Death – the final mystery of life. During our lifetime, each one of us will experience the loss of a loved one. Developing coping skills that enable us to accept the grief process and survive bereavement is most important during our formative years. Each one of us needs to develop a personal mechanism for coping with the death of a family member, a friend or neighbor, and even a beloved pet.

Identifying literature that educators and caregivers can use to assist children and young adults in developing coping skills to understand and accept the death of a loved one was the motivating factor for the book, Death, Loss, and Grief in Literature for Youth: A Selective Annotated Bibliography for K-12. The 613 resources represent books, media, and Internet sites that students in kindergarten through high school can use to help them cope with their loss.

Alice Crosetto, Associate Professor, University Libraries, and Rajinder Garcha, Professor Emeritus, University Libraries, hope that this resource will help children and young adults, as well as their caregivers and teachers, with this final mystery.