Quick Overview: Children feel a lot of big feelings, and it can be difficult to speak to them about how they are feeling. We look at children’s books that cover emotions including love, jealously, anger, fear and grief.

We all know that the love for reading begins when you are a child. I remember reading past bed time because I just needed to read another chapter. I have memories of my parents reading books to me. Children’s books are so important to learn more about yourself and the world around you. Children sometimes struggle to communicate their emotions, and picture books can really help bridge this gap.

Children’s Books About Love and Kindness

Love comes in many different shapes. We have the love for our grand parents, our mum and dad, our friends around us and we even love our stuffed animals. All these books are filled with love and will leave you with a warm heart and a smile on your face. All the below books are picture books suitable for children under 5.

1. Grammie and Pupa’s House – Daisy Butterfield, Illustrated by Justin P. Waboro.
2. Love Will Turn You Around – Mary Munson, Illustrated by Kate Talbot
3. I Love You More Than Cereal: Maeve and Dad Redefine Love – Justin & Alexis Black
4. I Love You Through and Through – Bernadette Rossetti-Shustak, Illustrated by Caroline Jayne Church
5. Guess How Much I Love You – Sam McBratney, Illustrated by Anita Jeram
6. I Will Love You Forever – Illustrated by Robyn Z.

Children’s Books to Help with Jealousy

An emotion we don’t talk about that often is jealousy. But kids can often get jealous. They can be jealous because of simple things like getting a pink straw instead of a blue one but it can also be a real thing in the life of a child. Maybe there is someone new in class, or they want something someone else has. It can be hard to talk about. Here are books to help with that emotion.

• Jealousy is the Moon – Written and Illustrated by Lauren Martin
• Caspian Crashes the Party – Edward T. Welch, Illustrated by Joe Hox
• Sometimes When I’m Jealous – Deborah Serani, Psy.D., Illustrated by Kyra Teis
• The New Friend – Charlotte Zolotow, Illustrated by Benjamin Chaud
• Dealing with Feeling… Jealous – Isabel Thomas, Illustrated by Clare Elsom
• Way Past Jealous – Hallee Adelman, Karen Wall

Children’s Books About Managing Anger

Oh boy, children can get angry! As a kid, you have to learn how to deal with all the emotions; and anger can be a tricky one. What do you do when your kid gets angry? These books are a perfect fit.

• The Lion in Me – Andrew Jordan Nance, Illustrated by Jim Durk
• Everyone Feels Angry Sometimes – Dr. Daniela Owen, Illustrated by Gulce Baycik
• The Red Book: What to Do When You’re Angry – William Anthony
• When I Feel Angry – Dr Sharie Coombes
• Roaring Mad Riley: An Anger Management Story for Kids – Allison Szczecinski, M.Ed., Illustrated by Dana Regan
• When Miles Got Mad – Sam Kurtzman-Counter

Children’s Books About Grief and Loss

One of the hardest emotions to deal with in life is grief, as an adult and as a child. I have some book recommendations for you about the death of a dog, but also about the death of a sibling. These books can be so helpful when you go through a situation like this. These books will find the words for you.

• Lucky the Poochipug – Howard & Pat London
• Foster’s Leash – Sarah Sommer
• I Miss You: A First Look at Death – Pat Thomas
• Still Mine – Jayne Pillemer & Sheryl Murray
• Ida, Always – Caron Levis & Charles Santoso
• Our Heaven Baby – Leah Vis & Aron Brown

Children’s Books About Fear and Anxiety

Did you have a fear as a child? Maybe you were afraid of the dark, or you didn’t dare to speak in the classroom. These are books about all these kind of fears, from going to the principal’s office to swimming lessons and worrying in general.

1. The Principal’s Office: Things Aren’t Always What They Seem – Joshua DeSmyter
2. Worry Says What? – Allison Edwards & Ryeson Li Rubio
3. Saturday is Swimming Day – Hyewon Yum
4. Jabari Jumps – Gaia Cornwall
5. It Will Be Okay – Lysa TerKeurst & Natalia Moore
6. The Worry Box – Suzanne Chiew & Sean Julian

I hope you liked all these book recommendations from us. We love to do children’s book tours and seeing our community dive into them with their kids, nieces and nephews. Keep an eye open for more tours with children’s books.