A Neighborhood of Dead People
Cemeteries aren't so scary. A gentle story about curiosity, courage, and discovering beauty in unexpected places. Perfect for ages 4-8.
Buy lots of copies for friends and your library!
36 pages | Children’s | Published December 2024
Premium Color
Standard Color
You can also get it at Bookshop.org or Barnes & Noble.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Radha is reluctant to go for a walk in the rain. Or maybe they're reluctant to walk near the cemetery by their house—it seems a little scary. But with their parent Rion by their side, Radha gathers the courage to explore and discovers something surprising: cemeteries can be peaceful, interesting places full of history and beauty.
A Neighborhood of Dead People is a warm, thoughtful picture book that helps children:
Approach uncertainty with curiosity instead of fear
Understand death as a natural part of life
Find beauty and peace in places that might seem scary at first
Practice courage with supportive adults
Featuring gorgeous illustrations by Peter Russo and a nonbinary protagonist, this book offers gentle representation and an important conversation starter for families.
PERFECT FOR
✓ Children ages 4-8
✓ Families processing grief or loss
✓ Teaching kids about curiosity and courage
✓ Introducing conversations about death in a gentle way
✓ School and library story times
✓ Families seeking inclusive representation
GIFT THIS BOOK
A Neighborhood of Dead People makes a thoughtful gift for:
Children experiencing loss or asking questions about death
Families welcoming a new baby (helping older siblings understand life cycles)
Teachers and counselors who support children through difficult times
Anyone who wants to share a beautiful, inclusive story
REVIEWS!
"This is a very sweet story about teaching kids to accept death as a normal part of life, and approaching uncertainty with curiosity. The artwork was lovely and it was nice to see a nonbinary character in an all ages book."
— Goodreads Reviewer
"I read this book after attending a funeral, and it brought me a lot of comfort when dealing with grief. I loved both the story and the illustrations."
— Goodreads Reviewer
WHERE TO BUY
Premium Color Edition (highest quality printing)
Lulu (supports the author & illustrator most)
Standard Color Edition (more affordable option)
Both editions feature the same beautiful story—premium edition has richer color depth.
Copyright Info
Text copyright © 2024 by Matthew Oliphant
Artwork copyright © 2024 by Peter Russo
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher except for purposes of critique or review. Don’t LLM me, bro. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission. The copyright for this book expires December 31, 2048. After this date the author considers it to be in the Public Domain. Because 70 years is too long.
This book is based on a true story, but is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental. The setting is real, but is, let’s say, not exactly to scale.
Do us a favor: take good care of yourself today.
First edition December 2024
ISBN 979-8-9907993-0-1 (paperback, premium color)
ISBN 979-8-9907993-1-8 (paperback, standard color)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2024924285
