Book Suggestions
Books are an excellent tool for children to gain insight into their feelings. The books are organized by groups for easy reference. Many of these titles can also be found in digital formats. Resources will be updated frequently.
Feelings/Self Esteem
Andrew's Angry Words by Dorthea Lachner
Feelings to Share From A to Z by Todd & Peggy Snow
How Are You Peeling? by Saxton Freymann
I Like Myself by Karen Beaumont
Don't Put Yourself Down in Circus Town: A Story About Self-Confidence by Frank J. Sileo
What to Do When the News Scares You by Jaqueline Toner
Mad Isn't Bad: A Child's Book about Anger by Mundy Michaelene
Shy Spaghetti and Excited Eggs: A Kid's Menu of Feelings by Marc A Nemiroff
Move Your Mood! by Brenda S. Miles
Crabby Pants by Julie Gassman
Ruthie and the (Not So) Teeny Tiny Lie by Laura Rankin
The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen
Wild Feelings by David Milgrim
Why Do We Cry? by Fran Pintadera
Way Past Mad by Hallee Adelman
Divorce/Changing Families
Do You Sing Twinkle? A Story About Remarriage and New Family by Sandra Levins
Dinosaurs Divorce by Marc Brown
Mom and Dad Don't Live Together Anymore by Kathy Stinson
Two Homes by Claire Masurel
When My Parents Forgot How To Be Friends by Jennifer Moore-Mallinos
Fred Stays with Me! by Nancy Cofflet
Papa, Daddy, and Riley by Seamus Kirst
Grief and Loss
When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide to Understanding Death by Marc Brown
The Invisible String by Patrice Karst
Goodbye, Brecken by David Lupton
Ben's Flying Flowers by Inger Maier
Samantha Jane's Missing Smile by Julie Kaplow and Donna Pincus
Dead Bird by Margaret Wise Brown
Goodbye Mousie by Robie H. Harris
Sammy in the Sky by Barbara Walsh
Jenny is Scared by Carol Shuman
Missing Mommy by Rebecca Cobb
The Heart and the Bottle by Oliver Jeffers
The Memory String by Eve Bunting
You'll Find Me by Amanda Rawson Hill
One Wave at a Time by Holly Thompson
The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerfeld
Grandpa's Stories by Joseph Coelho
Antiracism for Children
All are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold
A is for Activist by Innosanto Nagara
Skin Like Mine by LaTashia M. Perry
Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson
Something Happened in Our Town by Marianne Celano
What's the Difference? Being Different is Amazing by Doyin Richards
Lift as You Climb by Patricia Hruby Powell
Black is a Rainbow Color by Angela Joy
A Girl Like Me by Angela Johnson
Sometimes People March by Tessa Allen
More than Peach by Bellen Woodward
Worries
The Shark Who Was Afraid of Everything by Brian James
Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes
When I Feel Worried by Cornelia Maude Spelman
Jack's Worry by Sam Zuppardi
The Worry Glasses by Donalisa Helsley
Hector's Favorite Place by Jo Rooks
There Might Be Lobsters by Carolyn Crimi
Don't Think About Purple Elephants by Susanne Merritt
Too Shy For Show and Tell by Beth Bracken
Ruby Finds a Worry by Tom Percival
When Worry Takes Hold by Liz Haske
Me and My Fear By Francesca Sanna
What's Inside Your Backpack? By Jessica Sinarksi
Love by Matt de la Pena
Friendship
Rulers of the Playground by Joseph Kuefler
The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig
Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry
Island of the Skog by Stephen Kellogg
A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead
How to be a Friend by Marc Brown
Bad Apple by Edward Hemingway
Turtle Island by Kevin Sherry
Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel
The Adventures of Beekle by Dan Santat
Cliques Just Don't Make Cents by Julia Cook
Peanut Butter and Jellyous by Michael Genhart
How to Help a Friend by Karl Newsom
School
Mapping My Day by Julie Dillemuth
Back-to-School Fright with the Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler
New Kid, New Scene by Debbie Glasser and Emily Schenck
Don't Squeal Unless It's a Big Deal by Jeanie Franz Ransom
Sam and Gram and the First Day of School by Dianne Blomberg
First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg
Kindergarten, Here I Come by D.J. Steinberg
Ruby Lu, Empress of Everything by Lenore Look
Back to School with Bigfoot by Martha Brockenbrough
Goodbye, School by Tonya Lippert
Play Day School Day by Toni Yuly
Butterflies on the First Day of School by Annie Silvestro
When a Dragon Goes to School by Caryl Hart
Mindfulness/Calming
Be Still: An Invitation to Meditation by Frank Sileo
King Calm: Mindful Gorilla in the City by Susan Sweet
Be Calm: The Buzz on Yoga by Frank Sileo
Take the Time by Maud Roegiers
Grow Grateful by Jon Lasser
1,2,3 A Calmer Me by Brenda Miles
My Magic Breath by Nick Ortner
LGBTQ:
Sharice's Big Voice by Sharice Davids
Fred Gets Dresssed by Peter Brown
Peanut Goes for the Gold by Peter Van Ness
When Aidan Became a Brother by Kyle Lukoff
Neither by Airlie Anderson
Sam is My Sister by Ashely Rhodes-Courter
Love, Violet by Charlotte Sullivan Wild
This is Our Rainbow by Katherine Locke
Being You: A First Conversation About Gender by Megan Madison
And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson
Immigrant and Refugee Rights:
I Wish You Knew by Jackie Azua Kramer
The Notebook Keeper by Stephen Briseno
Something Happened to My Dad by Ann Hazard
Areli is a Dreamer by Areli Morales
Sugar in Milk by Thrity Umrigar
Where Are You From? by Yamile Saied Mendez
Dreamers by Yuyi Morales
Islandborn by Junot Diaz
For Parents
Dinner Talk: 365 Engaging Conversation Starters to Help You and Your Family Connect by Emily Hall
Parent Effectiveness Training by Thomas Gordon
Your Defiant Child, Second Edition: Eight Steps to Better Behavior by Russell A. Barkley
Setting Limits With Your Strong-Willed Child by Robert J. Mackenzie
1,2,3 Magic: Effective Discipline for Children 2-12 by Thomas Phelan
The Kazdin Method for Parenting the Defiant Child by Alan Kazdin
Playful Parenting by Lawrence Cohen
The Highly Sensitive Child by Elaine Aron
Positive Time-Out by Jane Nelsen
All About ADHD by Thomas Phelan
How to Talk So Kids Will Listen by Adele Faber
Making Grateful Kids by Jeffrey Froh
The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel Siegel
Managing Transitions by William Bridges
Smart Parents by Bonnie Lathram
Help! There's a Toddler in the House! by Thomas Reimers
Skills for Families, Skills for Life by Amy Simpson