Six children's books to help them deal with anxiety

How Big Are your Worries Little Bear?

Author: Jayneen Sanders
Illustrator: Stephanie Fizer Coleman
Little Bear is a worrier. He worries about everything! But with Mama Bear’s help, he soon learns his worries are not so big after all.

Through this engaging and beautifully illustrated story, children will learn that everyday worries and fears can be overcome. It just takes a willingness to share with a helpful listener, and an understanding that making mistakes is how we learn.

Also included are helpful Discussion Questions for parents, caregivers and educators, and extra hints to help children manage anxiety.

The Huge Bag of Worries

Author: Virginia Ironside
Illustrator: Frank Rodgers
Wherever Jenny goes, her worries follow her – in a big blue bag. They are there when she goes swimming, when she is watching TV, and even when she is in the bathroom. Jenny decides they will have to go. But she needs someone to help her. This is a great book to use with anxious children as it helps sort worries through and make them seem more manageable. It demonstrates that we all have worries and what to do about them.

It’s Okay to Make Mistakes

Author and illustrator: Todd Parr
This book is perfect for younger children. It embraces life’s happy accidents, the mistakes and mess-ups that can lead to self-discovery. Todd Parr, The New York Times bestselling author, brings a timely theme to life with his signature bold, kid-friendly illustrations and a passion for making readers feel good about themselves, encouraging them to try new things, experiment, and dare to explore new paths.

When Worry Takes Hold

Author: Liz Haske
Illustrator: InSong Nam
One night just before the lights went out, Worry snuck into Maya’s mind. Worry grew bigger and bigger until there was no space left for anything else; just darkness and fear. Maya finally finds Courage, through the form of a calming breath, and learns how to break free from Worry’s hold. This is the first in the Worry series.

Ruby Find a Worry

Author and illustrator: Tom Percival
When Ruby first meets the Worry, a yellow scribble with a furrowed brow, it’s so small that she barely notices it. But over time, it gets bigger and bigger — and it starts draining all the other colors from the page. Before long, it’s so big that the Worry keeps Ruby from doing the things she loves. Then one day, she sees a boy at the playground with a blue-scribble Worry of his own… and when she talks to him about it, she discovers that talking about your Worries can help keep them manageable and small. This kid-friendly story is an excellent way to talk to kids about anxiety and worry while highlighting that there are ways to seek support when you need it.

Always

Author: Ann Stott
Illustrator: Matt Phelan
This is a heart-warming story that captures the life of a child who worries that his mummy won’t love him if he makes mistakes – and the reassurance he receives that that isn’t the case at all. It’s an easy read for little ones as it’s not very long, but the sweet message that portrays a parent’s love for their kids worried about disappointing their families is beautiful.