10 Children’s Books to Help Your Family Discuss Big Feelings

Jonathan and his pug Noodles love to take walks together, sit outside, and enjoy the sights of New York City together. Except one day, Noodles doesn’t want to do that all. Jonathan calls it his “no bones day” and they hang out together doing nothing. Based on the popular TikTok pug, this sweet picture book shows that sometimes just having a “no bones day” is more than okay.

Find Noodles and the No Bones Day

A young girl and her dad love going to the beach together. She considers herself “his teeny-tiny sunspot.” But she learns that her dad sometimes goes to a blue place that she can’t use her yellow sunshine to change. A poignant story about loving a family member with depression and how to see the colors of all their feelings.

Find In the Blue

Dragonboy and his stuffed animal friends love to explore, but adventuring at night brings up some scary feelings about what’s out there. As the friends traipse through their backyard, they help each other find what’s wonderful in what seems frightening. A sweet story for kids who might find the dark and bedtime scary. The book comes out September 13, but you can preorder now.

Find Dragonboy and the Wonderful Night

Louise and her family say goodbye to their beloved dog, Charlie. Soon after, Louise travels to an island where she meets a bear who is also just as sad and grief-stricken as her. Louise visits the bear until it’s time for the bear to hibernate. This touching tale is a great way to connect and go through the stages of grief with young kids.

Find Bear Island

For any kid who has had fears about bedtime, Martina understands you. She’s having trouble falling asleep at night, afraid that there are monsters under her bed. A little girl monster, Anitram, also can’t sleep because of a noisy human. When the two finally meet, they help each other feel safe.

Find I Will Fight Monsters for You

Molly is trying to conquer her anxiety, which shows up as a gray monster who walks alongside her as she heads to school, but she’s having trouble letting go. She returns a book to a boy who dropped it, and his friendly smile helps her to lose the gray guy. This beautifully illustrated book can be a helpful conversation for a child experiencing anxiety.

Find Brave Molly

Taylor is feeling sad after something sad has happened. He turns to his stuffed animals for comfort, but the chicken wants him to talk it out and the bear tells him he should get angry. Nothing quite feels right until his rabbit simply listens. For anyone who needs a tender reminder that sometimes what we need most is a friend to listen.

Find The Rabbit Listened

Levi is scared about his first day at a new school and as he begins to cry, his dad tells him, “Big boys don’t cry.” But on their walk to school, Levi meets other men who express their feelings. When he comes home, his father apologizes and admits he was afraid too. A great introduction to show kids that all feelings are welcome—no matter who you are.

Find Big Boys Cry

Ruby is an imaginative kid and one day she finds a Worry. At first, Worry is tiny, but continues to grow until it’s huge. After Ruby meets a boy who also has a Worry, she figures out the best way to get rid of a Worry—share your feelings. This book is a sensitive springboard to talking about worries and anxieties with young kids.

Find Ruby Finds a Worry

Lizzy buys a baby cloud from a cloud seller that she waters and cares for, just like the ferns and rare orchids in her room. As the cloud grows, Lizzy realizes that one day, she must let it go. The stunning art in this book, written and illustrated by two brothers, makes it easy to talk about having cloudy days in our lives.

Find Lizzy and the Cloud