Books Every Parent Should Read About Children’s Mental Health — For You and Your Child
- Monarch
- May 27
- 4 min read
Updated: May 28
Raising emotionally healthy children is no small task, and in today's world, where anxiety, stress, and big emotions show up early and often, parents need every tool they can get. One of the best resources? Books—both for you and your child.
Whether you're trying to understand your child's anxiety, help them navigate big feelings, or simply foster emotional resilience, the right book can make a world of difference. In this blog post, we’ll explore must-read books for parents and beautiful, kid-friendly books that you can read with your child to nurture their mental well-being.
Top Books for Parents: Understanding and Supporting Children's Mental Health
These books are for parents to read on their own—to gain insight, strategies, and emotional support.
1. The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson
Why it’s great: This book blends neuroscience with practical parenting advice. It explains how a child’s brain develops and offers clear strategies to respond to emotional outbursts, anxiety, and confusion with compassion and clarity.
Parent Tip: Use the "Name It to Tame It" strategy to help your child label their feelings and reduce emotional overwhelm.
2. Raising An Emotionally Intelligent Child by John Gottman
Why it’s great: Backed by decades of research, this book teaches the principles of "emotion coaching," helping children understand and regulate their emotions effectively.
3. Parenting a Child Who Has Intense Emotions by Pat Harvey & Jeanine Penzo
Why it’s great: If you have a child who experiences emotions more intensely than most, this book offers tools grounded in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) to help parents stay calm and connected.
4. Freeing Your Child from Anxiety by Tamar Chansky
Why it’s great: This is a practical guide packed with actionable advice to help children overcome fears, phobias, and everyday anxiety. It’s clear, compassionate, and filled with real-world examples.
5. How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish
Why it’s great: Communication is key when supporting mental health. This classic gives you real tools to listen better and talk in ways your child will actually hear and respond to.
Books to Read With Your Child: Helping Kids Understand Their Emotions
These children's books are powerful tools to help kids recognize, name, and understand their feelings in a safe and age-appropriate way.
1. The Invisible String by Patrice Karst
Best for: Ages 3–8
Why it’s great: A comforting story that teaches children about connection, love, and loss. Ideal for children coping with separation anxiety, grief, or loneliness.
2. What to Do When You Worry Too Much by Dawn Huebner
Best for: Ages 6–12
Why it’s great: A kid-friendly cognitive-behavioral guide to managing anxiety. It includes fun exercises and engaging illustrations that make mental health approachable for young readers.
3. Ruby Finds a Worry by Tom Percival
Best for: Ages 4–8
Why it’s great: This beautifully illustrated book helps children recognize anxiety and teaches them that talking about worries can make them feel lighter.
4. The Color Monster by Anna Llenas
Best for: Ages 3–7
Why it’s great: Through colors and simple metaphors, this story helps children identify and sort through different emotions, from joy to sadness to anger.
5. A Little Spot of Emotion Box Set by Diane Alber
Best for: Ages 4–8
Why it’s great: This series includes books on anger, anxiety, sadness, and more, using visual “spots” to help children understand and regulate their feelings.
Books Middle Schoolers Can Read to Understand Their Emotions
Middle schoolers are in a unique place—no longer little kids, not quite teens. These books can help them make sense of what they’re feeling, without preaching or oversimplifying.
1. Middle School: Safety Goggles Advised by Jessica Speer
Why kids love it: It’s funny, relatable, and packed with tips on managing peer pressure, friendship drama, and identity shifts. Kids learn how to navigate middle school and their emotions in one go.
2. Brave Every Day by Trudy Ludwig (Ages 9–12)
What it’s about: A beautifully written story about a girl who feels anxious about everyday situations. This book shows that courage isn't about being fearless—it's about doing the hard thing while you're scared.
3. Just Roll With It by Veronica Agarwal & Lee Durfey-Lavoie
Why it resonates: This graphic novel follows Maggie, a middle schooler dealing with OCD and anxiety, and explores how mental health challenges can shape—and sometimes isolate—kids. It’s honest, hopeful, and empowering.
4. A First Book of Mindfulness: Breathe Like a Bear by Kira Willey
Great for younger middle schoolers or anxious kids: This is a calming, accessible introduction to mindfulness through short breathing exercises and visualizations.
5. You Are Enough: A Book About Inclusion by Margaret O’Hair & Sofia Sanchez
Why it matters: Middle schoolers often struggle with self-worth. This uplifting picture book (yes, picture books can still be powerful at this age!) reminds kids they are unique, valuable, and enough—just as they are.
Why These Books Matter
Books are a bridge between confusion and clarity, between big emotions and calm understanding. For parents, reading about children’s mental health builds empathy, confidence, and preparedness. For children, stories offer validation, vocabulary, and coping tools. You don’t have to be a mental health expert to support your child. Just showing up with curiosity, compassion, and a good book is a great place to start.
ADHD - Autism - Executive Functioning - Learning Disorders
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