Mental Health for Kids

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

Updated May 2, 2023
L
LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County)Happy Valley Library
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https://findyourwords.org/kids-mental-health/

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.

https://www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/index.html

Mental health in childhood means reaching developmental and emotional milestones, and learning healthy social skills and how to cope when there are problems.

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...
The friendship book
Moss, Wendy
Paper Book
The Friendship Book is the resource kids need to figure out friendship. 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...
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...
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
Middle school is an essential time to learn and practice social skills, including how to get along with others, talk about hard things, be an ally, and a good friend. In What Can I Say?,Catherine Newman, author of the bestseller How to Be a Person, provides supportive guidance and instruction to...
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...
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.
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...
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.
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,...
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...
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?
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...
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.   We all have a mixture of fun and not-so fun feelings. And everyone feels...
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.....

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