Mental Health Awareness Month: Fiction and Nonfiction Reads for Kids

Updated April 28, 2026
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Absolutely, positively Natty
Greenwald, Lisa
Paper Book
Natty deals with moving after her mom's departure by pulling a "Ted Lasso" and starting a pep squad in this standalone middle-grade novel about friendship and toxic positivity by the author of TBH and the Friendship List series. When Natty's mom kind of takes a break from her dad...
Bookie & Cookie Turn the Page
Gomez, Blanca
Paper Book
What does the future hold for these two friends? They have lots of guesses that are a very funny mix of excitement and anxiety. But the only way to know for sure is to actually turn the page! In this companion to Bookie & Cookie, the friends find themselves on a blank page...
The care & keeping of you. 2, The #1 body book for older girls
Natterson, Cara
Paper Book
A compassionate and practical reference for older adolescent girls shares advice for managing physical and emotional challenges, covering topics ranging from menstruation and body changes to personal care and peer pressure. Original.
I Could Be Eaten by a Shark
Ferreira, Marcela
Louie sees a shark at the beach, and that's that. Now everywhere he goes he's convinced he'll be eaten by a shark. A humorous, heartwarming picture book helping kids overcome fears and anxiety thanks to Grandpa's wisdom, playful storytelling, and a surprise ending that delights and...
Crocodiles Everywhere
Meza, Esteli
Paper Book
Like The Rabbit Listened and The Color Monster, this bighearted, stunningly illustrated book helps children to acknowledge and confront their most difficult emotions. After a girl's best friend moves away, she starts seeing two creatures everywhere she goes: a gray...
Don't worry, little crab
Haughton, Chris
Paper Book
From the award-winning creator of Shh! We Have a Plan comes a vibrantly colorful story about mustering the courage to try something new. Little Crab and Very Big Crab live in a tiny rock pool near the sea. Today they're going for a dip in the big ocean. "This is going to...
I feel! : a book of emotions
Medina, Juana
Paper Book
Pura Belpré Award-winning author-illustrator Juana Medina helps young readers to identify how they feel with bold, colorful illustrations and simple text in this paper-over-board picture book, the third book in the I WILL! series. Do you feel happy? Sad? Calm? Shy? Brave? Proud? ...
Feeling Your Feelings: The Head-To-Toe Science of Emotions
Lloyd Kyi, Tanya
Paper Book
Why does nervousness make us feel like we have butterflies in our belly and embarrassment cause a deep blush to spread across our face? While we know our brains are directly connected to our emotions, scientists are now discovering more about how other parts of our bodies are involved in feeling our...
Fifty-four things wrong with Gwendolyn Rogers
Carter, Caela
Paper Book
From the critically acclaimed author of the ALA Notable and Charlotte Huck Honor Book Forever, or a Long, Long Time comes a moving own-voices story that shines a light on how one girl's learning differences are neither right nor wrong...just perfectly individual. For fans of Alyson Gerber,...
Giraffes can't dance
Andreae, Giles
Paper Book
Gerald the giraffe longs to dance but his knees seem to buckle whenever he tries to twirl. Will he learn to sway to his own sweet tune? Find out in this gentle ode to dancing to the beat of your own drum. Giraffes Can't Dance is a touching tale of Gerald the giraffe, who...
The girl who never made mistakes
Pett, Mark.
Paper Book
Every student, teacher, and perfectionist needs to read this book about learning and growing from your mistakes! The perfect introduction to growth mindset, The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes is- A growth mindset book for kids A teacher must-have for classrooms...
Growing Pangs
Ormsbee, Kathryn
Paper Book
AN NPR BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR * A PARENTS MAGAZINE BEST BOOK Inspired by a true story! Eleven-year old homeschooled Katie has always felt different . . . and now she can't stop worrying.  Introducing an irresistibly relatable graphic novel about friendship,...
Guts
Telgemeier, Raina
Paper Book
A true story from Raina Telgemeier, the #1 New York Times bestselling, multiple Eisner Award-winning author of Smile, Sisters, Drama, and Ghosts! Raina wakes up one night with a terrible upset stomach. Her mom has one, too, so it's probably just a...
Here and now
Denos, Julia
Paper Book
From the team behind Ezra Jack Keats Honor winner Windows comes Here and Now. At turns wise and playful, this accessible, beautifully illustrated read soothes like a modern Goodnight Moon.  Here and now . . . You may be reading a book. But...
How to talk to your succulent
Persico, Zoe
Paper Book
Eleven-year-old Adara and her dad are moving from California to the cold and flat lands of Michigan . . . and it sucks. After Mom's recent passing, it seems way too soon. Talking to Dad has always been harder than with Mom, but now it's like walking on eggshells. And why did Dad bring so many of Mom...
Judy Moody was in a mood. Not a good mood. A bad mood
McDonald, Megan
Paper Book
Any kid who's ever been in a bad mood will relate to the feisty, funny, ever-changing Judy Moody. To start, Judy Moody doesn't have high hopes for third grade. Her new desk won't have an armadillo sticker with her name on it. Her new classroom will not have a porcupine named...
Just Grace and the snack attack
Harper, Charise Mericle.
Paper Book
After reading this new book about Just Grace you will know how to . . . 1. turn your favorite potato chips into a tasty chipwich. 2. draw and fold up your very own zine, which is a cool little book made from only one piece of paper. 3. look for and use the...
