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Remembering Lost Pets September 2026 |
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Picture Books & Readalongs
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Pumpkin and Me
by Alicia Acosta
When Pumpkin, my dog, died, everyone at home was sad. The next day, a dark cloud began to follow me around and it felt like I had soap in my eyes and an octopus wrapped tightly around my heart...Written by the renowned child author and psychologist, Alicia Acosta, this uplifting, beautifully illustrated story explores themes of loss and grief and the power of memories.
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Big Cat, Little Cat: (Caldecott Honor Book)
by Elisha Cooper
There was a cat
who lived alone.
Until the day
a new cat came . . .
And so a story of friendship begins, following the two cats through their days, months, and years until one day, the older cat has to go. And he doesn't come back.
This is a poignant story, told in measured text and bold black-and-white illustrations about the act of moving on.
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Bear Island
by Matthew Cordell
Louise and her family are sad over the loss of their beloved dog, Charlie. "Life will not be the same," Louise says, as she visits a little island that Charlie loved. But on a visit to the island after Charlie's death, something strange happens: She meets a bear. At first, she's afraid, but soon she realizes that the bear is sad, too. As Louise visits more often, she realizes that getting over loss takes time. And just when she starts to feel better, it's time for Bear to bed down for the winter. Once again, Louise believes that life will not be the same. But sometimes, things can change for the better, and on the first warm day of spring, her family welcomes a new member. Here is a lovely, poignant story about loss and healing that will bring comfort to even the youngest readers.
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Where Are You, Brontë?
by Tomie dePaola
Tomie dePaola tells the emotional and deeply personal story about overcoming his grief after the loss of his beloved dog, Brontë.
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Angus Is Here
by Hadley Dyer
A young child navigates grief after losing a beloved family pet and learns what it means for a loved one's presence to remain even after they are gone.Angus may be gone, but memories of him are still here: his tail wagging under the dinner table, his nails clicking on the floor, and his hopeful sniff when snacks are being prepared. Angus's presence is felt everywhere, until one day . . . it's not. In this poignant and beautiful picture book, a child journeys through grief and learns how to keep memories of a beloved dog close.
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Remembering
by Xelena González
A child and their family observe the customs of Día de los Angelitos, one of the ritual celebrations of Día de Muertos, to celebrate the life of their beloved dog who passed away. They build a thoughtful ofrenda to help lead the pet's soul home and help the little one process their grief in this moving reminder that loved ones are never really gone if we take the time to remember them.
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Find Momo Everywhere
by Andrew Knapp
A mixed-media illustrated exploration of the grief that follows the death of a pet, and a loving tribute to the author's border collie Momo.
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Addy's Cup of Sugar: Based on a Buddhist Story of Healing (a Stillwater and Friends Book)
by Jon J. Muth
Addy has moved to a new neighborhood with her beloved kitten, Trumpet. But when Trumpet is hit by a car, Addy seeks her wise friend, Stillwater the panda. She is sure he will know how to bring Trumpet back to life.
Stillwater tells Addy she will need to find a special medicine. To do this, she must go to everyone in the neighborhood and collect a cup of sugar. But there is one condition: it can only come from the home of someone who has never been touched by loss.
Addy goes from house to house. And when she returns home, Stillwater asks for her cup of sugar. But, of course, she has none. For there isn't a person who has not felt the pain of loss.
How Addy comes to understand how this special medicine works makes for a reassuring story of consolation and healing.
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Huesos
by Luis San Vicente
Huesos is Abuelo's four-legged travieso, a rambunctious troublemaker with a constant ball of energy and a big bite. Nothing and no one is safe from Huesos' mischief and chomping teeth, from Grandpa's slippers to the neighborhood's mailman. Until on day, Calaca Pascuala knocks on his door and takes him on a jounrey through the afterworld. But even there, Huesos can't contain himself. Will he be able to knock, tumble, and chew his way back to Grandpa, or will he begin to create new forms of chaos from beyond the grave? This is a bilingual book in Spanish and English.
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An Ofrenda for Perro
by Judith Valdés B.
