Mental health picture book recommendations are by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. These titles may be found on my Amazon Storefront under Mental Health Picture Books–https://www.amazon.com/shop/mrs.ferraris/list/2DY79GEY4BVSZ?ref_=aipsflist .)
❗This cumulative list grows over time, with the newest books always appearing at the top.❗
Our Lake
by Angie Kang (Author, Illustrator)
Summary: Two brothers walk to the lake to go swimming without their father for the first time since he died. The older brother jumps into the water from the cliff and coaxes his brother to join him. Will he be able to jump without the help of his father?
Comments: A beautiful story of two brothers learning how to grieve while moving forward without their father beside them; only in spirit.
The illustrations were created using gouache with additional textures added in crayon and colored pencil.
This is an excellent story to share with students and children experiencing death of a relative. It is gentle and quiet and does not overly emphasize their feelings.
Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
Small Things Mended
by Casey W. Robinson (Author), Nancy Whitesides (Illustrator)
Summary: Cecil steps outside his house after hearing Lily, the little girl next door, playing in her yard. Suddenly, a watch flies out of her pocket and lands in his driveway. He manages to fix the watch and realizes how much he enjoys repairing things. Before long, several other children come to him with their broken toys and items that need fixing. Cecil also invites the neighbors over for lunch in his backyard. As a result, he starts feeling happy again.
Comments: The illustrations were created using gouache, crayons, pencils, and digital media.
The book does not explain Cecil’s melancholy forthrightly, but the empty house and empty chairs could indicate that he is now a widower.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
Just What to Do
by Kyle Lukoff (Author), Hala Tahboub (Illustrator)
Summary: A young child strives to bring comfort to various friends, realizing that each one requires support in different ways. One friend, who has lost her grandmother, feels unsure about how to cope. Together, they explore ways to simply be present for each other.
Comments: This is a kind and gentle book that teaches how people grieve and how they need comforting in various ways.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
A Walk in the Woods
by Nikki Grimes (Author), Jerry Pinkney (Illustrator), Brian Pinkney (Illustrator)
Summary: A boy, whose father passed away a week ago, opens an envelope left for him. Inside, he finds a map of the woods they used to explore together. He decides to follow the path marked on the map, leading him to an old fireplace marked with an “X.” As he discovers this hidden spot, he finds comfort in what he unearths and realizes that his father is still close to him in spirit.
Comments: Beautifully illustrated with sketches and watercolors
Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
Mouseboat
by Larissa Theule (Author), Abigail Halpin (Illustrator)
Brief summary: A girl who has recently lost her mother goes on a trip to their lake house with her father. She misses her mother but can not find a connection until she takes out the mouse boat she and her mother built together. She can face her emotions.
Comments: The illustrator captured the mourning girl’s facial expressions and the sad tone of the house of grief with cool, darker colors. Well done.
I could follow the storyline with or without the text, which is an excellent picture book to me. I’d like to see more picture books with this duo. They complement each other well.
Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Under Anna’s Umbrella
by Amanda Driscoll (Author), Luisa Uribe (Illustrator)
Summary: Anna was attending her father’s funeral when it started pouring rain, but she felt safe under her large umbrella. Afterwards, she began carrying her open umbrella everywhere—both inside and outside. One day, she saw a boy getting soaked in the rain and invited him to seek shelter under her umbrella. How will Anna learn to walk in the sunlight again without her umbrella shading her?
Comments: The journey of grief that Anna experienced before she could walk in the sun again is a touching story that may help children.
The illustrations were created digitally.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
The Hole
by Lindsay Bonilla (Author), Brizida Magro (Illustrator)
Summary: A boy notices gaps in his home, in his parents, and within himself where his younger brother, Matty, used to fit. He realizes that other people also have these holes, as they, too, have lost someone. Eventually, he confronts his emptiness and delves into his emotions. His friend Nora asks if he would like to share memories about his brother, which helps him begin to feel better.
Comments: This would make a wonderful book to help students deal with grief.
I like how the boy can fill the hole with good memories of his brother.
The illustrations were created using watercolor washes, colored pencils, and paper collage, all assembled digitally.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
Bear Is Never Alone
by Marc Veerkamp (Author), Jeska Verstegen (Illustrator), Laura Watkinson (Translator)
Brief summary: Bear plays the piano in the forest and comes to his last song, ready for a break. The animals around him start to shout for him to play more. He just wants to be alone, but the animals chase him, demanding for Bear to play more. Will Bear ever be alone?
Rating 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Wallflowers
by Mackenzie Joy (Author, Illustrator)
Brief summary: Shy and quiet children who would rather observe and not be in the spotlight are given encouragement to be themselves. They may like to be heard at times, but not in an extroverted way.
Comments: This book celebrates introverts and does not try to change them from being wallflowers but instead bloom with their emotions.
The illustrations are drawn with them looking like the background.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
The Noise Inside Boys: A Story About Big Feelings
by Pete Oswald (Author)
Brief summary: Brothers yell how they feel while playing outside on the beach. One boy is encouraged by his father to take a moment and experience the feeling and name it. Be aware of your emotions and name them to understand them. He is told that a feeling will come and go.
Comments: I think this would make a great read-aloud. I like the philosophy that feelings come and go and to push them because they are not there forever.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Sometimes: A Day Full of Feelings
by Stephanie Stansbie (Author), Elisa Paganelli (Illustrator)
Brief summary: A brother and sister experience everyday feelings that come and go. They learn to recognize their feelings in different situations, realize that another one will come along, and learn how to move through that one too. Emotions are everyday occurrences.
Comments: There is a back page of encouragement to help young readers to get through more difficult feelings.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Wepa
by J de laVega (Author, Illustrator)
Brief summary: Besides being intelligent, Mia likes to be creative and fashionable but has some things she does not do well. Her Mami says she has too much wepa. Mia tries ballet, hoping to get some of the wepa out, but it does not work. She finally finds an avenue where she releases her wepa.
Comments: According to dictionary.com, wepa means “a Spanish slang used to convey excitement, congratulations, and joy, similar to the English Oh yeah!, Wow!, or That’s awesome!“
The author shares that everyone in her family has ADHD.
This is a bilingual English-Spanish picture book.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
How to Be Brave
by Karl Newson (Author), Clara Anganuzzi (Illustrator)
Brief summary: A young child encourages and explains that trying something new may be scary at times, but to not give up. There may be setbacks and take the moment to learn from them. Be brave and go forward.
Comments: The child is shown with various animals trying new things.
Optimistic advice and encouragement throughout.
The illustrations were done with pencil and watercolor and digitally colored.
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
It Is Okay
by Ye Guo (Author)
Brief summary: Goat enjoys a cup of coffee and toast with canned grass. He realizes he has run out of grass and goes to the grocery store, where he encounters Bunny choosing the same thing. They quickly become friends and make it a daily ritual to have breakfast together. As they explore around town, they discover that what one can’t do, the other can help with. Despite their differences, they still can establish a friendship.
Comments: The illustrations were created with monoprint backgrounds, details added in pencil and colored pencil, pastel, wax pastel, watercolor pen, ink, and collage.
I enjoyed this quiet, kind book about friends who are different from one another but can still get along and form a friendship.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
*I was sent a complimentary copy of this book.
The selected children’s books are chosen by a highly qualified retired elementary school librarian, who passionately reads and recommends picture books to teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book enthusiasts.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris recommends are checked out from the public library. The only exception is for the complimentary copies that she receives for an honest review, which are duly noted.