Sad Panda: An Interactive Grief Book for Children
Because No Child Should Be a Forgotten Griever
Children are often called “the forgotten grievers.” While adults are overwhelmed with their own loss, little ones may be left to silently struggle. They may look like they’re “bouncing back,” but in reality, they often lack the words and tools to make sense of their grief.
Young children experience grief in ways that are very different from adults. Their understanding of death evolves as they grow, often showing up as confusion, curiosity, and even regressions in behavior. They may not fully grasp the permanence of loss and often express their grief through play, by asking repetitive questions, or through changes in behavior such as clinginess, withdrawal, or sudden bursts of emotion.
That’s why creating a safe space for children is so important. With honest, age-appropriate language and consistent support, we can help them feel seen, understood, and less alone.
The Sad Panda Collection was created with this in mind — offering children ages 2–8+ a gentle, safe, and interactive way to process loss, while also equipping the adults who care about them with meaningful guidance.
About Sad Panda
This 8x8 interactive softcover book includes:
- Simple, relatable illustrations that allow children to project their own feelings onto Sad Panda
- Ample white space for drawing, doodling, or adding meaningful details
- Prompts and lined pages for recording thoughts, memories, or special pictures
- Honest, age-appropriate language that helps children understand grief without fear or confusion
- Conversation questions to help parents, teachers, or counselors assess how a child is coping
The book can be used on its own or with The Companion Guide to Sad Panda, which offers adults practical help and research-based strategies for guiding children through grief.
A Tool for Schools, Counselors & Ministries
Sad Panda is being used by:
- Elementary schools & school counselors as a gentle resource for students navigating loss
- Churches & children’s ministries for Sunday schools and grief care programs
- Daycares & preschools where children may be experiencing the loss of a loved one
- Hospitals, hospices & funeral homes to help families with grieving children
- Community programs supporting kids through difficult transitions
Partner With Us
If you’re a teacher, counselor, pastor, or child care provider, you can help ensure no grieving child is overlooked. Bulk pricing, resource bundles, and partnership opportunities are available.
Together, we can make sure every grieving child is seen, heard, and supported.
help children navigate grief
Although each book is valuable on its own...
to offer comfort and healthy direction, it is suggested that each child have their own copy of Sad Panda and each Bereavement Buddy have their own copy of the Companion Guide.
Children's books for ages 2- 8+ yrs
Sad Panda: An Interactive Book for Grieving Children
8x8 softcover book includes:
- writing pages to record the growth process
- space for drawings & special pictures
- simple illustrations so struggling kids can project and process grief with or through Sad Panda
- honest language kids can understand
- meaningful questions to help partnering adults assess their grief
Sad Panda was written for children ages 2-8+. It centers on a simple character, Sad Panda, who is sad because someone he loves has died.
- Illustrations are intentionally sparse to provide plenty of white space for children to draw their own details, project their feelings onto Panda without any guilt or fear of how a parent or others might react, and guard against further feelings of isolation through details in pictures that may not reflect their life or experience.
- Simple prompts and lined writing pages are provided throughout to help a child process their own thoughts.
- The 3-fold purpose includes:
- an opportunity for a child to connect Sad Panda's story to their own in a non-threatening way
- a meaningful way to create memories for the child to be able to look back on over time and healing
- a written record for a loving adult/therapist to refer to (whether the child is old enough to write or the adult writes for the child) as needed.
The Companion Guide for adults who love a grieving child
A Companion Guide to Sad Panda
8x8 softcover book includes:
- developmental stages of children as it influences their ability to process grief
- how grief shows up in young children
- how to provide meaningful support
- immediate and future risks of grief in early childhood
- early signs that more intervention is needed for future success
A Companion Guide to Sad Panda: For Parents and Other Bereavement Buddies is intended for adults.
- This “quick reference guide” explains the important role of a "Bereavement Buddy".
- It details appropriate language and critical ways to communicate along the way to allay fear and rebuild security for a child.
- It includes a plan for telling a child that a loved one has died, walks through a child's stages of development, discusses how grief may appear in each stage, and even reviews how deep loss affects a child's development.
- Lined pages and reflection prompts help a Bereavement Buddy to plan, prepare, and process their personalized navigation "plan" in a natural way.
- The 3-fold purpose includes:
- confidence-building based on knowledge and preparation
- a "culture" of assessing and adjusting without judgment to best meet the child's needs
- support to ensure that a Bereavement Buddy maintains appropriate mental health to continue assisting well.
New Journal for adults
Reflections in Grief: a short journal for a long journey
$10.00
"Reflections of Grief: A short journal for a long journey" is a heartfelt tool designed to accompany you on your grief journey.
Buy now and have it sent directly to your email.
I'm really proud of my newest journal designed for adult grievers. To celebrate, I'm sharing 2 prompts from the full journal as free downloads. Choose one or take them both. Use them yourself or share with a friend...or both!
The full journal is ONLY available here.
The Journal for young teens
Sad Panda: The Journal
8.5 x 11 Full-Size Journal guides pre-teens and older grievers through the uncertain and often scary process of mourning.
- Pages are purposefully not dated to avoid any unhealthy compulsion to write or guilt for not writing
- Ample space is provided to write out thoughts, feelings, and questions.
- Special pages are provided to add pictures, drawings, and other special memories to help young grievers find ways to connect and bring their loved ones along without fear of "forgetting".
- Pages allow space to save memories and encouragements, write inspiring quotes from their loved one or others, and even record questions and address fears.
- Prompts are repeated cyclically throughout the journal to provide visual progress of growth as the user looks back on previous writings.
- "Contact" pages are included reinforce the importance of a support system and to conveniently keep track of it visually as it grows.
Plush Panda bereavement buddy
What is a Bereavement Buddy?
Put simply, a Bereavement Buddy is someone who comes alongside a child during a time of grief to provide support and help navigating the uncertainty and isolation of mourning.
A Bereavemenet Buddy is someone with whom, a child can:
- share their curiosity and ask tough questions without judgment or fear of upsetting them.
- discuss their fears surrounding death in a safe and relatively matter-of-fact manner.
- count on to speak truth instead of using unhelpful & often confusing euphemisms.
- look to for security and guidance during the uncertainty of change and loss.
- expect to follow up with them long after the event.
conceptual model of a Bereavement Buddy
Bereavement Buddies
fill the gap, create stability, and provide support
The Companion Guide
provides facts, guidance, & support for Bereavement Buddies
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