Children’s Books on Health Issues

Some conditions and diseases can be hard for children to understand. These children, tween, and teen books talk about many different health issues through stories. Books about tough health issues can help kids navigate through difficult emotions that surround challenging medical conditions, whether that be a temporary sickness, chronic conditions like asthma or diabetes, or serious diseases like cancer that might be affecting them, a family member or a friend. There are also books that touch upon various mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and suicide to name a few. The books on this list are available through the Sussex County Library System.

Updated December 17, 2024
S
Sussex County Library System (NJ)
Drag items up and down to your preferred order then select the "Save Order" button.
Aaron Slater, illustrator /
Beaty, Andrea.
Paper Book
Aaron Slater loves listening to stories and dreams of one day writing them himself. But when it comes to reading, the letters just look like squiggles to him, and it soon becomes clear he struggles more than his peers. When his teacher asks each child in the class to write a story, Aaron can't...
Aarâon Soänador, ilustrador /
Beaty, Andrea.
Paper Book
¡Una historia inspiradora sobre el poder del arte, cómo encontrar tu propia voz y contar tu historia incluso cuando no se alinea con la de tus compañeros, de los creadores de los bestsellers Sofía Valdez, presidenta tal vez y Ada Magnífica, científica! A Aarón...
Ab(solutely) normal :
Paper Book
Channeling their own experiences, sixteen exceptional authors subvert mental health stereotypes in a powerful and uplifting collection of fiction. A teen activist wrestles with protest-related anxiety and PTSD. A socially anxious vampire learns he has to save his town by (gulp)...
Ariel crashes a train /
Cole, Olivia A.
Paper Book
LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD . A COSMOPOLITAN BEST YA BOOK OF THE YEAR . A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, BOOKLIST AND KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR Exploring the harsh reality of OCD and violent intrusive thoughts in stunning,...
Bake, make & learn to cook : fun & healthy recipes for young cooks
Atherton, David (Food writer)
Paper Book
From the 2019 winner of The Great British Baking Show comes a charming and mouthwatering cookbook for aspiring little chefs and culinary novices alike. Gather your frying pan, mixing bowls, and rolling pin--it's time to cook! David Atherton, 2019 winner of The Great...
Breathe and count back from ten /
Sylvester, Natalia
Paper Book
A Pura Belpré Honor Book * A Schneider Family Book Award Honor Book for Teens In this gorgeously written and authentic novel, Verónica, a Peruvian-American teen with hip dysplasia, auditions to become a mermaid at a Central Florida theme park in the summer before her senior...
Breathing underwater /
Nash, Abbey Lee,
Paper Book
With one word, Tess's world could be completely undone- Epilepsy. Tess lives for swimming- the feel of the pool's rough edge on her toes, the snap of cold water on her skin, and the push of her limbs ever forward. In the water, she's truly alive. Until tragedy...
The busy body book :
Rockwell, Lizzy,
Paper Book
A celebration of the amazing human machine and a life on the move! Your amazing body can jump, sprint, twist, and twirl. Your body is built to move. Lizzy Rockwell explains how your bones and muscles, heart and lungs, nerves and brain all work together to keep you on the go...
Chronically dolores /
Van Wagenen, Maya
Paper Book
Maya Van Wagenen, bestselling author of Popular, tells Dolores's story with humor, heartache, and an occasional bit of telenovela flair. "A striking fiction debut." --Publishers Weekly, starred review "An insightful, funny, and realistic coming-of...
Dr. Fauci :
Messner, Kate.
Paper Book
The definitive picture book biography of Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and one of the most crucial figures in the COVID-19 pandemic. Before he was Dr. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and...
Dr. Seuss's sleep book.
Seuss,
Paper Book
Celebrate sleep with Dr. Seuss's classic rhyming bedtime story picture book. Van Vleck, a very small bug, is getting sleepy, and his yawn--contagious as yawns are--sets off a chain reaction, making all those around him feel sleepy, too! With typically Seussian nods to alarm clocks, sleepwalking,...
Ellie Haycock is totally normal /
Schreiber, Gretchen,
Paper Book
The Breakfast Club meets Five Feet Apart in this big-hearted novel from debut author Gretchen Schreiber. Ellie Haycock has always separated her life into sections: Ellie at home and Ellie at the hospital. At home, Ellie is a proud member of her high school's...
Figure it out, Henri Weldon /
Davis, Tanita S.,
Paper Book
Tanita S. Davis, author of Partly Cloudy and Serena Says, has written another funny, warm story featuring middle school and family life--all about the complex calculations it takes for everyone to balance the equations of their lives and what it takes to be part of a team while...
Get up and go!
Carlson, Nancy L.
Paper Book
We all come in different shapes and sizes, and it doesn't matter if you are tall, short, skinny, or round.Your body is your own, and you need to take care of it. Whether it's a New Year's resolution or simply time for a change, this book is the perfect catalyst to get readers...
Give me a sign /
Sortino, Anna
Paper Book
Jenny Han meets CODA in this big-hearted YA debut about first love and Deaf pride at a summer camp. Lilah is stuck in the middle. At least, that's what having a hearing loss seems like sometimes-when you don't feel "deaf enough" to identify as Deaf or hearing enough to...
