Children's Books About Feelings and Worries
As I brough my own 7-year-old for his flu shot this week, I was reminded of how much worry can play into a doctor's visit, diagnosis, and every day life. I am sharing books that can help you have conversations with the children in your life about these worries and what they can do to help. You will find that some of these books are great kids who deal with worrying every day and some are more fitting for event-based worry. I also through in a few of my favorite books that talk about a wide variety of feelings. These books can help kids identify what they are feeling from worry to anger to happy to sad.
I truly believe that all of these books would be great on the shelves of a hospital library or school counselor's office. If you are looking for just one or two that would be fitting for your specific situation read below to learn more about each of them. (If you use the link to purchase, I do earn a small commission - but this does not alter the amount the author makes or the amount you pay. Just less money for Amazon. :) )
Also, if you have a minute, check out some of the other books that have been shared on my blog earlier in the year. You can scroll through the blog to find a specific thing your child is worrying about like surgery (October 1 & April 16), a parent's cancer (May 7), the dentist (April 30), a hospital stay (February 19 & 26), etc or you can find some books about breathing techniques that can help(May 21).
The Color Monster by Anna Llenas
This book introduces someone who is confused because he is feeling lots of different things at once. Each feeling is represented by a color. The book talks through all the things that the monster is feeling and when the monster is able to understand, he feels less confused and more at peace. The book uses color and a scribbling visual to help the reader understand. The book would be good for young children and could be great to partner with a color scribbling activity that kids could use to represent how they are feeling.
https://amzn.to/3XJ3Kt7
In My Heart: A Book of Feelings by Jo Witek
This book takes through the many feelings that they can “feel in the heart”. The book does a nice job of using descriptors that kids can relate to. It does not just include happy, sad, and mad… but gÁts to some of the more nuanced, yet common things kids feel. This book would be good for young kids through middle elementary.
https://amzn.to/4iMK9lB
The Pain in My Chest by Áine Murray
This book tells the story of a girl who wants to do many things, but never does because of the thoughts she has and the pain in the chest. In the end, her mom helps label it as anxiety. She shares that she too has anxiety and that she finds it helpful to talk about her thoughts with those who love and care. They talk about how the pain in her chest is not who she is and that together they could “cure the pain in her chest”. This book does use a rhyming verse and so young children might lose some of the meaning, but with the assistance of an adult reader - this book could be a great resource for kids who struggle with shyness or quiet worry. I like that it promotes parents and children working together to work through bad feelings - I don’t love the use of the word ‘cure’. Good for school aged kids.
https://amzn.to/3KytdTa
Move your Mood by Brenda S. Miles and Colleen A. Patterson
This is a simple and playful book that encourages kids to move to help their own mood. In a playful way, it teaches young children that moving can make you feel good. The book shows a variety of animals doing a variety of movements - but they include a lot of things you can do with limited abilities. So I love this for the hospital where kids may be “stuck” in bed and be feeling the “affects”. This can be a great way to get them moving. It can also be just a good concept for kids who live in this age of screens. I suggest for very young children through early elementary.
https://amzn.to/4qfRSev
All About Worries and Fears by Felicity Brooks
This is a great educational book that talks about what a worry or fear is, gives a variety of things that kids can try including breathing, moving, keeping busy, and talking about it. It also takes kids through some common situations and lastly includes some more information for adults. If you would like sit down and have a conversation with a child about their worries, this book can help the kid feel more in control but understanding what they are experiencing and giving them choices of how they can help themselves. The book could be read all at a time or could easily be broken down into parts for shorter attention spans. Good for preschool through middle elementary.
https://amzn.to/3XDnLkO
Splat the Cat Goes to the Doctor by Rob Scotton
This book is a silly book that talks about a cat who is excited to leave school early to go to his doctor’s appointment, until his friends scare him about what might happen at the doctor’s. Suddenly, Splat the Cat does not want to go, but his mom doesn’t budge. When he gets there, it doesn’t look scary. As he goes through his appointment, he finds that none of it is scary. While this book is fun, it is also relatable. This can be a great way to remind kids that usually the things they worry about aren’t as bad as they think. This would be a great book for a clinic waiting room or for a classroom or home read. Good for young kids through middle elementary.
https://amzn.to/4oIUpfO
