In this romantic road trip story perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen and Morgan Matson, a teen girl discovers the value of ordinary objects while learning to forgive her absent father. A lot can happen on the road from lost to found… Ali Collins doesn’t have room in her life for clutter or complications. So when her estranged father passes away and leaves her his only prized possession—a 1968 Firebird convertible—Ali knows she won’t keep it. Not when it reminds her too much of all her father’s unfulfilled promises. And especially not when a buyer three hundred miles up the Pacific coast is offering enough money for the car to save her childhood home from foreclosure. There’s only one problem, though. Ali has no idea how to drive a stick shift. But her ex-boyfriend, Nico, does. The road trip gets off to a horrible start, filled with unexpected detours, roadblocks, and all the uncomfortable tension that comes with being trapped in a car with your ex. But when Nico starts collecting items from the quirky strangers they meet along the way, Ali starts to sense that these objects aren’t random. Somehow they seem to be leading her to an unknown truth about her father. A truth that will finally prove to Ali that some things—even broken things—are worth saving.

A picture book edition of the board book about grief, offering adults the opportunity to begin important conversations with young children in an informed, safe, and supported way. Developed by experts in the fields of early childhood and activism against injustice, this topic-driven picture book offers clear, concrete language and compelling imagery to introduce the concept of grief. This book aims to normalize the topic of death by discussing what it means and how it feels to experience loss. It centers around several questions that arise about grief and honest, simple ways to answer them. While young children are avid observers and questioners of their world, adults often shut down or postpone conversations on complicated topics because it's hard to know where to begin. Research shows that talking about tough issues from the age of two not only helps children understand what they see, but also increases self-awareness, self-esteem, and allows them to recognize and confront things that are unfair, like discrimination and prejudice. These books offer a supportive approach that considers both the child and the adult. Stunning art accompanies the simple and interactive text, and the backmatter offers additional resources and ideas for extending this discussion.

This gentle, touching story of the death of a dear friend, Bear, introduces children to the complex and often confusing feelings of grief, and the ways that Bear’s friends honor his memory as they learn how to cope with the loss. “Bear died on a Friday, while sunlight speckled the grass and caterpillars nibbled leaves in the forest.” Beaver and Mole, two of Bear’s friends, return some of bear's belongings to his tree house, not quite understanding why their friend is no longer with them. The two cry together, sit quietly together, and feel angry together over the loss of their friend—but they gradually realize that Bear wouldn’t want them to be unhappy, so they decide to finish something that Bear had started.

From bestselling author Todd Parr, a poignant and reassuring story about loss. Through the lens of a pet fish who has lost his companion, Todd Parr tells a moving and wholly accessible story about saying goodbye. Touching upon the host of emotions children experience, Todd reminds readers that it's okay not to know all the answers, and that someone will always be there to support them. An invaluable resource for life's toughest moments.

What happens when we die? In this beautifully illustrated Native American tale, a wise grandmother explains their people's understanding of death to her granddaughter as they work together on the land, for which they show an exemplary respect and love. In this Native American tale, a wise grandmother explains the meaning of death, or the Great Change, to her questioning granddaughter. While going through their daily tasks in the Native way, taking from Mother Earth only what is needed and returning what is not used so as to replenish her, nine-year-old Wanba asks, “Why do fish have to die? Why does anything have to die? Why did Grandpa have to die?” Grandmother explains that just as a caterpillar “dies” only to become a beautiful butterfly, there is no “death” in the Circle of Life—only the Great Change. This is a story of passing on tradition, culture, and wisdom to the next generation. It is a moving tale for everyone—child and adult—who wonders about what lies beyond this life.

Green Papayas is the story of a family's time with their aging grandmother (Oma) who is in hospital. Through Mama's recollections of the past they are reminded of Oma's courage in shepherding her family through war and across the ocean to safety. They learn of the past hardships that defined their grandmother and which gave them the opportunities to accomplish their dreams in their new home in Canada. After Oma passes away, they cherish the memory of this remarkable woman, and the sacrifices she made to ensure that her children and grandchildren, would be free to dream.

When it first comes, grief is as large as an elephant, but with time it becomes smaller, and easier to deal with until finally you can let it go and just remember.

Flint Larson has known when he was going to die since he was eight because of the Half-Life Institute, and he is spending the last forty-one days quietly with his divorced parents; September is a vibrant aspiring scientist who wants to cure "half-life", especially since she has met Flint--but their time together is getting short.

Hamza's usual fun Saturday is cancelled when his family receives the sad news that Uncle Sameer has died. Follow Hamza through the day as he learns about the various aspects of a janaza. This story is a gentle introduction to attending an Islamic funeral, told from a child's perspective. It familiarises children with the etiquettes and some of the rituals surrounding a funeral and provides an opportunity for important discussions around death and the afterlife in an age-appropriate manner.

Hertle and Bertle were always a pair, though one was a turtle and one was a hare. They were utterly buddies, and best friends forever, and whenever you looked, you would find them together... until quite unexpectedly... the end came. When Hertle disappears for good, Bertle can only see a Hertle-shaped hole where his friend should be. He pleads with it, get angry with it, but the hole still won't bring his Hertle back. It seems like hope is lost... until Gerda the kindly bear finds him. She explains that he must fill the hole with his memories of Hertle. And slowly... Bertle begins to feel a little bit better.

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed. Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil's name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr. But what Starr does--or does not--say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.