Support & guidance Films, books and resources Books and resources Sudden death A Terrible Thing Happened Margaret M Holmes Sherman saw the most terrible thing happen. At first he tried to forget about it, but soon something inside him started to bother him. He felt nervous for no reason. Sometimes his stomach hurt. He had bad dreams. And he started to feel angry and do mean things, which got him in trouble. Then he met Ms. Maple, who helped him talk about the terrible thing that he had tried to forget. Now Sherman is feeling much better. This gently told and tenderly illustrated story is for children who have witnessed any kind of violent or traumatic episode, including physical abuse, school or gang violence, accidents, homicide, suicide, and natural disasters such as floods or fire. An afterword by Sasha J. Mudlaff written for parents and other caregivers offers extensive suggestions for helping traumatized children, including a list of other sources that focus on specific events. Buy from Amazon Bearing the Unbearable: Love, Loss, and the Heartbreaking Path of Grief Dr. Joanne Cacciatore When a loved one dies, the pain of loss can feel unbearable--especially in the case of a traumatizing death that leaves us shouting NO! with every fibre of our body. Through generous, insightful writing and moving stories of her encounters with grief over decades of supporting individuals, families, and communities--as well as her own experience with loss--Cacciatore opens a space for us to process, integrate, and deeply honour our own grief. Buy from Amazon Don't Let Them Tell You How to Grieve: Lines to let you know you are not alone Gina Claye Poems written by a mother who experienced the sudden deaths of her 19-year-old daughter by suicide and her 32-year-old son from encephalitis. Buy from Amazon Is Daddy Coming Back in a Minute? Elke Barber & Alex Barber Alex is only three when his father has a heart attack. All on his own, Alex manages to get help but his beloved Daddy dies at the scene. Explains sudden death to pre-school children using words and illustrations they will understand. Buy from Amazon Someone has died in a road crash Mary Williams OBE and Caroline Chisholm Two young characters, who have been bereaved by a road crash, narrate the colourful book by giving caring and helpful tips. Tackling all the tough questions that children may want to ask, the book deals with the crash itself, funerals, police investigation and the possible emotions a child may experience. There is also an additional download with tips for adults on how to use the book with young children. Download from Brake The Family Has Been Informed: Supporting bereaved children from military families Winston's Wish This specialist book offers information and guidance to military families after someone has died, and the professionals who are supporting them. Building on our experience of working with bereaved families, it covers the variety of causes of death that service personnel and their families may experience and offers an overview of some of the feelings and thoughts people may have. Practical guidance, ideas for activities and suggestions for helpful resources are offered alongside where to find support. Supported by Help for Heroes. Buy now When Something Terrible Happens: Children Can Learn to Cope with Grief Marge Heegaard Terrible things can happen to children. Traumatic events in the lives of their families, their friends or in the world leave then feeling confused, insecure and frightened. There are floods, earthquakes, and sometimes people cause violence and trauma. This is a workbook designed to help children understand and deal with overwhelming feelings from loss and change. Buy from Amazon Manage Cookie Preferences