~Mitch Albom
Sunday is Mothers’ Day. It is a day to celebrate the most important woman in a child’s life; unless, of course, that child has lost her mother. Mothers’ Day for a child dealing with the death of their parent can be extremely difficult and tricky. While the other kids in their class are making flowers and cards for their moms, that child must decide who will get the creations - grandma, an aunt, a friend, a neighbor. Even the most resilient children will have moments when the loss of their parent will feel isolating and overwhelming.
I know that reading about other children who were motherless helped me a lot as a child and teen (okay as an adult too), knowing you’re not alone always helps. There are lots of classic children’s books about orphans, from Anne Shirley to Harry Potter, Cinderella to Peter Pan. Here a few of my favourites featuring the loss of a mother; some are to help with the fresh, rawness of grieving, some just reassure that life goes on, in new ways, not always easy ways, but it does go on.