The comedian, podcaster and author on the reads which have helped her navigate loss

Cariad Lloyd was 15 years old when she lost her father. It was an experience that shaped the would-be comedian in numerous ways, and later inspired her podcast Griefcast, for which she spent seven years interviewing nearly 200 people about their experiences of loss.

In 2023, she poured all of this into her book You Are Not Alone, a kind of companion to anyone who is grieving. It focuses on how we can learn to live with it rather than “get over it”, as well as covering everything from the history of grieving to how to help someone in need.

Now, Lloyd has written the equally comforting Where Did She Go?, a children’s book which helps to explain death and loss to little ones. Here, she shares the five other books that helped her the most…

Grief Works by Julia Samuel

“Julia Samuel (or St Julia as I have renamed her) is one of the best writers on the subject of grief we have. From her podcast to her social media videos, she has dedicated her life’s work to helping demystify the emotional and messy process of grief.

“This book follows a selection of case studies from her own experience as a psychotherapist, and it was also the first book I came across that clearly set out what happens to us as humans in grief – all told with warmth and empathy. A great place to start if you are feeling a little nervous of reading about grief, Samuel is always calm and clear headed in her thoughts.”

Penguin Life, £10.99

Notes on Grief by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

“I am a huge fan of Adichie’s award-winning fiction, but this slim non-fiction work stands as strong as any of her novels. Written just after her father died, it is as you’d expect: heartfelt and raw.

“I would personally recommend this to those facing the vertigo of the early days or even the first year, as it speaks very clearly to the vulnerable place that grievers find themselves in at the start – when it can truly feel like no one else can possibly understand your pain. Adichie’s writing elevates this beyond a self-help book, ideal if you are struggling to put into words the hugeness of grief’s maelstrom of emotions.”

Fourth Estate, £7.99

Mum’s Jumper by Jayde Perkin

“This is a truly beautiful children’s picture book, and although it is aimed at younger ones, adults will receive comfort from it too. It’s the story of a little girl whose mum has died, and the comfort she receives from the smell of her mum’s jumper and also the pain of only having a jumper left to hold.

“Sensitively paced, and drawn from Perkin’s own experience, if you don’t know how to approach talking to a child about parental loss this is a refreshingly honest yet kind place to start. Perkin’s use of bright colours and sense of movement in her drawings should also appeal to more resistant readers.”

Book Island, £8.99

The Consequences of Love by Gavanndra Hodge

“In this memoir, Hodge tells the story of her younger sister, Candy, whose sudden and shocking death as a young child while they were on holiday with their parents created an extreme and enveloping grief among them all. Sibling grief is a complicated situation and so many siblings have expressed how hard it is to place their grief, when they are not the parents who have lost a child, yet they have still lost a huge part of who they are – their witness to their own childhood.

“Hodge writes beautifully of her own grief, but also the ripples that occur; the addictions that took over her parents’ lives and the painfully slow process of finding a way back to each other. Despite the tragic nature of Candy’s death, Hodge pulls the reader through to a place of uplifting acceptance of grief in our lives.”

Penguin, £10.99

Did Ye Hear Mammy Died? by Séamas O’Reilly

“Séamas was just five years old when his mother died of breast cancer. As one of eleven children, his father was left with not just grief but an entire clan of children to raise. O’Reilly does that magical thing of being deeply truthful about how bereavement as a child feels, the hole it leaves behind in your life – and yet it’s also outrageously funny.

“The adventures, chaos and joy that O’Reilly captures from his family becomes a hopeful reminder that pain and happiness often sit next to each other in the maelstrom of grief. It’s also a sensitive reminder that grief will change and so will you.”

Fleet, £11.99

Cariad Lloyd is a judge for The British Book Awards 2025; the winners will be announced on Monday 12 May. Where Did She Go?, illustrated by Tom Percival publishes on 8 May (Hodder Children’s Books, £12.99)