Benito loves Perro. But when Perro passes away, Benito is heartbroken. During the Day of the Dead celebration, he tries to understand the meaning of the flores de cempasuchil, candles, pan de muertos, photographs, and sharing memories of departed loved ones. By creating his own special altar for Perro, he realizes that his love for his beloved companion, and the happiness Perro gave him, will always remain. Told with honesty and hope, this heartfelt book is the perfect story for any child coping with loss, and for those who celebrate--or want to learn more about--Día de los Muertos. This title is also available in Spanish.
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Dreams of Near and Far
by Martin Widmark
Noah and Mia have never met. They live far, far apart but look out upon the same sea. Noah is heartbroken when his old dog Gus dies. He slips into dreams, searching for his loyal friend, but instead finds something unexpected. Mia has no home, only her cat Olive. So when Olive sets off travelling, Mia follows her on an unexpected journey. Will Mia and Noah find all they've dreamed of? Poignant and uplifting, Martin Widmark's story of finding hope and a home is accompanied by stunning illustrations from Emilia Dziubak, which alternate between the two characters' interconnected journeys.
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Clark the Shark: Friends Forever
by Bruce Hale
Clark the Shark is super excited about the drawing contest. The winner gets Captain Suckermouth comics, signed by Captain Suckermouth! When Clark asks Joey Mackerel for help, his excitement gets the best of him and he doesn't listen to his friend. Joey is sad because his pet catfish died. Will Clark be able to put his friend first?
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Fluffy and the Stars
by Redvers
In this heartfelt picture book imagining what happens when a beloved pet dies, a nonbinary child copes with grief and the loss of their best friend.
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My Life with Losing a Pet
by Mari C. Schuh
Meet Abe! He likes hockey and fishing. He also lost his pet dog. Abe is real and so are his experiences. Learn about his life in this illustrated narrative nonfiction picture book for elementary students. Abe sheds light on how his mother's service dog, Odin, was part of the family and how sad he is about the animal's death, with the help of experienced children's author Mari Schuh. Abe is not defined by his grief, but he misses his dog. His story is augmented by colorful, realistic illustrations. A dyslexic-friendly font promotes accessibility. Includes tips for kids about interacting with friends who are grieving.
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Juvenile Fiction & Graphic Novels
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Karen's Goldfish (Baby-Sitters Little Sister #16): Volume 16
by Ann M. Martin
Karen and her little brother Andrew are getting new pets -- goldfish! Karen names hers Crystal Light. Andrew's is called Goldfishie. Karen and Andrew love to watch their fish swim around and around. Then something happens to Crystal Light, and Karen is so sad. Nothing can make her feel better...until Karen's witchy neighbor saves the day!
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12 Strays of Christmas: A Wish Novel
by Natalie McKearin
Holly does NOT have Christmas cheer this year. She and her family just moved to Chicago, far from all of her friends and family. And now her brother's annoying (and annoyingly cute) new friend couldn't be more cheerful. And Holly definitely doesn't want to volunteer at the local shelter, with all of the dogs who remind her of the dog she lost last Christmas. When she's forced to volunteer at the local shelter through her school, she'll just have to push aside her sad feelings and ignore those cute puppy eyes. But she can't put aside her feelings when she sees Drummer, the runt of the litter, who looks exactly like the dog she lost. When Drummer gets loose during the big holiday adoption event, Holly must track him down. Will the magic of Christmas help her to reunite with Drummer?
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Calvin and the Sugar Apples
by Inês F. Oliveira
Eleven-year-old Amelia has always had Calvin to talk to, but Amelia has no idea where he is. Calvin is a twenty-one-year-old chinchilla and has always been there for Amelia whenever she needed to talk about her problems--but he is no longer in his cage, and her parents just say he's in a better place. Everything seems to go wrong now that she and her best friend Camilla have had an argument, and Amelia has missed the school talent show. Without Calvin, who does she talk to about her disappointments at school? Without Calvin, who does Amelia talk to about missing Calvin? She vows to become like the sugar apples in her backyard, rich on the inside and always hard to find. And just when Amelia thinks there's nobody she can talk to, a new student, Iris, arrives. Amelia learns that it's always possible to meet new friends that can teach you that expressing oneself can happen in different ways, but it always starts with talking it out.
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