The Key Around My Neck

Ages 7-9 Edition - Description

A gentle, honest children's book about losing a parent to suicide - helping kids ages 7-9 grieve, heal, and feel less alone.

Josie is eight years old. Until seven months ago, she always knew exactly how a day would go. Then her dad died by suicide, and everything changed - a new town, a new school, and a key on a shoelace around her neck, because now she's old enough to let herself and her little brother in after school.

A story that gives children the words they need:

The Key Around My Neck is a children's grief book that names, gently and honestly, what many kids are never given language for -

• It was not their fault, no matter what happened
• Grief comes in waves, not all at once
• New responsibilities and new routines can feel heavy, but they can be carried
• New friends and new joy are still possible, even after loss

Written for children coping with a parent's suicide, this story also speaks to kids navigating a parent's absence, a family move, financial hardship, or becoming a "latchkey kid" for the first time.

Includes a Note for Grown-Ups: a dedicated section for parents, caregivers, teachers, and school counselors on talking with children about suicide loss and depression, plus a list of support resources including the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

A supportive read for families, classrooms, school counselors, and childhood bereavement and grief support groups.