Anxiety (helping your child manage anxiety)
Wilma Jean the Worry Machine (Fiction) by Julia Cook
Wilma Jean, the central character of the book, worries about everything and anything in the sun from having friends to play with to getting carrots in her lunch! An amusing book that provides kids with creative tools to manage their anxiety better and feel more in control when in an anxious state. For situations out of their control, the book suggests a 'worry hat' that empowers them to accept the situation as it is. A lovely story that can be read over and over again with a great life lesson for kids of all ages.
Wemberly Worried (Fiction) by Kevin Henkes
Wemberly was a non-stop worrywart. She was terrified of shrinking in the bath tub or her first day at school but when she meets her class mate Jewel who is also a worrywart, the experience is almost cathartic and Wemberly realises that there is no point worrying. Instead she should enjoy the moment, making the most of school.
An adorable story, illustrated with a colourful set of characters, that conveys the importance of not letting little things weigh you down and living more in the moment.
When My Worries Get Too Big (Non-fiction) by Karl Dunn Buron
A charming book filled with strategies not only for your child but parents and teachers too. Whilst it is best suited for older aged kids (6+), the book helps to kick-start discussion on anxiety and how to recognise it as well as select the most appropriate responses to them. It teaches children that throwing tantrums may be their reaction to anxiety and there might be another. more helpful way to deal with the anxiety. A national bestseller, this book equips your child with self-calming strategies to help them better manage their anxieties, freeing them to focus on more important things like learning, exploring and socialising.
Cindy and Cristabelle's Big Scare (Fiction) by Lucy Sloan
Cindy and Cristabelle's Big Scare tackles the subject of childhood anxiety in two stages: the storybook and the workbook. This approach helps adults to learn more about anxiety and how to manage it together with their child. Adults and children alike will love joining the animals of Lil' Steps Farm in learning more about worries and fears, and how to overcome them.
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You might also find it helpful to learn some bibliotherapy techniques to help your child process these feelings by completing our online Bibliotherapy, Literature and Mental Health course, Children's Bibliotherapy Skills Online Course or read our book Bibliotherapy: The Healing Power of Reading.
A big hello and thank you for reading! Passionate about literature, psychology, and life I launched Book Therapy as an alternative form of therapy using the power of literature. I train mental health professionals, librarians, teachers as well as readers on using bibliotherapy in their own work through our online Bibliotherapy, Literature and Mental Health course. We also curate reading lists/personalised book prescriptions for clients based on their individual needs. This is our signature personalised reading service.
You can also check out Book Therapy’s other free reading lists and A- Z of book prescriptions (covering both fiction and non-fiction). These suggest books based on your existing life situation (e.g. anxiety, job change, relationship heartache) as well as interests (e.g memoir, historical fiction, non-fiction, crime etc). There’s also a Children’s A — Z of Book Prescriptions. Feel free to check out the blog for more literary gems. There’s also a post on my personal story of how I entered the world of bibliotherapy and book curation.
In this role, I have had the opportunity to publish two books called Bibliotherapy: The Healing Power of Reading and The Happiness Mindset, and write various literary essays and pieces for newspapers and magazines. I have undertaken bibliotherapy workshops for The United Nations, various libraries in New York and corporate organisations in the UK and US. My book recommendations have featured in the Guardian, Marie Claire, NBC News, Asian Voice, New York Observer, Sydney Telegraph and various other publications. If you are a parent you might enjoy a podcast I’ve recorded with speech and language therapist Sunita Shah on Raising A Reader & Storyteller. And if you’d like to connect, email me at bijal@booktherapy.io or www.booktherapy.io.
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