Lindsay L. O'Connor

May is Mental Health Awareness Month! I keep hearing disturbing stats about the recent decline in mental health for kids, teens, and adults. Of course, there are many ways we must address this individually and collectively, but these are some really beautiful books to support children’s mental health. They cover topics such as anxiety, depression, grief, mindfulness, coping with big emotions, and PTSD. I appreciate that some of these also address how to be a good friend to someone who is struggling with their mental health and/or grief.

(A couple books are repeated because they fit overlapping categories.)

Mental Health Awareness
Books from image above:

1. You Are Your Strong by Danielle Dufayet
2. The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld
3. The Invisible Bear by Cécile Metzger
4. When Sadness is at Your Door by Eva Eland
5. All Birds Have Anxiety by Kathy Hoopman
6. Maybe Tomorrow? by Charlotte Agell
7. Sweep by Louise Greig
8. Being Edie is Hard Today by Ben Brashares and Elizabeth Bergeland
9. Ruby Finds a Worry by Tom Percival

Books from image above:

1. Braver, Stronger, Smarter by Sissy Goff
2. Big Boys Cry by Jonty Howley
3. The What Ifs by Emily Kilgore, Illustrated by Zoe Persico
4. Why Do We Cry? by Fran Pintadera, Illustrated by Ana Sender
5. Tiger Walk by Dianne Hofmeyr, Illustrated by Jesse Hodgson
6. Big Bear Was Not the Same by Joanna Rowland, illustrated by John Ledda

Picture Books About Grief:

1. Always Remember by Cece Meng, illustrated by Jago
2. When Sadness is at Your Door by Eva Eland
3. The Invisible String by Patrice Karst, illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriefthoff
4. Henry and Bea by Jessixa Bagley
5. My Big, Dumb Invisible Dragon by Angie Lucas, illustrated by Birgitta Sif
6. I Miss You: A First Look at Death by Pat Thomas
7. Ida Always by Carin Levis and Charles Santoso
8. Maybe Tomorrow? by Charlotte Agell, illustrated by Ana Ramírez González
9. Rabbityness by Jo Empson

Children’s Books About Mindfulness:

1. Happy by Nicola Edwards, illustrated by Katie Hickey
2. Taking Time by Jo Loring-Fisher
3. B is for Breathe by Melissa Munro Boyd
4. Outside In by Deborah Underwood, Cindy Derby