Positive mental health in your child starts with teaching them to identify and talk about their feelings, and helping them develop their self-esteem. Learning how to manage emotions and social relationships are important lessons for childhood as well. Reading books about these topics helps children see that everyone has emotions and that everyone struggles with regulation and relationships sometimes. These books can also be a conversation starter for you and your child. Reading books together helps build a foundation for communicating about difficult topics.
Note that the age ranges for each book are suggestions to give you an idea of what might be appropriate for your child’s age, maturity and reading level.
Ready, set, read!
ALL ABOUT EMOTIONS
- The Color Monster: A Story about Emotions by Anna Llenas (ages 2-5)
- Tough Guys (Have Feelings Too) by Keith Negley (ages 3-5)
- Feel Your Feelings by Scott Stoll and Sara E. Williams (ages 4-8)
- In My Feelings: A Teen Guide to Discovering What You Feel So You Can Decide What to Do by Vidal Annon (ages 12 and up)
- (Don’t) Call Me Crazy: 33 Voices Start the Conversation about Mental Health by Kelly Jensen (ages 14 and up)
COPING STRATEGIES
- Ninjas Know the CBT Triangle: A Children’s Book About How Thoughts, Emotions, and Behaviors Affect One Another; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy by Mary Nhin (ages 4-10)
- A Boy and a Bear: The Children’s Relaxation Book by Lori Lite (ages 3-10)
- What to Do When You Grumble Too Much: A Kid’s Guide to Overcoming Negativity (What-to-Do Guides for Kids) by Dawn Huebner and Bonnie Matthews (ages 6-9)
- What to Do When Your Brain Gets Stuck: A Kid’s Guide to Overcoming OCD by Dawn Huebner and Bonnie Matthews (ages 7-11)
- Coping Skills for Teens Unleashed: From Stress to Strength – A Journey to Emotional Mastery and Unshakable Resilience by Emma Davis (ages 12 and up)
SOCIAL SKILLS
- Dragon and The Bully: Teach Your Dragon How To Deal With The Bully by Steve Herman (ages 4-7)
- The Not-So-Friendly Friend: How To Set Boundaries for Healthy Friendships by Christina Furnival and Katie Dwyer (ages 4-8)
- Better Together: The ABCs of Building Social Skills and Friendships by Melissa Munro Boyd (ages 3-8)
- Growing Friendships: A Kids’ Guide to Making and Keeping Friends by Eileen Kennedy-Moore and Christine McLaughlin (ages 6-10)
- Essential Social Skills for Teens: Empowering You to Boost Self-Esteem, Overcome Stress, Build Meaningful Relationships, and Navigate Conflicts with Confidence by Alicia McAuliffe (ages 12-17)
SELF ESTEEM
- Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud and David Messing (ages 3-10)
- Who I Am: Words I Tell Myself by Susan Verde and Peter Reynolds (ages 4-8)
- You Are Your Strong by Danielle Dufayet (ages 4-8)
- Don’t Feed the Monster on Tuesdays! by Adolph Moser (ages 5-11)
- Just As You Are: A Teen’s Guide to Self-Acceptance and Lasting Self-Esteem by Michelle Skeen and Kelly Skeen (ages 12-17)
