Skip to content

Support

Bereavement resources

The books and booklets chosen for our Good Grief Kits, gathered in one place. Take whatever time you need - this page will be here whenever you want to come back to it.

Illustration of a shelf of books with a heart resting beside them

How these were chosen

Chosen with care, grounded in continuing bonds

Every resource on this page comes from our Good Grief Kits, and every kit is grounded in Continuing Bonds Theory - a widely recognised approach to bereavement support which acknowledges that grief is not about “letting go” of someone who has died, but about finding healthy ways to maintain an ongoing connection with them.

Each kit includes an age-appropriate grief and loss booklet produced by Barnardo’s, alongside books chosen for that age and stage. Together they offer practical opportunities to remember, express feelings, ask questions and create lasting memories.

To see how each resource is used alongside the other items in its kit, visit Good Grief Littles (ages 3–8), Middles (8–12), Teens (12–18) and Adults (18+).

Illustration of an open book, with a line rising from its pages into an infinity symbol

Resource library

Resources by age and stage

These are the books and booklets included in our Good Grief Kits, grouped by who they were chosen for. As this hub grows, we plan to add sections for parents and carers, schools, healthcare, and sports and community groups.

  • Children

    Barnardo's Grief and Loss Booklet (children)

    An age-appropriate grief and loss booklet produced by Barnardo's, included with the Good Grief Littles (ages 3–8) and Middles (8–12) Kits. It helps children and families understand common grief reactions, explore feelings, develop coping strategies, ask questions about death and loss, and access further support if needed.

  • Children

    The Invisible String - Patrice Karst

    Included in the Good Grief Littles and Middles Kits, and widely used by bereavement practitioners, educators and children's mental health professionals. The story introduces the idea that love remains connected between people even when they are physically apart, giving children a gentle, age-appropriate way to understand that relationships continue after death.

  • Children

    If You Read This - Kereen Getten

    Included in the Good Grief Middles Kit (ages 8–12). An award-winning novel, recommended by BookTrust, that follows twelve-year-old Brie as she navigates life after the death of her mother - discovering clues, letters and memories that help her reconnect with her mother's love and legacy.

  • Young people

    Barnardo's Bereavement Resource for Young People

    A printed, age-appropriate bereavement booklet from Barnardo's, included in the Good Grief Teens Kit (ages 12–18). It offers information about grief, reassurance that grief reactions vary, practical coping strategies, and activities for reflection and emotional expression. It can also help parents, carers, teachers and youth workers understand and respond to adolescent grief.

  • Young people

    The Fault in Our Stars - John Green

    Included in the Good Grief Teens Kit. An internationally acclaimed novel exploring love, loss, legacy, mortality and the impact people have on one another's lives. It offers no simplistic answers to grief - instead it acknowledges both heartbreak and hope.

  • Adults

    Barnardo's Bereavement Resource (adults and families)

    A printed bereavement information booklet from Barnardo's, included in the Good Grief Adults Kit (18+). It covers common grief responses, practical coping suggestions, self-care and seeking support - and can also help adults support bereaved children and young people in their family while managing their own grief.

  • Adults

    Bearing the Unbearable - Dr Joanne Cacciatore

    Included in the Good Grief Adults Kit. Drawing on research, lived experience and therapeutic practice, this internationally respected book by grief researcher and therapist Dr Joanne Cacciatore offers compassionate insights into grief, while challenging societal expectations that bereaved people should “move on” or recover within a prescribed timeframe.

  • Keepsakes and memorial services

    Personalised Poetry for Remembrance - Pure Poetry

    Heartfelt, personalised poems to honour the memory of a loved one, for a funeral, a memorial service or simply to keep. Offered in proud association with Noah’s Story.

Status: In development

This resource hub is growing

We are expanding this page into a fuller library of bereavement resources - including sections for parents and carers, schools, healthcare professionals, and sports and community groups. If you cannot find what you need today, please get in touch or visit How we can help.

More ways we can help

If reading is not what you need right now, that is okay. Here are two other places to start.

  • How we can help

    A calm place to begin - what Noah's Story offers, and which Good Grief pathway may fit you or someone you care about.

    Find support
  • Explore the Good Grief Kits

    See how these resources are used within our four age-stage kits - Littles, Middles, Teens and Adults - each grounded in Continuing Bonds Theory.

    About the kits

Noah’s Story Charity provides accessible, evidence-informed bereavement support and reflective spaces. We are not a crisis or emergency service. If you or someone you care about needs urgent help, please contact your GP or the emergency services.