Mental Health for Kids

Fiction and non-fiction titles for the elementary age audience on mental health and wellness.

Updated May 2, 2023
Drag items up and down to your preferred order then select the "Save Order" button.

From Kaiser Permanente, this portal offers support for families about stress, self-care and nurturing mental health conversations between caregivers and kids. Their Social Shareables questions are excellent prompts for integrating mental health talk into everyday life.

The worry (less) book : feel strong, find calm, and tame your anxiety!
Brian, Rachel
Paper Book
This fun, friendly, and informative guide from the award-winning author of Consent (for Kids!) will help readers of all ages understand--and tame--their anxiety. ★ "Excellent and absolutely necessary." ―Kirkus Reviews,...
Consent (for kids!) : boundaries, respect, and being in charge of you
Brian, Rachel
Paper Book
With clear explanations, fun illustrations, and expertly-presented information, Consent (for Kids!) is an empowering introduction to consent, bodily autonomy, and respect for yourself and others. Consent is like being ruler of your own country.....
A kids book about mental health
Lingras, Katie
Paper Book
It's important that we all learn to care for and nurture our mental health! This is a kids' book about mental health. Did you know it's something we all have? It's true! A person's mental health simply means how they understand their own thoughts, feelings, actions and...
Crafting calm : art and activities for mindful kids
Borgert-Spaniol, Megan
Paper Book
Mindfulness is a powerful practice to help kids find calm in the midst of everyday stress--but how to make it accessible and fun? In Crafting Calm: Art and Activities for Mindful Kids, kids engage in and practice mindfulness through fun and easy exercises, quizzes, crafts, and...
A kids book about depression
McIlvain, Kileah
Paper Book
This is a book about depression. It doesn't shy away from the complexities of depression or what getting help might look like. It gives an honest perspective into what depression feels like, what life looks like with it, and the hope that comes with being known and being loved through it.
The friendship book
Moss, Wendy
Paper Book
Kids will figure out what they want out of their friendships, how to be a good friend, resolve conflicts, and much more in this upbeat book meant to help forge lasting relationships. Full of practical tips, insightful quizzes, and relatable examples, this is a unique resource to help kids...
My mixed emotions : help your kids handle their feelings
Greenwood, Elinor
Paper Book
This thoughtful, engaging book is packed with helpful hints, tips, and techniques for helping children learn to recognize and express their emotions. Feelings can be complicated, and learning to express them is a skill that must be developed. My Mixed Emotions is here to...
All about anxiety
Lewis, Carrie (Children's author)
Paper Book
As youth anxiety levels continue to rise, this engaging guide is an essential resource for preteens looking for the skills and knowledge to help them coexist with their anxiety. Anxiety.It's an emotion that rears its head almost every day, from the normal worries and concerns that most of...
What can I say? : a kid's guide to super-useful social skills to help you get along and express yourself
Newman, Catherine
Paper Book
From the best-selling author of How to Be a Person, this supportive guide to practical social skills guides kids 10 and up through establishing and maintaining meaningful relationships, communicating effectively, and getting along with others.  Middle school is an...
Perfectly imperfect stories : meet 28 inspiring people and discover their mental health stories
Potion, Leo
Paper Book
Meet 29 icons, from pop stars to sporting heroes, and discover how they overcame a range of mental health issues, from anorexia to depression, to live inspiring lives. At a time when kids' mental health is under more pressure than ever, this book celebrates the message that it's ok not to be ok.
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...
A kids book about emotions
Simpson, Nakita
Paper Book
Emotions? emotions... EMOOOOTIONS! We all have them, they're all different, and they're rarely simple. This book helps kids explore the complexities of their emotions with stories, questions, and coloring activities made for self-expression. What color do you feel like today?
A kids book about stress
Wilt, Sam
Stress is something we have to learn how to manage - and you can learn, too! This is a kids' book about stress. Have you ever said, "I feel stressed," or, "That is stressing me out!"? Stress is an experience every human has - but there are techniques we can learn to help us...
My thoughts are clouds : poems for mindfulness
Heard, Georgia
Paper Book
A poetry collection that both illustrates what mindfulness is and encourages young, growing minds to be present, from poet and educator Georgia Heard, with art by Isabel Roxas. Poets have long observed the world in a mindful way. They point out beauty we might have missed,...
Buster
Huett, Caleb Zane
Paper Book
Buster's a therapy dog who needs to take matters into his own paws to help a boy understand his own anxietyeven if it means breaking a few rules. Buster's in big trouble. He's been dragged to Dog Court for breaking one of the most sacred of all dog rules: Never, ever talk to a human, or let a...
Stuntboy, in the meantime
Reynolds, Jason
Paper Book
A Schneider Family Award Honor Book for Middle Grade From Newbery Medal honoree and #1 New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds comes a hilarious, hopeful, and action-packed middle grade novel about the greatest young superhero you've never heard of, filled with...
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...

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