5 Best Children’s Picture Books to Help with Anxiety

If your child is a sensitive tiny human and gets easily bogged down by preschooler’s/ gradeschooler’s life’s trials and tribulations, there are a plethora of excellent picture books that can aid them in dealing with what they’re experiencing.

Here’s my short and sweet compilation of books designed to help little worriers befriend their difficult feelings and fret less:

1. My Monster and Me

(by Nadiya Hussain, illustrated by Ella Bailey)

Age range: 3-8
Type: picture book

This is a gorgeous picture book – both visually and story-wise! The tenderly sketched, sweetly drawn illustrations work extremely well with the text. The character of Monster is particularly charming – a big, fuzzy, sheep-eyed creature that elicits more sympathy than fear.

This artistic choice is very fitting, especially considering the message shown throughout the book: worry and anxiety aren’t something we should be afraid of, and therefore strive to keep secret and try to deal with on our own, but rather something that loses its power over us once shared and talked about.

It’s an especially outstanding title to read to and with kids struggling to open up and let their loved ones know what’s really going on inside their heads.

2. What If, Pig?

(written and illustrated by Linzie Hunter)

Age range: 4-8
Type: picture book

The eponymous Pig is a classic case of a worrier who simply can’t catch a break. Even when she comes out with a brilliant idea to throw a party for her loyal crew of animal friends, she won’t stop envisioning scary scenarios, the most terrifying of all being: what if… no one comes? Or everybody has an awful time because no one really likes her after all?

Luckily, her buddies not only throw a party for our Nervous Nelly/ Porky Panicker; they are also quick to reassure her that everybody has anxious thoughts like that sometimes and eagerly share their own experiences. That’s what makes Pig realize: we’re all more alike than we think! Right after that comes another epiphany: what if she has the best friends in the world?

Linzie Hunter has accomplished so much with this book! Her uniquely charming and fully realized voice truly shines both in terms of the story and the illustrations. Together, they produce a title that’s unmissable. “My Monster and Me” enthusiasts should definitely check it out!

3. How Big Are Your Worries, Little Bear?

(by Jayneen Sanders, illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman)

Age range: 3-9
Type: picture book

This sweet, moving story about a lovable little bear who just couldn’t stop to worry is simple yet effective in its portrayal of how anxiety looks and feels when it happens to a youngster. Yes, it may not be as lighthearted as other books on the topic, but despite its sadness it’s also amazingly relatable and honest, and that’s precisely what makes it so lovely and powerful. The character of Mama Bear represents the warm, loving, and nonjudgemental presence all children crave for deep down.

The message is almost identical to the one in the previous titles listed above: talking about your worries to someone you trust makes them smaller and less threatening. But the book also expands upon that; it shows that expressing/ channeling your worries through art, for example, is another good way of lessening their impact. This makes it not only reassuring, but also helpful.

4. Ruby Finds a Worry

(by Tom Percival)

Age range: 3-6
Type: picture book

When Ruby – a curious, happy-go-lucky girl who loves to play and explore – encounters a worry for the first time, the worry is tiny – just a harmless fuzzy presence with a pair of eyes and furrowed eyebrows. But then, the worry grows, and grows, and grows until it gets to a point when it starts to completely overtake Ruby’s life, stopping her from doing the things she used to love so much, like playing piano or riding a bike. Our protagonist fears it will stay like this forever. But it doesn’t, because soon she notices a boy struggling to contain his own worry. That’s when she realizes she’s not alone. And the antidote to worrying is? Yes, you’ve guessed it… Talking about it! As soon as she does, her worry slowly fades away.

This simple but very cute story pairs incredibly well with the adorable, polished illustrations. I love the clever artistic choice to show that the bigger the worry grows, the more it sucks the color out of Ruby’s life. There’s no doubt in my mind that it will help anxious kiddos make friends with their own worries. After all – as the book suggests – it’s not about never worrying again. It’s about knowing how to handle worries when they appear.

5. The Worrysaurus

(by Rachel Bright, illustrated by Chris Chatterton)

Age range: 3-6
Type: picture book

I’m a huge fan of both the author Rachel Bright and the ilustrator Chris Chatterton, so I was extremely happy to discover that they joined forces for this book. The product is as charming (if not more!) as the work they’ve done independently, outside this collaboration.

The main character of Worrysaurus is a lovable dino who adores his routine and knowing what lies ahead. Although he has planned a delicious summer picnic for himself, his initial excitement is quickly replaced with worries about all the things that might go wrong. When a friendly lizard warns him of a (supposedly…) upcoming storm, his worries only intensify. But – that’s also when Worrysaurus remembers about all the comforting things in his backpack: his teddy bear, a special stick, and a letter. They all help to get him out of his worry spiral. In the end, Worrysaurus shares his picnic with the lizard, having understood that there’s no point in getting anxious over things that haven’t happened yet (or may not even happen at all).

Lastly, the author emphasizes the importance of mindfulness and enjoying oneself in the moment, which is definitely a message that both parents and kids need to hear these days with the same urgency.

Post Views: 832

Blog