Children's Books Surrounding Social Themes for Emotions
This list of recommendations was created by our Clinician, Meg Flynn, LPCA.
Social Themes / Emotions & Feelings
The Color Monster (also available in Spanish)
Anna Llenas
Ages 4 to 8, Grades P to 3
One day, Color Monster wakes up feeling very confused. His emotions are all over the place; he feels angry, happy, calm, sad, and scared all at once! To help him, a little girl shows him what each feeling means through color. As this adorable monster learns to sort and define his mixed-up emotions, he gains self-awareness and peace as a result. Everyone will enjoy sharing this concept book that taps into both socio-emotional growth and color concepts in a simple, friendly way.
Other books in the series:
The Color Monster
The Color Monster Goes to School
Dr. Color Monster and the Emotions Toolkit
The Magical Yet
Angela DiTerlizzi, Lorena Alvarez Gómez (Illustrated by)
Ages 4 to 8
Each of us, from the day we're born, is accompanied by a special companion—the Yet. Can't tie your shoes? Yet! Can't ride a bike? Yet! Can't play the bassoon? Don't worry, Yet is there to help you out.
The Magical Yet is the perfect tool for parents and educators to turn a negative into a positive when helping children cope with the inevitable difficult learning moments we all face. Whether a child or an adult, this encouraging and uplifting book reminds us that we all have things we haven't learned...yet!
Other books in the series:
The Curious Why
My Monster & Me
Nadiya Hussain, Ella Bailey (Illustrated by)
Ages 3 to 5, Grades K And Under
A touching story about a little boy whose worry monster follows him everywhere he goes. It's there when he gets dressed, when he wants to play with his toys, and even when his friends come over to visit. How can he escape his worries?
The Rabbit Listened
Cori Doerrfeld
Ages 3 to 5, Grades K And Under
When something sad happens, Taylor doesn't know where to turn. All the animals are sure they have the answer. The chicken wants to talk it out, but Taylor doesn't feel like chatting. The bear thinks Taylor should get angry, but that's not quite right either. One by one, the animals try to tell Taylor how to act, and one by one they fail to offer comfort. Then the rabbit arrives. All the rabbit does is listen . . . which is just what Taylor needs.
With its spare, poignant text and irresistibly sweet illustration, The Rabbit Listened is about how to comfort and heal the people in your life, by taking the time to carefully, lovingly, gently listen.
Bereavement / Loss / Illness
I've Never Met My Grandpa
Mackinzie Rekers (Illustrated by), Shannon Zigmund
Ages 3 to 7
A realistic story of a child’s curiosity about death and lost loved ones. This sweet and poignant story paints a picture of a little girl’s curiosity to know her grandfather, who died before she was born. What was he like? Will she ever be able to meet him? She starts off on her own discovery journey, gathering stories and memories, finding Grandpa’s old things and trying out some of his favorites. As she pieces it all together, she realizes that maybe she doesn’t have to meet her grandpa to really know him after all.
The Invisible String
Patrice Karst, Joanne Lew-Vriethoff (Illustrated by)
Ages 4 to 8, Grades P to 3
Parents, educators, therapists, and social workers alike have declared The Invisible String the perfect tool for coping with all kinds of separation anxiety, loss, and grief. It's also been joyfully embraced as a year-round celebration of love--gifted at births, graduations, weddings, Valentine's Day, and beyond. In this relatable and reassuring contemporary classic, a mother tells her two children that they're all connected by an invisible string. "That's impossible!" the children insist, but still they want to know more: "What kind of string?" The answer is the simple truth that binds us all: An Invisible String made of love. Even though you can't see it with your eyes, you can feel it deep in your heart, and know that you are always connected to the ones you love. Does everybody have an Invisible String? How far does it reach? Does it ever go away? This heartwarming picture book for all ages explores questions about the intangible yet unbreakable connections between us, and opens up deeper conversations about love.
Other books in the series:
The Invisible String Backpack: Your very own tool kit for school—and life!
