Feelings can overwhelm kids, especially difficult ones like anger or fear. Discover the 23 children’s books about feelings to help your child cope.
Many of the challenges with our kids stem from their inability to comprehend feelings the way you and I do. The tightening of the chest and the awful, cloudy feeling are difficult to understand. And so they act up or hit instead of communicate because these feelings remain too confusing for them.
That is, until we define these emotions and label them as ‘mad’ or ‘worried’ or ‘sad.’ We also highlight happier feelings of pride and joy. As they build their repertoire of emotions, kids learn that feelings come and go. That feelings don’t define them—they aren’t bad boys or girls and have nothing to feel ashamed of. And they learn to cope with feelings and learn that everyone goes through them at some point.
Over the years, kids learn to handle their emotions and the proper ways to express them. What better way to boost that knowledge than with reading kids books about feelings?
23 children’s books about feelings
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(thanks Random House Kids for my copy!)
Big Rabbit’s Bad Mood by Ramona Badescu
Bootsie Barker Bites by Barbara Bottner
Happy Hippo, Angry Duck by Sandra Boynton
Today I Feel Silly by Jamie Lee Curtis
Llama Llama Mad at Mama by Anna Dewdney
The Grumpy Morning by Pamela Duncan Edwards
Glad Monster, Sad Monster by Ed Emberley
Finn Throws a Fit! by David Elliott
How Are You Peeling? by Saxton Freymann
Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes
Peekaboo Morning by Rachel Isadora
On Monday When It Rained by Cherryl Kachenmeister
Hurty Feelings by Helen Lester
The Feel Good Book by Todd Parr
Baby Happy Baby Sad by Leslie Patricelli
Lots of Feelings by Shelly Rotner
My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss
Boo Hoo Bird by Jeremy Tankard
Sometimes I’m Bombaloo by Rachel Vail
The Three Grumpies by Tamra Wight
Get more tips:
- Stranger Anxiety in Toddlers: 5 Things Every Parent Should Know
- 8 Keys to Explaining Emotions to Your Child
- How to Stop Children from Biting
- How Teaching Kids about Emotions Reduces Misbehavior
- Little Ways You’re Actually Judging Your Child’s Emotions
Want even more book ideas? Join my newsletter and download my Read Aloud Book List! You’ll get hundreds of favorite selections to read aloud with your kids. Get it below—at no cost to you:
Tove Stakkestad says
November 29, 2014 at 6:46 pmI love the Llama Llama series of books. They are so spot on with the different emotions they address. Todd Parks is also great at validating feelings. I am patting myself on the shoulder tonight for knowing some of these books! I wish I had more hours in a day to sit down and read to the kids!
Nina says
November 29, 2014 at 9:12 pmYay, so glad you recognized these. A lot of them were new to me too until I got a hold of them.
Tarana Khan says
November 29, 2014 at 8:31 pmI agree that children need help dealing with their emotions. This list is a great resource for helping them through emotional upheavals. We haven’t read any of these yet, but I’ll check them out!
Nina says
November 29, 2014 at 9:12 pmNice, glad to hear it Tarana!
maryanne @ mama smiles says
December 1, 2014 at 11:56 amThanks for this list! Picture books are a great way to start talking about feelings.
Nina says
December 1, 2014 at 9:12 pmGlad you liked them MaryAnne!
Leslie says
December 1, 2014 at 5:48 pmI’ve seen some of these, but never actually read them…and have never heard of or seen many of the others. I’ll definitely be checking them out, though, because it’s never fun trying to talk a kid out of a case of the grumps.
Nina says
December 1, 2014 at 9:21 pmGlad the list will come in handy for you, Leslie!
lisacng @ expandng.com says
December 2, 2014 at 1:17 pmWhat a great list because our son has trouble containing his angry/upset feelings and can be a bit explosive. I am partly to blame since I am also a firecracker. I think these books are good for me and him, LOL. We’ve read The No Hit Hula. Seemed to “work” for only a bit. I will get these from the library!
Nina says
December 2, 2014 at 7:30 pmHaha ‘firecracker’ love that. I’m like that at times too and I would never have guessed it. You’re right—they’re for both parent AND kid! I’ll add No Hit Hula to my list.
Kata says
December 2, 2014 at 8:39 pmThis is sooo much help Nina! Didn’t know I could use books about handling feelings. My kids love reading books but I’ve never seen this point. Thanks for this, now there’s no need to blame the genes.
Nina says
December 2, 2014 at 9:27 pmI love using books to help my kids sort through any kind of stages or emotions they may be going through. Glad you find it helpful!