Here I Am
Grimes, Shaunta,
Paper Book
An honest, uplifting story about learning to live in the body you're born with. When seventeen-year-old Marcella Boucher asks Lou Duncan to her high school's "reverse prom" she expects a few snickers. After all, no one else knows that outside school the...
Honestly Elliott /
McDunn, Gillian,
Paper Book
Schneider Family Book Award: Best Middle Grade Honor Book! Highly-acclaimed author of Caterpillar Summer, Gillian McDunn explores boyhood in a funny, big-hearted story about a kid trying to find the best way to be his best self. ...
Hot cocoa calm
Willey, Kira
Paper Book
Part of the Mindfulness Moments for Kids series, this mindful breathing moment teaches kids to find peace and calm. With Hot Cocoa Calm, kids learn to how to take control of their emotions and breathe their way to calm. The perfect soothing read for bedtime before...
How it feels to float /
Fox, Helena,
Paper Book
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best of the Year "Profoundly moving . . . Will take your breath away." --Kathleen Glasgow, author of Girl in Pieces A stunningly gorgeous and deeply hopeful portrayal of...
How to make friends with the dark /
Glasgow, Kathleen,
Paper Book
From the New York Times bestselling author of Girl in Pieces comes a novel about love and loss and learning how to continue when it feels like you're surrounded by darkness. "A rare and powerful novel." --Karen M. McManus, New York Times bestselling author of...
Hummingbird /
Lloyd, Natalie,
Paper Book
A Schneider Family Book Award Honor Book From the bestselling author of A Snicker of Magic comes a heartfelt story about a girl who -- armed with her trusty, snazzy wheelchair -- refuses to let her brittle bone disease stand in the way of adventure Twelve...
Let's talk about it : the teen's guide to sex, relationships, and being a human
Moen, Erika
Paper Book
Is what I'm feeling normal? Is what my body is doing normal? Am I normal? How do I know what are the right choices to make? How do I know how to behave? How do I fix it when I make a mistake? Let's talk about it. Growing up is complicated. How do you...
Listen :
Stocker, Shannon,
Paper Book
* Schneider Family Book Award Winner * A gorgeous and empowering picture book biography about Evelyn Glennie, a deaf woman, who became the first full-time solo percussionist in the world. "No. You can't," people said. But Evelyn knew she could. She...
Louder than hunger /
Schu, John,
Audiobook
"Every so often a book comes along that is so brave and necessary, it extends a lifeline when it's needed most. This is one of those books." --Katherine Applegate, author of the Newbery Medal-winning, The One and Only Ivan Revered teacher, librarian, and story ambassador John...
Party problems
Reid, C. L.
Paper Book
Emma is excited about Izzie's birthday party. But she's also nervous. Is her dress too fancy? Will she know anyone else at the party? Did she buy the right gift? Will Emma's worries ruin her chance to have fun? Find out how Emma handles her party problems in this early chapter book from the Emma...
Plant, cook, eat! :
Archer, Joe,
Paper Book
For beginners and green-thumbed foodies, this unusually all-inclusive garden-to-kitchen cookbook is part lesson in gardening and part collection of healthy, delicious, kid-friendly recipes. With vibrant photo-illustrations and clearly organized sections, discover how to plant...
Taking care of me :
Schuh, Mari C.,
Paper Book
What is a habit? How do we make habits that are good for us? With help from their Sesame Street friends, young readers learn about the good choices they can make every day, such as eating healthy foods, washing their hands, brushing and flossing their teeth, staying active, and getting enough...
The valley and the flood
Mahoney, Rebecca
Paper Book
"A tense and beautiful tale about the monsters we make and the memories that haunt us." --Kate Alice Marshall, author of I Am Still Alive and Rules for Vanishing Rose Colter is almost home, but she can't go back there yet. When her car breaks down in the Nevada...
We are all so good at smiling /
Mcbride, Amber
Paper Book
They Both Die at the End meets The Bell Jar in this haunting, beautiful young adult novel-in-verse about clinical depression and healing from trauma, from National Book Award Finalist Amber McBride. Whimsy is back in the hospital for treatment of...
What happened to you? /
Catchpole, James,
Paper Book
A Schneider Family Book Award Honor book! This accessible, funny, and groundbreaking story addresses the questions children often ask, as well as a disabled child's choice not to answer. What happened to you? Was it a shark? A burglar?...
Wildoak /
Harrington, C. C.,
Paper Book
When the fates of a snow leopard, a child, and an ancient forest collide, the unimaginable can happen. Perfect for fans of Pax and The One and Only Ivan. **Winner of the 2023 Schneider Family Book Award!** * "Nuanced and empowering." - Publisher's...
The words we keep /
Stewart, Erin,
Paper Book
WINNER OF THE SCHNEIDER FAMILY BOOK AWARD FOR TEENS! A beautifully realistic, relatable story about mental health--anxiety, perfectionism, depression--and the healing powers of art--perfect for fans of Girl in Pieces and How it Feels to Float. Whatever you struggle with...
You're So Amazing!
Catchpole, James/ Catchpole, Lucy/ George, Karen (ILT)
Paper Book
In this authentic and humorous picture book, a child with a limb difference is tired of being told how amazing he is for doing normal things. Joe and his friend Simone are practicing their best playground tricks, but everyone keeps saying how amazing Joe is,...

Library staff! You can create and contribute to lists. Contact your catalog administrator or log in here.