The Invisible String Workbook: Creative Activities to Comfort, Calm, and Connect
The Invisible Leash: An Invisible String Story About the Loss of a Pet
The Invisible Web: An Invisible String Story Celebrating Love and Universal Connection
You Are Never Alone: An Invisible String Lullaby
Jenny Mei Is Sad
Tracy Subisak
Ages 4 to 8
With this educational and entertaining picture book, learn how to approach difficult emotions with compassion and understanding—and be the best friend you can be.
My friend Jenny Mei is sad. But you might not be able to tell.
Jenny Mei still smiles a lot. She makes everyone laugh. And she still likes blue Popsicles the best. But, her friend knows that Jenny Mei is sad, and does her best to be there to support her.
This beautifully illustrated book is perfect for introducing kids to the complexity of sadness, and to show them that the best way to be a good friend, especially to someone sad, is by being there for the fun, the not-fun, and everything in between.
The Goodbye Book (also available in Spanish/English bilingual edition)
Todd Parr
Ages 3 to 6
It’s hard to say goodbye to someone.
You might not know what to feel.
But you’ll remember that there will always be someone to love you and hold you tight.
Through the lens of a pet fish who has lost its companion, The Goodbye Book tells a touching and hopeful story about saying goodbye to someone you love. Addressing the host of emotions children experience, Todd reminds readers that it’s okay not to know all the answers, and that someone will always be there to support them. An invaluable resource for life’s toughest moments.
Ida, Always
Caron Levis, Charles Santoso (Illustrated by)
Ages 4 to 8, Grades P to 3
Gus lives in a big park in the middle of an even bigger city, and he spends his days with Ida. Ida is right there. Always. Then one sad day, Gus learns that Ida is very sick, and she isn’t going to get better. The friends help each other face the difficult news with whispers, sniffles, cuddles, and even laughs. Slowly Gus realizes that even after Ida is gone, she will still be with him—through the sounds of their city, and the memories that live in their favorite spots.
Ida, Always is an exquisitely told story of two best friends—inspired by a real bear friendship—and a gentle, moving, needed reminder that loved ones lost will stay in our hearts, always.
Holiday Themes
Secret Santa Claus Club: A Tool to Help Parents Unwrap the Secret of Santa
Jeff Janke, Jim Starr (Illustrated By)
Ages 6 to 10
Why do we spend so much time and effort creating a fairytale world for our children, just to take it away from them? Author Jeff Janke faced that dilemma three years ago when his daughter started questioning her belief in Santa Claus. Like most parents, he had two problems to solve--how to gently teach his child the true meaning of Christmas, and how to prevent her from spoiling the fairytale for other children. Out of this problem, Secret Santa Claus Club was born.
Secret Santa Claus Club is a beautifully illustrated story about a little girl thinking back on the magic of each Christmas. She remembers meeting Santa at the mall and seeing her first bike under the tree on Christmas morning. As time goes on, she starts to wonder if it's all real. When she decides she's ready to know the truth--her parents help guide her to the true meaning of the holiday.
Secret Santa Claus Club was written to be a tool for parents during these challenging moments. Combined with love, patience, and compassion, SSCC will help transition the reader from believing to becoming. At the end of the story, your child will be invited to join Secret Santa Claus Club. They'll understand the importance of keeping the secret, creating the magic for believers, and helping other members of the club.
Just Us
Molly Beth Griffin, Anait Semirdzhyan (Illustrated by)
Ages 3 to 7, Grades P to 2
How can it be the holidays if everyone isn't together? Relevant and relatable, Just Us will provide comfort and warm hearts at a time of the year when maybe it's needed most. What happens when a storm prevents all the relatives from coming in for the holidays? No Grandma, no aunts, no uncles, no cousins. No fun!
The family will have to adapt their traditions to versions that can be done on a smaller scale--from a more manageable stew dinner, a hike in the snow, or a game of cards instead of rowdy charades. Navigating disappointment with mindfulness and gratitude, the family pieces together a holiday full of new traditions, while still acknowledging that it's okay to miss the old ones.
