Teaching children about emotions can be difficult. Finding words to explain how they are feeling and methods for understanding and working through them are key. The following books are great options for children ages 3 and up.
TAKE A BREATH, by Sujean Rim, Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, April 5, 2022, Hardcover, $17.99 (ages 3-8)
An anxious baby bird who fears he’ll never learn to fly gets a lesson in mindfulness in picture book about believing in yourself.
Every morning, the birds are flapping with excitement for their first flight of the day…except for Bob. Bob doesn’t get the whole flying thing; when the other baby birds go up, up, up, he goes down, down, down. Bob can’t help worrying…what if he never learns how to fly?
His friend Crow tells him, “All you need to do is breathe, Bob.” Of course, Bob breathes all the time, but there’s breathing and then there’s B-R-E-A-T-H-I-N-G. And it might just be the thing to calm Bob’s ruffled feathers. —Synopsis provided by Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books
This book reminds children that sometimes taking a breath is the best thing you can do to calm down and center yourself. Bob’s story is told through humorous text and illustrations that immediately resonate with kids.
COURAGE HATS, by Kate Hoefler and Jessixa Bagley, Chronicle Books, March 22, 2022, Hardcover, $17.99 (ages 3-8)
Courage is something that comes from your heart. But if you can’t find it there, you can wear it on your head at first.
Mae is a girl.
Bear is a bear.
But over the course of one life-changing, slightly nerve-racking train ride, they find out that this might be the only thing they don’t have in common.
Kate and Jessixa Bagley create a story about the fear of being different, the ways we overcome this fear, and the fact that often what’s different is a lot more familiar than we might think. With courage, determination, and a dash of friendship, Mae and Bear discover all the humor, warmth, and beauty found in togetherness and in the unknown. —Synopsis provided by Chronicle Books
Courage Hats helps kids put a name to fears while encouraging them to be brave. It acknowledges feelings without the stigma often associated with them. Charming illustrations bring the whole package together.
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