The Goodbye Book

Good, simple book for young kids about loss and grief.

Purchased this as a gift for a military child whose mother died unexpectedly. I like that this book is not specific to death, so it could apply when he moves and has to make new friends but for now I'm hoping it helps deal with loss and grief. The book itself is sweet and appropriate for all ages. Some people mentioned that it tells you to "be brave" and encourages kind of unhealthy coping but I disagree. I think it strikes the balance between encouraging and saying "how you feel is okay."

During a period of intense grief for my family I made the most depressing order on Amazon and purchased 9 recommended books. This one came out as the best- by far. Todd Parr's simple sentences are accessible to everyone, young children, Teens, and even adults. We appreciated this book so much, it is our go-to gift when a friend is experiencing loss/grief. There is nothing faith based and no promise of Heaven; rather it makes space for a whole range of feelings that people experience after a loss and actionable ways of feeling your feelings (like talking to others and remembering the good times together). This is the type of book you don't want to purchase... but one you should have. (also, if you are reading this review to get the book, I am sorry for your loss)

Helpful in explaining passing to my younger son

This was one of several books I purchased as the parent of a 2.5 year old when our family pet passed away unexpectedly. I read them all, but this was the only one I felt comfortable reading with him and seemed to be appropriate to his level of comprehension. To be fair, it’s general enough that it could apply to a friend moving away as well, which in our case felt helpful. I also enjoyed reading it as the parent.

Everything was good except the way it was packaged! The cover page was torn!

This book is very simple. It demonstrates grief in raw, short phrases, which makes it easier for kids to understand. This is hands down a book that I would recommend for a child experiencing loss. Can apply to an unexpected loss as well a loss that has been anticipate for some time. Because the short phrases allow a lot of “space” in the reading, it naturally allows listeners to ask questions and have discussion as you go along.

Excellent for helping kids process loss

I bought this book for my grandson, aged 2, who lost his dear nursery friend (of the same age). They shared lots of love and laughter with each other and when she passed away, he found it difficult to process. After all, how does a two year old process the loss of a friend when he has limited language skills? And how do we aid that process? The Goodbye Book has helped him begin to process his loss, so it’s with heartfelt thanks to the author for writing it.

I actually bought this for a 2nd grade class who lost one of their teachers suddenly. He spoke English and Spanish. It's a very special book for those reasons. Todd Parr should keep doing what he does.

I work in a child care centre and we recently lost a member of staff- it was very sudden. This book has been perfect for the toddlers and 4 year olds.

Absolutely love this book. My boys were struggling with the lost of their uncle and this book was comforting to them

This is such a lovely book. Purchased for our son after our dog passed away. It’s very simply written, with only one sentence on each page, but the bright colours and basic wording helped him to understand his emotions and to discuss his feelings. Out of several books purchased, this one is the one he gravitates towards and the one which seems to have helped him the most.