Three New Children’s Books in Latvian Literature Address Death and Grief
Three recently published children’s books in Latvia approach death, grief, and loss from distinct perspectives, each highlighting a different aspect of farewell and remembrance.
Within a relatively short period, three visually refined and content-balanced books have appeared in Latvian literature, primarily intended for young readers. Each of them addresses death, grief, and loss with somewhat different emphases, a topic that has long been considered one of the biggest taboos in children’s literature.
Renāte Bērante’s picture book "Atvadīties" (Monte Stories, 2026), with illustrations by Sabīne Baumane, highlights the moment of saying goodbye. Jekaterina Griškjāne’s picture book "Es esmu mājiņā" (Zvaigzne ABC, 2026) places emphasis on remembering. Luīze Pastore and illustrator Sven Neiland’s collaborative comic "Te tu esi!" (Liels un mazs, 2026) reveals the subtle and seemingly endless networks of mourning.
All three books share a strong visual language and courage to discuss a subject that has long been under-explored in children’s literature. Each book manages to find and highlight different connections within the architecture of grief, offering readers various ways to understand and process loss.
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