The Best Books for Anxious Children (Ages 4-12)
Books are one of the most powerful tools for anxious children — they create distance from the anxiety and make it something that can be looked at and discussed.
When a child sees their experience reflected in a story, something important happens. They realise they’re not broken. They’re not alone. Other people — even fictional ones — have felt this way and got through it.
These are the books I recommend most — for different ages and different types of anxiety.
For Younger Children (Ages 4-7)
For general anxiety and big feelings
AFFILIATE LINK PLACEHOLDER — The Invisible String by Patrice Karst — for separation anxiety: [INSERT INVISIBLE STRING BOOK AFFILIATE LINK HERE]
AFFILIATE LINK PLACEHOLDER — Harriet’s Had Enough — for managing overwhelming emotions: [INSERT HARRIETS HAD ENOUGH AFFILIATE LINK HERE]
For worry specifically
AFFILIATE LINK PLACEHOLDER — Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes — gentle and funny: [INSERT WEMBERLY WORRIED AFFILIATE LINK HERE]
AFFILIATE LINK PLACEHOLDER — The Huge Bag of Worries by Virginia Ironside: [INSERT HUGE BAG OF WORRIES AFFILIATE LINK HERE]
For Middle Childhood (Ages 7-10)
AFFILIATE LINK PLACEHOLDER — Wilma Jean the Worry Machine — practical and engaging: [INSERT WILMA JEAN WORRY MACHINE AFFILIATE LINK HERE]
AFFILIATE LINK PLACEHOLDER — What to Do When You Worry Too Much — CBT workbook style: [INSERT WHAT TO DO WORRY TOO MUCH AFFILIATE LINK HERE]
AFFILIATE LINK PLACEHOLDER — Mindfulness for Kids Who Worry — activity book: [INSERT MINDFULNESS KIDS WORRY AFFILIATE LINK HERE]
For Older Children (Ages 10-12)
AFFILIATE LINK PLACEHOLDER — Am I Normal? by Anita Bhagwandas — relatable and reassuring: [INSERT AM I NORMAL BOOK AFFILIATE LINK HERE]
AFFILIATE LINK PLACEHOLDER — The Anxiety Survival Guide for Teens — also good for late primary: [INSERT ANXIETY SURVIVAL GUIDE AFFILIATE LINK HERE]
For Parents
AFFILIATE LINK PLACEHOLDER — The Explosive Child by Ross Greene: [INSERT EXPLOSIVE CHILD BOOK AFFILIATE LINK HERE]
AFFILIATE LINK PLACEHOLDER — Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents by Reid Wilson: [INSERT ANXIOUS KIDS ANXIOUS PARENTS AFFILIATE LINK HERE]
AFFILIATE LINK PLACEHOLDER — The Whole Brain Child by Daniel Siegel: [INSERT WHOLE BRAIN CHILD AFFILIATE LINK HERE]
How to Use Books Most Effectively
Don’t just hand your child a book and walk away. Read it together if they’ll let you. Pause at moments that resonate. “Does that ever happen to you?” “How do you think Wemberly felt there?”
Books open conversations that are hard to start cold. They give children language for things they couldn’t name before.
See our full recommended reading list for anxious children and their parents — at the link in bio.
