(Part 2) Best emotions books for children according to redditors

A few picture books you might read together -- Lifetimes, which gives a comforting non-religious perspective on the cycle of life and death; Goodbye Mousie, which features a boy about your son's age whose pet mouse has died; and Todd Parr's The Goodbye Book, which is about saying goodbye to a goldfish (from the perspective of another goldfish). Just keep reassuring him that he won't die for a VERY long time, and that death is what happens when animals and people get very old and sick -- it wouldn't be much fun to stay like that forever, so when they get too old and sick to be happy anymore, they stop being alive, just kind of run out of steam. (And hopefully it will be a while before he has to deal with death in a less ideal context...)

Since he's already been exposed to the idea of heaven from your mom, you can tell him that some people believe animals and people go to another world after they die; it makes some people happy to imagine that place and tell stories about it. You can say no one knows for sure what happens after we die, besides our bodies turning into Earth again, so it's okay for everyone to have their own ideas about those things. Personally I view heaven as a comforting story rather than a literal place -- and I think it wouldn't be confusing or a cop-out to describe it in those terms. You can also talk about how even after people and animals die, we keep remembering them, so they're always with us, in a way. The book Always and Forever does a good job illustrating that idea.

It's pretty normal for kids to be freaked out when they first encounter the idea of death; just keep validating his feelings and talking through them, and he'll probably work through it soon.

Here are a couple of books to get the conversation started with young kids:

I Said No! A Kid-to-kid Guide to Keeping Private Parts Private https://www.amazon.com/dp/1878076493/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_h99xzbWBYE121

Do You Have a Secret? (Let's Talk About It!) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0764131702/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_M-9xzb7PWXC7N

Your Body Belongs to You https://www.amazon.com/dp/0807594733/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_e.9xzb64WRCE9

Momo is Japanese for "peach."

There is a very famous children's book by Taro Yashima about a little girl named Momo who got a red umbrella and rain boots, and was very impatient for it to rain.

I have a 5yo girl. We have this one: https://www.amazon.com/Have-Secret-Lets-Talk-About/dp/0764131702

It talks about good secrets and bad secrets.
Eta: I empathize with the grandmother situation. I wish people understood how important open communication is between us and our children and the potential harm of sabotaging that.

If you haven’t seen it, The Ugly Pumpkin is one of my favorites of more recent books. Also The Halloweiner.



The Ugly Pumpkin https://www.amazon.com/dp/0142411450/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_kvgzCb2S5BRFD


https://www.amazon.com/dp/0439079462/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_dqgzCbDDB1TV0).

Edit: tried to make text links

My kids are younger than yours but I've had recommended to me this book.

There seem to be a few books out there to help children understand. For example 'Sad Days, Glad Days':

http://www.amazon.com/Sad-Days-Glad-Story-Depression/dp/0807572004/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394205025&sr=8-1&keywords=sad+days+glad+days

I once heard of a doctor telling a patient that she really felt for people with a mental illness because the patient often felt a lot of shame and guilt about their illness and she sometimes wished she could put a bandage around the head of the patient in order to kind of give the illness a material form: as if to say "look, this is as serious as a broken arm, it's just that we can't see it."

I am struggling to think how I would tell a child. I'm thinking that children develop pretty rapidly. So telling a five year old would be VERY different from telling a young teen. What age child are we talking about?

Oh, damn... see I was trying to set myself up for some shameless self-promotion.

I think not sugar-coating it is best. This age your son is able to understand things better than you might think. One other thing I would add to that the previous poster said, is tell him that it is okay to be sad, that you and his dad are sad, too. And that he will probably always be a little sad but the feeling will get easier after a while.

These are 3 books I have on hand. My daughter was very broken up when our dog died, and her Grandmother is failing in health as well:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316404977/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553344021/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0552567655/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Inside Out (yes, the movie) actually has been shown to help children understand their emotions.

That said, there are books based on the Inside Out universe that discuss emotions and may be useful...
Box of Mixed Emotions
This video has some brief looks at some of the books in the Inside Out book-line as well and might give you an idea.

I've not read any of them (and don't have kids) but I've got these resources by Annaka Harris tucked away for future reference: https://annakaharris.com/mindfulness-for-children/ - they look promising, as does her "I wonder" (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00G8O71A4/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1)

Apologies if they turn out to be duds.

https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Happy-Men-Little-Miss/dp/0843178094

dis probably

Yes, I just got them from these links -

Children’s book:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XX6SK6K

Chapter book:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XLTKLBV

https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Happy-Men-Little-Miss/dp/0843178094

Planting Seeds by Thich Nhat Hanh, and

A Pebble for Your Pocket also by Thich Nhat Hanh

Here are all the local Amazon links I could find:


amazon.com

amazon.co.uk

amazon.ca

amazon.com.au

amazon.in

amazon.com.mx

amazon.de

amazon.it

amazon.es

amazon.com.br

amazon.nl

amazon.co.jp

amazon.fr

Beep bloop. I'm a bot to convert Amazon ebook links to local Amazon sites.
I currently look here: amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca, amazon.com.au, amazon.in, amazon.com.mx, amazon.de, amazon.it, amazon.es, amazon.com.br, amazon.nl, amazon.co.jp, amazon.fr, if you would like your local version of Amazon adding please contact my creator.

