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Your Mind Matters: Mental Health & Social Emotional Learning in Children's Books
May is Mental Health Awareness month, and children's books can be a vital tool when caregivers are helping children through traumatic events, complex social emotional situations, or simply wish to help their child learn about caring for their mental health. We have many titles covering many topics, so for more titles, please ask us! The staff at PWPL Youth Services is always happy to help you find the right fit for your family!
Picture Books
I am Series by Susan Verdes, illustrated by Peter Reynolds
≤ Picture book series that covers a wide range of social emotional topics. PWPL owns the following titles.
≤ I am Yoga
≤ I am one: a book of action
≤ I am courage: a book of resilience
≤ I am love: a book of compassion
≤ I am peace: a book of mindfulness
≤ I am me: a book of authenticity
≤ I am human: a book of empathy
≤ Breathing Makes it Better: a Book for Sad Days, Mad Days, Glad Days, and all the Feelings In-between by Christopher Willard.
Great choice those looking for techniques to help children develop mindfulness and work their way through all different sorts of emotions.
≤ Woo Hoo! You're Doing Great! By Sandra Boynton
Affirmation of the things that we do great every single day! Celebrate the simple things and help develop perseverance as children learn new skills.
≤ Thank You, Omu! By Mora Oge
This title is a Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King winner. Beyond being a beautifully illustrated story that is a new favorite of mine, this title is useful for talking about compassion, sharing, family/community and showing gratitude.
≤ The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld
A reminder that sometimes we just need someone to compassionately listen to us when we are struggling-and that sometimes you have to wait until that person is ready to talk.
≤ Author Tom Percival
Series about different social emotional (SEL) topics. PWPL owns to following titles
≤ Ruby Finds a Worry
≤ Perfectly Normal
≤ Ravi's Roar
≤ Meesha Makes Friends
≤ Author John Jory
Jory's picture books depict sentient foods that are struggling with various mental health/SEL issues, from anxiety to worry about fitting in. These are great for older elementary students, who will understand the humor better than younger kids. PWPL owns the following titles:
≤ Thee Good Egg
≤ The Cool Bean
≤ The Bad Seed
≤ The Sour Grape
≤ The Smart Cookie
Why do Families Change: by Jillian Roberts & Tuesday is Daddy's Day by Elliot Kreloff
≤ These are two of several divorce books PWPL has recently added to our collection. Divorce is a relatively common, but hugely emotionally impactful, reality for families. Books that explain why it might be happening, and what to expect can help parents prepare and work through the situation with their children.
Big Bear was Not the Same by Joanna Rowland
≤ A well-done picture book about trauma can be difficult to find-but this book hits the mark. Without being too graphic or scary for a young child, this title presents the reality of traumatic events and the impact it can have on a person for years.
I Feel: a book of Emotions by Juna Medina
≤ PWPL has several books that help caregiver help children with identifying emotions, and giving suggestions as to how caregivers can help children safely and appropriately express their emotions. Please ask us for a full list!
Dadaji's Paintbrush by Rashmi Sirdeshpande
≤ Death in the family happens to everyone, and can be a very difficult time. PWPL has several different books that talk about the death of a parent, or grandparent. This particular title is a beautiful book about how a little boy processes the death of his beloved grandfather; at first unable to paint (the activity they had done together), until finally enough healing had taken place that he could once again pull out dadji's paintbrushes.
Julian Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love
≤ Self-Love and celebration of individuality shines through this book. Julian loves mermaids, and seeing three woman dressed up as mermaids on the train sparks an idea to create his own costume at home.
Happy Adoption Day by John McCutcheon & Sweet Moon Baby: An Adoption Tale by Karen Clark
≤ Growing your family by adoption is a scenario that might need a little extra explaining; these are a couple sweet titles that will help your child understand adoption, either their own or the addition of a new family member via adoption.
Mama's Days by Andi Diehn & In the Blue by Erin Hourigan
≤ Mental illness and depression is something that many adults face, and can by very difficult for a child to understand. These two picture books depict parental depression in gentle way. For a child who has a parent with depression, they will recognize their parent in the illustrations. For a caregiver looking to help a child understand depression, these books will help give them words and understanding.
Milo Imagines the World by Matt de la Pe-a
≤ In this beautiful book, Milo is taking a long trip on the subway and passes the time by letting his imagination create elaborate and wonderful scenarios for the other passengers. He imagines that a little boy in a white suit and sneakers is going to a fancy castle, but when they get off at the same spot Milo realizes they have the same destination-a prison, going to visit incarcerated family. This book is a gentle and kind way to address a difficult and common reality for many families who have a loved one who is incarcerated.
By Sarah Rehborg
Youth Services Librarian