Mindfulness
Ten Beautiful Things
Molly Beth Griffin, Maribel Lechuga (Illustrated by)
Ages 5 to 8, Grades K to 3
A heartfelt story of changing perspectives, set in the Midwest. Ten Beautiful Things gently explores loss, a new home, and finding beauty wherever you are.
Lily and her grandmother search for ten beautiful things as they take a long car ride to Iowa and Lily's new home with Gran. At first, Lily sees nothing beautiful in the April slush and cloudy sky. Soon though, Lily can see beauty in unexpected places, from the smell of spring mud to a cloud shaped like a swan to a dilapidated barn. A furious rainstorm mirrors Lily's anxiety, but as it clears Lily discovers the tenth beautiful thing: Lily and Gran and their love for each other.
Ten Beautiful Things leaves the exact cause of Lily's move ambiguous, making it perfect for anyone helping a child navigate change, whether it be the loss of a parent, entering or leaving a foster home, or moving.
Meditation Station
Susan B. Katz, Anait Semirdzhyan (Illustrated by)
Ages 4 to 8, Grades P to 3
Your racing train of thoughts may try to take you down the railroad tracks, but you can stay in the Meditation Station, where children ages 4-8 learn how to calm their bodies and minds.
All aboard for Meditation Station! It's time to learn how to manage our busy minds, difficult feelings, and frustrations by staying with our breath and in our body. Your train of thoughts might be racing, but you can manage it with some simple steps. Take a deep breath in, and then let the breath out slowly. That is how you will learn what meditation is all about. The next train is coming. Can you hear it chugging along? Stay in the meditation station--don't hop on the train! Just wave goodbye to your racing mind and find inner calm.
The Magical Science of Feelings: Train Your Amazing Brain to Quiet Anger, Soothe Sadness, Calm Worry, and Share Joy
Jen Daily, Gwen Millward (Illustrated by)
Ages 5 to 8, Grades K to 3
Where do feelings come from? Are they magic? No, they're science! There is a reason our tummies feel funny when we are worried, and why we want to stomp and clench our fists when we feel mad. With endearing illustrations, the parts of the brain come alive as friendly characters who explain how emotions like happy, sad, mad, worried, and overwhelmed are created in the body. Along with clear explanations about the origins of feelings, author and clinical social worker Jen Daily provides creative coping skills and activities (playfully called emotion potions) that help build a child's ability to reflect, cope, calm anxious thoughts, and welcome greater joy. From dancing to storytelling and meditation, the coping skills are accessible and effective for a wide range of social-emotional needs and learning styles.
A kid-friendly introduction to the science of emotions. Colorfully illustrated characters representing parts of the brain provide an engaging, science-based understanding of the root of feelings.
Developed by a clinical social worker. Experienced in family- and school-based interventions, author Jennifer Daily integrates elementary education socio-emotional learning standards into this commercial, kid-friendly package.
Empowering activities that are effective for a range of learning and coping styles. Sensory-based activities and hands-on ways to explore emotions, such as making an Anger Volcano or Sadness Goo, and creative coping skills offer multiple entry points for varied learning and coping styles, including neuro-diverse kids.
Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance
Big
Vashti Harrison
Ages 4 to 8, Grades P to 3
The first picture book written and illustrated by award-winning creator Vashti Harrison traces a child’s journey to self-love and shows the power of words to both hurt and heal. With spare text and exquisite illustrations, this emotional exploration of being big in a world that prizes small is a tender portrayal of how you can stand out and feel invisible at the same time.
Eyes That Kiss in the Corners
Joanna Ho, Dung Ho (Illustrated by)
Ages 4 to 8, Grades P to 3
A young Asian girl notices that her eyes look different from her friends’s. They have big, round eyes and long lashes. She begins to wish for eyes that are like theirs until she realizes that her eyes are like her mother’s, Amah’s, and Mei Mei’s. They have eyes that kiss in the corners and glow like warm tea, crinkle into crescent moons, and are filled with stories of the past and hope for the future. Throughout the course of the story she learns that her eyes are beautiful.