Conversations around death, grief, addiction, suicide and mental health are always difficult ones, especially when it involves children or teens who may have lots of questions that don’t lend themselves to easy answers.
That’s why the staff at Hartford Public Library have put together this resource guide that includes books, videos, websites, local organizations and more that seek to help young people understand loss, drug addiction and other difficult topics. We hope these links will be of use to families in our community. Books that are hyperlinked are available for checkout in our collection.
Support and Resources for Children
Books for Young Children
Big Cat Little Cat by Elisha Cooper
The End of Something Wonderful by Stephanie V. W. Lucianovic
Where Do They Go? By Julia Alvarez
I Remember Miss Perry by Pat Brisson
I Miss You: A First Look at Death by Pat Thomas
The Boy and the Gorilla by Jackie Azúa Kramer
The Memory Box: A Book About Grief by Joanna Rowland
The Dandelion’s Tale by Kevin Sheehan
The Memory Tree by Britta Teckentrup
Bird (drug addition/loss) by Zetta Elliot
When My Daddy Died I … by K. J. Reider
I Lost Something Very Special by Husna Rahman
A Kids Book about Grief by Taryn Schuelke
A Terrible Thing Happened by Margaret Holmes
A Kids Book about Trauma by Megan Bartlett
A Kids Book About Suicide by Angela N. Frazier
A Kids Book about Depression by Kileah McIlvain
A Kids Book about Addiction by Nicole Lendo
Books for children ages 8-12
Sunny Side Up by Jennifer Holm
Lily and Dunkin by Donna Gephart
The Care and Feeding of a Pet Black Hole by Michelle Cuevas
Belle Prater’s Boy by Ruth White
The Science of Breakable Things by Tae Keller
Nest by Esther Ehrlich
The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Video series for Children about Parental Addiction:
Sesame Street in Communities: Parental Addiction – Meet Salia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGgW-f0RyfE
Lending a Hand
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pfuEqGhREA&list=PLQJaFRtaBs0rlluGMF5J4bqWgEMFMxF0L&index=1
Karli and Salia Breathe Deep
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2vN3zf-GjA&list=PLQJaFRtaBs0rlluGMF5J4bqWgEMFMxF0L&index=10
It’s Not Your Fault
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sjZ8ngKDHI&list=PLQJaFRtaBs0rlluGMF5J4bqWgEMFMxF0L&index=4
Helping Children Cope with Death
Helping Kids Grieve
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvMM6Fu5OgI&t=64s
Helping Children Cope with Grief
https://library.wheelerclinic.org/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=8451&cn=58
The Healing Library
https://www.thehealinglibraryus.com/
National Alliance for Children’s Grief
Support & Resources for Teens
Local resource: Wheeler Clinic Youth Mobile Crisis Intervention Service – Think of it as Library On Wheels but for youth mental health services. They’ll bring the van anywhere in Connecticut for youth mental health counseling and crisis intervention.
Digital Resource: Wheeler Clinic Resource Library topic guides
Teens in Crisis
1-800-273-TALK (8255) – suicide hotline
13reasonswhy.info – self harm and suicide
Crisis Text Line https://www.crisistextline.org/ Text HOME to 741741 from anywhere in the United States, anytime to connect with a crisis counselor. Also available through WhatsApp and FB messenger.
National Sexual Assault Hotline https://www.rainn.org/ 24/7 Call 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or chat
Bethe1to.com – suicide
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/?_ga=2.55438818.892972002.1642803349-1524369767.1642803349
The Trevor Project – chat, call, text crisis support for LBGTQIA + youth https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/
“Say Something” Anonymous Call Reporting System for Students – 844-572-9669 or 844-5-SAYNOW
The Say Something Anonymous Reporting System is available 24/7 to allow you to submit secure, anonymous safety concerns to help someone who may hurt themselves or others.
Turning Point https://turningpointct.org/ – mental health support
Drugs
Talking to Teens about Fentanyl
Teen Addiction Services
Hartford Healthcare – Rushford Teen Addiction Services
https://rushford.org/teen-services
Join Rise Be: Warmline
Teen Substance Use Resource Guide
Wheeler Clinic CT Clearinghouse
https://www.ctclearinghouse.org/
Opioid Use Disorder – Opioid Treatment in CT
https://portal.ct.gov/DMHAS/Programs-and-Services/Opioid-Treatment/Prevention-and-Treatment
Youth Recovery CT – addiction recovery peer support
https://www.youthrecoveryct.org/
Opioid Treatment Facility Locator
https://www.ctclearinghouse.org/find-help/treatment-facility-locator/
CT Network of Care: Grief Support
https://connecticut.networkofcare.org/mh/library/learning-center.aspx?lc=grief
Teen Books
A Kid’s Book About Death by Taryn Schuelke
Death Is Stupid (Ordinary Terrible Things) by Anastasia Higginbotham
King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender
Paper Heart by Cat Patrick
Staying Strong: 365 Days a Year by Demi Lovato
Hey Kiddo by Jarrett Krosoczka
Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opioid Epidemic by Sam Quinones
(Don’t) Call Me Crazy: 33 Voices Start the Conversation about Mental Health by Kelly Jensen
High: Everything You Want to Know About Drugs, Alcohol, and Addiction by David and Nic Sheff
The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan
What I Leave Behind by Alison McGhee
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Early Departures by Justin Reynolds
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Family Support & Education
Substance Use & Addiction
Sesame Street in Communities webinar:
How Parental Addiction Affects Young Children
Parental Addiction: Healing Families Together
Parental Addiction: Responding with Care
Parental Addiction: Supporting Families in Recovery
Learn to Cope
Learn to Cope: Grief resources
https://learn2cope.org/grief-resources/
Narcan training video
https://learn2cope.org/narcan-training-video/
Live Out Loud
https://liveloud.org/families/assets/doc/ct-connection-brochure.pdf
Drug Free CT
Substance Use Disorder Resources for CT Residents
https://uwc.211ct.org/substance-abuse-resources-and-information-for-connecticut-residents/
Teen Alcohol and Drug Use
https://connecticut.networkofcare.org/mh/library/article.aspx?hwid=tp17749
Death
CT Network of Care: Grief Support
https://connecticut.networkofcare.org/mh/library/learning-center.aspx?lc=grief
CT Children’s Hospital: Helping Your Child Deal with Death
https://www.connecticutchildrens.org/health-library/en/parents/death/
CT Children’s Hospital: Talking to Kids about Grief
https://www.hartfordschools.org/talking-to-kids-about-grief-from-connecticut-childrens/
National Alliance for Children’s Grief: Programs in CT
https://childrengrieve.org/find-support/9-find-support/13-programs-in-connecticut
Talking to Children about Death
https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/SDE/Digest/2018-19/childdeath.pdf
Resources to Recover: A Family Website – The Den: For Grieving Kids
https://www.rtor.org/directory/family-centers-the-den-for-grieving-kids/
Mary’s Place: A Center for Grieving Children and Families
Resources for HPS Families: Supporting Your Child Through Grief and Loss