Death is Stupid by Anastasia Higginbotham (6+)

Death is Stupid tackles a child’s confusion and questions as he views his grandmother in her casket and attempts to reckon his own grief with the words of those trying to comfort him. Direct and cathartic, Death Is Stupid is unlike any other children’s book about loss.

“Wow, and thank God for this book. Having it fifty-plus years ago would have been a kind of salvation for me and would have helped me grow into a healthier and infinitely less frightened person.” —Anne Lamott

“[An] exact mix of true-to-life humor and unflinching honesty…many of the plainspoken sentiments she includes, as well as several ideas for how to remember and honor those who have departed, may be eye-opening for readers facing grief themselves.” —Publishers Weekly starred review

"A perfect antidote to all those gentle and fanciful introductions to the toughest and least whimsical of topics... If your child craves directness... [then] this smart, sensitive book is just the thing." —Chicago Tribune

"We can't stop death, but we can stop the ridiculous sheltering we impose on our naturally curious children." —Caitlin Doughty, mortician and author of Smoke Gets in Your Eyes