Keep your head up
King Neil, Aliya
Paper Book
A kids book about : therapy
Brenner, Sara
Therapy is for everyone, and it's never too early (or too late) to start. This is a kids' book about therapy. Therapy isn't just for problems or when something goes wrong. It's for your everyday mental health and is something you can tap into for your wellbeing now and for the...
A kids book about anxiety
Szabo, Ross
Paper Book
This is a book about anxiety. Having anxiety doesn't just mean you feel nervous sometimes or need to calm down. It means having an uncontrollable feeling that gets in the way of what you normally do. This book explores how anxiety impacts children and the steps they can take to begin to manage...
Louder than hunger
Schu, John
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller! A Schneider Family Book Award Honor Book "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,...
Mockingbird (Mok'ing-b© rd)
Erskine, Kathryn.
Paper Book
In Caitlin's world, everything is black or white. Things are good or bad. Anything in between is confusing. That's the stuff Caitlin's older brother, Devon, has always explained. But now Devon's dead and Dad is no help at all. Caitlin wants to get over it, but as an eleven-year-old girl with...
Out of a Jar
Marcero, Deborah
Paper Book
This highly anticipated follow-up to the critically acclaimed and bestselling picture book In a Jar stars one little bunny dealing with some very big feelings. Llewellyn does not like to feel afraid or sad, angry, lonely, or embarrassed. And so he comes up with a brilliant...
Peaceful like a panda : 30 mindful moments for playtime, mealtime, bedtime-or anytime!
Willey, Kira
Paper Book
From the author of BREATHE LIKE A BEAR comes a new collection of Mindful Moments! These easy-to-follow exercises help kids calmly and mindfully navigate their day, from sunrise to sunset. With sections dedicated to key activities in a child's routine--waking up, traveling,...
Pippo's Perfectly Peculiar Days
Wen, Lenny
Paper Book
Unexpected--and decidedly peculiar--events interrupt Pippo's familiar routine in this thrilling and reassuring story about finding the inner resources to weather uncertainty and meet unanticipated challenges in topsy-turvy times.  Tick-tick, gurgle-glug, clickety-clack....
Small Knight and the Anxiety Monster
Kasha, Manka
Paper Book
An adorable, heartfelt picture book debut from Manka Kasha, Small Knight and the Anxiety Monster follows the magical quest of a knight finding the courage to confront an ever growing monster. The worry kept growing day by day, until... one morning Small Knight woke...
Someone's gonna end up crying
Knowles, Johanna
Paper Book
In this authentic and heartfelt middle-grade novel, Maple uses her artwork to help sort through sibling relationships, school drama, and her parents' increasingly fraught marriage. Ten-year-old Maple can't wait for summer: No more math! Adventures with her friends! Best of all,...
The summer of June
Sumner, Jamie
Paper Book
From the acclaimed author of Tune It Out and Roll with It comes a "needed, hopeful" (Booklist) middle grade book about a young girl who sets out to overcome her anxiety over the course of one life-changing summer. Twelve-year-old June Delancey is kicking...
Time to Leave, Laverne!
Button, Lana
Paper Book
A young child learns how to weather her storm of emotions When Laverne attends story time at the library or a playdate at the park, she arrives like a ray of sunshine. But when it's time to leave, she twists into a thunderstorm and needs to be carried away and brought straight to her room...
Wallflower: A Graphic Novel
Omar Ata, Iasmin
Paper Book
From the author of the critically acclaimed Nayra and the Djinn comes a stunning graphic novel about a girl who must uncover the truth behind her strange visions. For as long as Marlena can remember, she has seen flowers growing on everyone she meets: personalized...
Wallflowers
Joy, Mackenzie
Paper Book
People call you a wallflower. Sometimes they call you shy. Sometimes they call you quiet, or maybe even scared. People think these are bad things, because sometimes they are LOUD. But you are happy just the way you are. And maybe you don't need to learn to be loud,...
We Need to Talk about Death: An Important Book about Grief, Celebrations, and Love
Chavez, Sarah
Paper Book
Discover how cultures around the world honor the dead in this beautifully illustrated guide to help grieving children understand death. Death is an important part of life, and yet it is one of the hardest things to talk about--for adults as well as children. Historian and...
Weirdo
Weaver, Tony, Jr
Paper Book
"A touching story of belonging." -- Publisher's Weekly, starred review"Honest, hopeful.." --Kirkus, starred review A Kirkus Best Book of the YearA School Library Journal Best Book of the Year A Publishers Weekly<...
What Makes You Happy?
Tawwab, Nedra Glover
Paper Book
By the influential relationship therapist and bestselling author of Set Boundaries, Find Peace, this story will help young kids learn to express their own needs rather than people-pleasing. Avery loves to make people happy-so much so that she often ignores her own wants...
What to do when the news scares you : a kid's guide to understanding current events
Toner, Jacqueline B.
Paper Book
Can kids feel safe when the news feels scary? Yes--and this workbook helps them understand what's going on and how to cope. From natural disasters and climate change to violence and conflict, today's news can be overwhelming--especially for kids. But scary headlines don't have to lead to...
Zenguin
Smith, Danna
Paper Book
Learn about mindfulness and calm with the help of ZENGUIN! From New York Times bestselling illustrator Sydney Hanson and Danna Smith comes a sweet and calming picture book that helps instill life skills in young readers with basic, age...

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