Why we love it: Early Departures (Katherine Tegen Books, 2020) is a YA novel by Justin A. Reynolds about a 17-year-old boy named Jamal who blames his longtime best friend, Quincy, for the death of his parents who died a couple of years ago. 

Jamal’s grief seems to be taking over his whole life until something real unxpected happens. Quincy dies trying to save someone’s life…and a mysterious man offers Quincy’s mom a chance to bring Quincy back through experimental technology! 

While the storyline might sound kind of insane, the author definitely knows how to capture the voice of a teen. The feels about grief are real, and it's like you're right there with the characters. The book is a page-turner, and deals with some deep stuff like mental health challenges and identity struggles. Check it out!

Why we love it: So many young people think poetry is boring (not true) or totally old-fashioned (can be true but not always!). You've got to check this mighty poem out, though. We love the to-the-point sentiment by Naila Franics, @thishallowedwilderness, which is about and dedicated to grief: 

"Grief, I say, come in. Sit down, I have tea. There is honey. This will take as long as it takes."

The author is a grief coach who has been through grief herself so she knows all about navigating the feelings. So many of us want to try and ignore the pain, heartbreak, disappointment, and anger, but the emotions are always sitting right there whether we acknowledge them or not. 

That's why we're loving this poem that tells us to "invite grief for tea," making cozy space for it so we can feel all the feels and just be okay with all of them. BYOH (bring your own honey).

Why we love it: The Fault in Our Stars (Penguin Books, 2014) may not be recent, but it is such a classic. You might've seen the movie, but trust us - the book is one of the best YA books out there. 

The story is about Hazel, this 16-year-old cancer patient who meets this guy named Gus in her cancer support group. Things get pretty intense as their relationship heats up and they let themselves be vulnerable with each other. The author, John Green, tells it like it is, no sugarcoating.

One of the best quotes about grief: "Grief does not change you Hazel. It reveals you." Yes, we love that!

You'll laugh, you'll cry (for real, have tissues on hand), and your heart will likely break a little. But that's what makes it so good. It's raw and honest. It's a YA classic for a reason.

Why we love it: Have you seen the second season of "The Summer I Turned Pretty"? It's a super popular show that's based on a book by Jenny Han. Part of the plot is that there are two teen brothers, Jeremiah and Conrad, dealing with their mom's death (we all loved mom, Susannah, from season one). And let me tell you, some of the scenes with Susannah are real tearjerkers.

Jeremiah and Conrad go through all the emotions many of us know all-too-well about: anger, sadness, and even relief that comes from death once the suffering finally stops. The brothers navigate this whole grief thing in such a believable way.

It's cool to see a popular show tackle such a heavy topic and actually get it right. No fakeness or glossing over how hard it is.

If you're into watching shows that deal with the reality of grief—but with a great soundtrack, dramatic friendship angles, and a complicated love story—check this show out!

What we love: Probably a bunch of you already know about the show on Netflix called "Never Have I Ever." But in case you haven't, try it! It's made by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fischer, and it's all about this American teen named Devi who is so relatable.

Devi is going through serious stuff (like high school isn't hard enough) after her dad dies during her orchestra concert from a heart attack. She is fighting with her mom alot and she is an only child, so it's obviously a lot of grief to hold.

What's cool is seeing how Devi and her grief evolve over the years. It's a non-linear journey, and the show captures that so well. You see how Devi tries to hold her emotions, handle her relationships (so cringy and awkward but also sweet and loving!) and her life in general. We need more shows like this!

What we love: Okay, so "Coco" is technically a movie for kids, but it's definitely for all of us! It's an animated fantasy by Pixar, and it's so good, both the story and the stunning visuals.

The movie follows a 12-year-old Mexican boy named Miguel, who goes on a crazy adventure to the "Land of the Dead" to meet his dead great-great-grandfather. The story is all about family, tradition, and remembering those who've died.

"Coco" made me feel jealous of how well Mexican culture celebrates those who have died. It's about honoring and never forgetting our loved ones, and that's such an important part of the tradition. I feel like for so many teens , we're supposed to be sad and then just move on and stop thinking about our grief so much (as if we can!).