Could it be the 1958 picture book Umbrella? (link allows you to peek inside)

Check out "Who Needs Donuts?" if you want to see ornate illustration (it's a 1970's kids book, but absolutely fantastic. I lend it out to kids with a magnifying glass now.


http://www.amazon.com/Needs-Donuts-Mark-Alan-Stamaty/dp/0375825509/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

The Velvet Room If I cut my hair, Hawaii will sink.

These are all books I read with my kiddos when they were very young. They're all simple board books perfect for babies and young toddlers. They're are a lot of other great books about diversity for older children as well, but those might be too complex for a baby or young toddler.

https://www.amazon.com/More-Said-Board-Caldecott-Collection/dp/0688156347/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503326006&sr=8-1&keywords=more+more+more+said+the+baby

https://www.amazon.com/Everywhere-Babies-Susan-Meyers/dp/0152053158/ref=pd_sim_14_15?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0152053158&pd_rd_r=03G4D8KHRQ81K252DW9M&pd_rd_w=M1K8i&pd_rd_wg=DajyG&psc=1&refRID=03G4D8KHRQ81K252DW9M

https://www.amazon.com/Snowy-Day-Board-Book/dp/0670867330/ref=pd_sim_14_42?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0670867330&pd_rd_r=KF9GJMSGWKBA4TR0JR8M&pd_rd_w=bre80&pd_rd_wg=matKi&psc=1&refRID=KF9GJMSGWKBA4TR0JR8M

https://www.amazon.com/Please-Baby-Classic-Board-Books/dp/1416949119/ref=pd_sim_14_6?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1416949119&pd_rd_r=7DG5ZZCV3HPNYHX4VC00&pd_rd_w=aeFFb&pd_rd_wg=1TMyj&psc=1&refRID=7DG5ZZCV3HPNYHX4VC00

https://www.amazon.com/Mama-Do-You-Love-Me/dp/0811821315/ref=pd_sim_14_33?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0811821315&pd_rd_r=K0M5BEFZ3TZP0XJ5B3K8&pd_rd_w=TMMUN&pd_rd_wg=KBmnl&psc=1&refRID=K0M5BEFZ3TZP0XJ5B3K8

https://www.amazon.com/Here-Are-Hands-Bill-Martin/dp/0805059113/ref=pd_sim_14_24?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0805059113&pd_rd_r=CP42F8A3YVB0CPGBFZXD&pd_rd_w=PGghS&pd_rd_wg=KOL6z&psc=1&refRID=CP42F8A3YVB0CPGBFZXD

https://www.amazon.com/Making-Faces-First-Book-Emotions/dp/1419723839/ref=pd_sim_14_23?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1419723839&pd_rd_r=YJX929CFH2D0Q86GA0SA&pd_rd_w=POdwL&pd_rd_wg=5cPO4&psc=1&refRID=YJX929CFH2D0Q86GA0SA

https://www.amazon.com/Global-Babies-Fund-Children/dp/1580891748/ref=pd_sim_14_17?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1580891748&pd_rd_r=JFYA8H7YCGH5KMJAAS8N&pd_rd_w=PWnxU&pd_rd_wg=AZqYt&psc=1&refRID=JFYA8H7YCGH5KMJAAS8N

http://www.amazon.com/Pebble-Your-Pocket-Thich-Nhat/dp/1935209450/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343408984&sr=8-1&keywords=pebble+pocket

1000 puppies!!!!!

these emotion books

My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss

The Color Monster book and game are amazing.

https://www.amazon.com/Color-Monster-Pop-Up-Book-Feelings/dp/1454917296/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?adgrpid=56080264476&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIg5WajtTH4wIVl6DsCh1jSQkwEAAYASAAEgIhzfD_BwE&hvadid=274700001984&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=1014045&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=17136843935614447801&hvtargid=kwd-409892197117&hydadcr=16279_10308708&keywords=feeling+monster&qid=1563768634&s=gateway&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Sometimes-Im-Bombaloo-Scholastic-Bookshelf/dp/product-description/0439669413

Sounds like The Velvet Room:

http://www.amazon.com/Velvet-Room-Zilpha-Keatley-Snyder-ebook/dp/B00A72719O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419721703&sr=8-1&keywords=the+velvet+room