Grief

"The art of losing isn't hard to master," wrote poet Elizabeth Bishop. Perhaps she meant that we will all face loss at some point in our lives. In this collection, we have brought together texts that take up the universal experience of grief.

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Psychological Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction


Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Animals, Classic Fiction

Because of Winn-Dixie is a middle-grade novel by Kate DiCamillo published in 2000 by Candlewick Books. It follows main character Opal as she learns to love her new home in Naomi, Florida with the help of a stray dog named Winn-Dixie. Steeped in the traditions of Southern literature, the book won a Newbery Honor distinction and a Parents’ Choice Gold Award, among other awards. DiCamillo has been a beloved children's author since publication of Because of... Read Because of Winn-Dixie Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Hope

Tags Romance, Parenting, Depression / Suicide, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Indigenous, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Historical Fiction, Social Justice, Race / Racism, African American Literature, Children's Literature, History: World


Publication year 1938

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Imagist poetry, Modernism


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Climate Change, Grief / Death, Mental Illness, Science / Nature, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Natural World: Place, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Birth, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction

Bird Box is a 2014 post-apocalyptic, dystopian horror novel by Josh Malerman. The story follows a woman’s struggle to protect two children in a world where people are driven to violence by unseen monsters, touching on such themes as paranoia, raising children to deal with an uncertain future, and the dangers of exceptionalism. Bird Box won a Michigan Notable Book Award and was also nominated for the James Herbert Award as well as the Bram... Read Bird Box Summary


Publication year 1994

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Language

Tags Self Help, Humor, Arts / Culture, Biography

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott was originally published in 1994. Many of Lamott’s books have been on the New York Times bestsellers list, which qualifies her to offer advice about how to write. She also taught at writing conferences and at UC Davis, received a Guggenheim Fellowship, and was inducted into the California Hall of Fame. Bird by Bird is a combination of memoir, self-help book, and writing... Read Bird By Bird Summary


Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, History: World, Romance, Fantasy

Published in 2004, Alice Hoffman’s novel Blackbird House chronicles a house on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and its inhabitants over a 200-year span. The story, which invokes elements of magical realism, begins during the War of 1812 and ends in the present day. Shifting between first-person and third-person point-of-view, the novel delves into the themes of Love as Motivation, Resilience Resulting from Adversity, and The Power of Place in Shaping Lives.Other works by this author include... Read Blackbird House Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Colonialism, Society: War

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Afrofuturism, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Values/Ideas: Music, Identity: Race, Relationships: Mothers, Natural World: Food, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Race / Racism, African American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

Bluebird, Bluebird (2017) by Texas native Attica Locke, published by Little, Brown and Company, is a 2018 Edgar and Anthony award-winning mystery novel. It was also selected as a New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice Finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and Kirkus Best Mysteries and Thrillers of 2017. The first in the Highway 59 series follows Texas Ranger Darren Mathews through the backroads of Texas in search of justice and reform... Read Bluebird, Bluebird Summary


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Grief / Death, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction

Bluefish (2011) is a young adult novel by Pat Schmatz. This text is also sometimes classified as middle grade. The novel centers around Travis, an eighth grader who has lost his parents and dog and recently moved to a new school. Travis befriends Velveeta, a charismatic girl who is grieving the loss of her stand-in father figure, Calvin. As Travis and Velveeta’s friendship develops, they explore the challenges of coping with loss and family trauma... Read Bluefish Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Self Discovery, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Beauty

Tags September 11 Attacks, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Indian Literature

The chief protagonist of Brick Lane was born in an East Pakistan village in 1967, prior to Bangladesh Liberation War. In 1971, the nation won its independence only to suffer through a devastating famine and political turmoil marked by a succession of military coups. The narrative mostly takes place in 2001, concerning events in a Muslim immigrant community in London before and after the World Trade Center tragedy. In this span of a woman’s life... Read Brick Lane Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Life/Time: The Past

Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1977

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Identity: Masculinity, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Grief / Death, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Poverty

Bridge to Terabithia is a 1977 children’s novel written by Katherine Paterson. Paterson is best-known for her children’s books, two of which earned Newbery Medals: Bridge to Terabithia and Jacob Have I Loved (1981). She was inspire to write Bridge to Terabithia after her son’s best friend was killed by lightning. It has since become a classic, beloved by readers for its exploration of themes like Finding Connection as an Outsider, The Stages of Grief... Read Bridge to Terabithia Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Race / Racism, Social Justice


Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Regret

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction

Bury Your Dead is a 2010 mystery novel in Louise Penny’s long-running Inspector Gamache series, the immediate sequel to 2009’s The Brutal Telling. The Gamache novels of Penny, a former broadcast journalist, have received critical acclaim, including multiple Agatha Awards for Best Mystery Novel of the Year and the Anthony Awards from the Mystery Writers of America. The most recent installment in the series, A World of Curiosities, was published in 2022.Content Warning: The source... Read Bury Your Dead Summary