Also the movie is just so cool looking! Death and mourning don't have to be shot in all black and gloomy gray colors. "Coco" shows that there's beauty and brightness in all of life, including remembering and celebrating the lives of those who have died.

If you're looking for a heartwarming and really good film, this is it. Get ready to feel many emotions and maybe shed a tear (or twelve). 

What we love: Even if you didn't pay attention to the lyrics, this song by Charlie Puth and rapper Khalifa still hits you hard with the strong vocals and raw feelings. But when you listen to the lyrics, like really listen, you see how deeply sad it is. The song is a tribute to an actor, Paul Walker, who died in a car accident while he was filming the movie "Fast and Furious 7."

Some of the heartbreaking lyrics from the song:

"It's been a long day without you, my friend/
And I'll tell you all about it when I see you again."

and also...

"How can we not talk about family when family's all that we got?
Everything I went through, you were standing there by my side
And now you gon' be with me for the last ride."

Amen to this.

What we love: Let us introduce to you this talented but little-known artist named Taylor Swift (hahaha). 

Okay, seriously, unless you're a true Taylor Swift lover, you may not know about this bring-you-to-sobs song, "Bigger than the Whole Sky," that's all about experiencing the death of someone who died way too soon. 

It's almost impossible not to weep at the chorus: 

"Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye
You were bigger than the whole sky
You were more than just a short time
And I've got a lot to pine about
I've got a lot to live without
I'm never gonna meet
What could've been, would've been
What should've been you
What could've been, would've been you"

That line, "I'm never gonna meet what could've been." Gets me every time.

What we love: Love, love, love Demi Lovato's song "Father." It's all about her emotions after her dad died from cancer in 2013. Demi has always been honest and public about her complicated relationship with her father, and this song is no exception.

The lyrics are so genuine, and for those of us who have complicated relationships with our parent who died, we can all probably relate to the lines:

"You did your best, or did you?,
I think I hate you.
I'm sorry, dad, for feeling this.
I can't believe I'm saying it."

Yes, just because we love our parent doesn't mean we also don't feel anger or disappointment with their behaviors and actions. So we're glad she's "saying it" and not pretending it was something other than it was.

Demi pours so much emotion into her singing. It's like she's baring her soul to us. We appreciate her so much showing her vulnerability!

What we love: Let's take a second to appreciate Andrew Garfield and this interview because that guy knows how to embrace his emotions. He's not afraid to let the tears flow publicly when he talks about his mom who died.

It's so nice to see someone famous, especially a guy, be open about his grief like that. He loves talking about his mom, and he's showing the world that grief isn't just about being sad or mad. It's a whole mix of emotions, like love and even joy, all tangled together.

This interview is a reminder that grief is messy and complicated. It's not something we can neatly put into a box. You can feel happy and sad at the exact same time, and experience a dozen other emotions all at once.

So, let's take a lesson from Andrew, let out our feelings, and remember that it's okay to experience and express whatever feelings pop up around grief.

What we love: I love this post on whatsyourgrief.com called "What Harry Potter Taught Me about Grief," and how it teaches us about our own grieving. If you're a Harry Potter fan, you're going to love this.

The bloggers make all these wise connections between the characters in "Harry Potter" and the ways they deal with loss, and how we can learn from them.

They also talk about how people keep living on, even after they die. It's like, when someone dies, their impact and legacy can still be felt.

Check out the post to read the insights. If you're a Harry Potter fan or you're just interested in exploring how fiction can teach us about our own personal experiences, it's magic!

What we love:  Have you heard about this video game that came out in 2016? It's called "That Dragon, Cancer," and it takes you on an emotional journey through four-years of Joel, based on a real boy who sadly died from cancer in 2014.

The game was created by Joel's parents, Ryan and Amy Green, and their friend Josh Larson. It's a true story, and let me tell you, playing it is a rollercoaster of emotions. One of the scenes that got me choked up was all these cards in Joel's hospital room that you can click on a read.

Be warned, it's all pretty heart-wrenching. But it's also an incredible tribute to this real-life story, and there's comfort in it too. It explores themes of faith, hope, and love in such thoughtful way.

A lot of video games are made to help us escape our feelings. If you're looking for a video game that makes you feel, this is it. It's an emotional journey you won't forget.