Have you ever had a day where everything seems to be going wrong? Or maybe you’re just feeling a little glum, and you’re not sure what to do about it. What about those days where everything seems exciting and wonderful and bright and loud, but it’s a little too much and it’s starting to stress you out! We have a great list of picture books that help readers work through all their emotions, big and small, happy and sad. Mindfulness is the concept of teaching your brain to focus on what is currently happening in the present moment, but it can be a tricky idea for younger readers! These books remind us to focus on the present, teach us how to discover a path forward, and help us understand and cope with our emotions. With beautiful pictures and stories, as well as helpful tools that readers of all ages can use every day, these titles are ones you’ll want to return to again and again.
This hopeful and inspiring picture book celebrates springtime and the beauty of life. Through profound text and stunning illustrations, readers meet Little Yuna who can’t wait for her great-grandmother’s cherry tree to bloom. She and her hībāchan wait and watch for the petals, but as soon as they arrive, they quickly fall, something her hībāchan calls “mono no aware.” It is only when Little Yuna’s great grandmother—and the petals she loves—are gone that Yuna finally understands the phrase: an awareness of something’s impermanence. It teaches us that there is beauty in the fleeting moments, and reminds us to embrace the here and now.
Celebrate the phenomenon of glimmers (the opposite of triggers) in this delightful story that shines a light on the moments in our lives that spark joy, bring peace, and inspire hope. You can find glimmers anywhere! They are the little things that put a smile on your face, whether it’s seeing a dog on your walk to school, or getting your favorite snack after school. If you’re feeling anxious, spotting a glimmer can help you find a sense of calm again. This picture book is a great reminder to always be on the lookout for glimmers, and that sharing them with those around you can brighten someone else’s day too!
You know when your brain is just so busy, you can’t seem to think straight? This is the perfect book to help calm that feeling. Filled with Todd Parr’s signature colorful illustrations, this book teaches techniques to help calm overwhelming thoughts. There are suggestions for deep breathing, stretching exercises, and sensory exploration. For example, when you start to feel anxious, look around and name something you can see, something you can smell, something you can hear, something you can touch. It helps your brain do kind of a reset! Plus reading this book is a great reminder that you can tackle any emotions that come your way, no matter how tricky!
Mooch the cat is on the hunt for the perfect gift for his special friend Earl. But what is perfect? This adorable book—which also happens to make a great gift—features Patrick McDonnell’s beloved characters from the popular MUTTS comic strip. Join Mooch as he sees the world around him with a fresh feeling of gratitude and discovers that the perfect gift is everyone, everywhere, everything! And he has just the right person to share it all with. This story is sure to become a classic and one you’ll want to share with those you love.
Readers who may know Patrice Karst from her bestselling phenomenon The Invisible String will find joy in this picture book too! In How Jackson Found His Joy Again Jackson, normally full of happiness, is not feeling himself and is feeling quite down. He receives wonderful advice to look for one color each day, and think about how it makes you feel, advice that we readers can use too! It’s a lovely reminder that even when things seem dark and gray, colors and joy can return, if we just pay attention to the world around us!
The Marvelous Now is a marvelous introduction to mindfulness and keeping your cool! If you’re having a bad day, or just facing some big feelings, this bright, colorful picture book reminds us to reset and focus on the present. By focusing on what’s right in front of us, we’re reminding ourselves to be in the present moment, and that’s what matters most. When we regulate our emotions, we can much more easily reach our happy place! And for more fun books with helpful tools, don’t miss the rest of the series, The Magical Yet and The Curious Why!
This gentle guide to negotiating life’s little and big moments will inspire smiles, encourage conversation, and help readers of all ages discover what to do when they’re not sure what to do.
Just take the first step.
A smile can make somebody’s day.
Make the leap.
Sweet and spare lines of loving guidance offer instructions on how to live, paired with touching illustrations that invite readers to imagine the story behind the advice. With the perfect combination of instruction, love, and imagination, this is a perfect gift for new parents, a valuable tool for social emotional learning conversations, and a must-have for caregivers who want their little ones to be safe—and to feel loved.
What do you do when you’re not sure what to do? Read this book!
This bright, interactive picture book is the monstrously fun companion to Go Away, Big Green Monster! Big Red Monster is angry! And hey, we’ve all been there! This book with interactive peekaboo pages reveals more and more of the monster’s mad face, as he gets more and more upset. But it also shows that readers can help him (and themselves!) calm down by taking deep breaths. With each breath in and out, the monster calms down, and we have a new tool for calming ourselves down, whenever we start to feel angry.
There’s always more under the surface of what we can see, and this stunning picture book is a great reminder of that. Finn is in a horrible mood and doesn’t want to talk about it, but they agree to go on a walk with Grandpa. Once in the forest, absorbing all the many sights and sounds, Finn realizes that people are more than they appear, and Grandpa reminds Finn that you never know who might understand exactly what you’re feeling. It’s a good reminder of the power of nature, and the power of connection.
This is a beautiful, lyrical book about a boy seeking silence in a bustling city. Yoshio is searching for silence in Tokyo but Tokyo is more like a symphony hall with all its many loud sounds! How do you find silence in all that noise? This is a powerful, inviting journey that helps teach mindfulness and awareness. And it’s a sweet reminder of how to find the most beautiful sound of all.
