Discover a variety of children’s books that teach kids how to take care of their minds
By Dheevya Gunaseelan
Children’s books about health and wellness teach young readers crucial life skills such as recognising their emotions and caring for their bodies. These stories entertain and teach essential lessons about mental health, mindfulness, physical well-being, and personal boundaries. Children’s books enable kids to form healthy habits, build emotional perseverance, and get the confidence they need to face life’s obstacles by teaching complicated topics in easy, relevant ways. These books provide captivating narratives and visuals that help create the foundation for a balanced and happy childhood. Here are a few you could start with.
#1 The Colour Monster by Anna Llenas
The Colour Monster by Anna Llenas is a children’s book that explores navigating emotions. It follows a confused multicoloured monster talking to a little girl. The jumbled-up colours represent his mixed emotions and difficulty understanding what he’s feeling. The different emotions are each represented by a colour – yellow for happiness, blue for sadness, red for anger, black for fear, green for calm, and pink for love. These distinct differences allow children to clearly see the different emotions they may feel and what to associate them with, which would hopefully aid in them navigating their emotions.
The main theme of the book is understanding emotions and self-expression, which are important for emotional development in children. As the monster opens up to the little girl, it shows kids that it is okay to talk about what they’re feeling and experience multiple emotions at once. If your child enjoys the Inside Out movies, they might enjoy this, too, as they very much have similar themes and concepts.
#2 Who’s Jerry? by T. M. Jackson
Who’s Jerry? by T. M. Jackson is about a young girl navigating her mother’s mental illness, schizophrenia. The story follows Imani’s experiences of life as a child to someone diagnosed with schizophrenia. Her mother keeps mentioning “Jerry” and how he told her this and that, which leaves Imani confused and scared because she can’t see this “Jerry” that her mother keeps talking about. The story focuses on understanding mental illness, from the child’s perspective of how mental health affects family dynamics. It also addresses the confusion, fear, and stigma surrounding schizophrenia, showing the impact of untreated mental illness on both the individual and their loved ones.
The story also highlights the importance of communication and having a support system when Imani’s father – her parents are separated – and aunt stepped up to take care of her while her mother got the help she needed. Who’s Jerry? encourages kids to confront mental health stigma and promotes the message that seeking help and understanding can lead to healing and stronger family bonds.
#3 Mindfulness Makes Me Stronger by Elizabeth Cole
Mindfulness Makes Me Stronger by Elizabeth Cole follows a young boy, Nick, who is lost in his thoughts because he is overwhelmed by all the things he has to do. He’s so occupied by what he has to do, that he’s missing out on the simple things in life. His father notices this and talks with him, helping him deal with his stress and frustration. The book also includes a few calming techniques that would be helpful for children to know. The central focus of the book is mental clarity and emotional strength. By practising deep breathing, staying present, and recognising without being overwhelmed by them, Nick discovers that he can face challenges with greater confidence and inner peace.
The story addresses concepts like stress management, developing self-awareness, and regulating emotions healthily. It teaches kids thatwhile tough emotions such as anger, fear, and grief are natural, they do not have to control their behaviour. Through relatable and simple examples, it shows kids the importance of mindfulness and that being present is the key to experiencing life to its fullest.
#4 A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon
A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon follows Camilla Cream, a girl who loves lima beans but refuses to eat them because she’s scared of being teased by her classmates. Camilla awakens covered in rainbow stripes as a result of suppressing her inner personality, and she continues to change colours and patterns according to how others perceive her. The story focuses on concepts like self-acceptance, individuality and the pressures of conformity. The main theme of the book is the importance of being true to oneself and embracing one’s uniqueness. Camilla’s appearance transformation represents the emotional and psychological impacts of peer pressure, as well as the fear of being different. Her condition deteriorates as she conforms to everyone else’s expectations, emphasising the dangers of sacrificing one’s identity in order to fit in.
The story also addresses issues such as self-esteem, the struggle for acceptance, and the anxiety that comes from worrying too much about what others think. Camilla is eventually cured after learning to accept her love of lima beans and her personality, sending an important message to kids about the importance of authenticity and self-love.
#5 Body Boundaries Make Me Stronger by Elizabeth Cole
Body Boundaries Make Me Stronger by Elizabeth Cole follows a young boy, Nick, who gets upset when a friend tickles him too much. He speaks to his parents about it, and they begin to explain the concept of boundaries to him. This story teaches kids the importance of consent, personal boundaries and body autonomy. With easy-to-understand and relatable examples, Nick’s parents help him understand that it is okay to turn away contact that makes him uncomfortable. The book emphasises that everyone has the right to choose who and how they are touched, encouraging youngsters to take ownership of their bodies and emotions.
This story teaches kids to recognise inappropriate behaviours – from friends, family, or strangers – and provides them with the knowledge they need to speak for themselves. It also encourages kids to communicate, by talking to trusted adults when they feel like their space is violated and self-respect. This story is a good choice to teach kids how to protect themselves and honour personal space.
Source: Reading Rocket, Lauren Kennedy West and Ms A story teller on YouTube
