the notebook to keep his experiences of Jennifer with him always. This story offers children acceptance, a sense that others have had similar experiences, and a specific way to cope with grief.

Ages: 7-10
Cultural Context: European American

Leaving the Nest by Mordicai Gerstein

34 p., Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2007.

Growing up can come with lots of feelings and can mean trying out lots of new ways to be independent. In this story, a girl, a kitten, and a baby bird show some of these experiences. Curiosity, fascination, and self-confidence are set against uncertainty, lack of control, and a need to stay safe. Each character makes tentative steps toward independence, some going well at first, some going badly. Readers experience each character's perspective (as well as the mother bird's point of view) as the baby bird falls, the kitten tries to catch it, and the girl rescues it - only to find herself uncomfortably high up on a ladder when she tries to return it to its nest. Although she's independent enough to attempt this rescue, she's also able to get her Mommy's help when she needs it. Soon, everyone is in their right places and well taken care of, and the baby bird flies successfully. Children will find empathy for many of their own experiences of considering (or not considering) "leaving the nest."

Ages: 3-7
Cultural Context: European American

The Donut Chef by Bob Staake

40 p., Golden, 2008.

Getting caught up in competition can make us lose sight of what's really important. That's what happens to the donut chef of this rhyming story, along with everyone around him. He opens a very successful donut shop, but when another chef opens a competing shop, each tries so hard to outdo the other that what they're making stops resembling donuts. That is, until two-year-old Debbie Sue comes in and asks for a glazed donut. This leads other people to realize what they've been missing. In response, the chef begins to make glazed donuts - and eventually, nothing but glazed donuts. The illustrations are geometric and rather retro-looking, and the language is lively and fun; for example, "Some were square and some were starry,/Some looked just like calamari!/Some were airy, some were cone-y!/Some resembled macaroni!" In addition to showing children the sense of disconnectedness that can come from of excessive competition, this story also reminds them that it can be worthwhile to keep things simple.

Ages: 3-6
Cultural Context: multicultural

When I Was Five by Arthur Howard

40 p., Harcourt, 1996.

Six-year-old Jeremy tells about how very different things are now, compared to when he was five. He has different career goals (a baseball player or a diver, not an astronaut or a cowboy) and a different favorite car, favorite dinosaur, and favorite hiding place. But the one thing that stays the same is that Mark is still his best friend. This story makes a nice statement about being able to count on a friend in a changing world.

Ages: 4-7
Cultural Context: European American