Dr. Annie's Bookshelf

A child psychologist's book recommendations for growth and healing

Jabari Jumps

Written and illustrated by Gaia Cornwall
Age range: Preschool through 1st grade.
Recommended for: Any child who ever feels nervous before taking a plunge–literal or figurative–(i.e., almost everyone) will really like this story. It’s best for a child who has had experience at a swimming pool with a diving board so they can relate to Jabari. This story could be used to start a conversation about facing one’s fears, and it provides a few concrete strategies for doing so (deep breaths, cognitive restructuring , jumping in). Therapists might find it useful as a way to start conversations about exposure therapy .
Evidence-Based Practices: Diaphragmatic Breathing, Cognitive Restructuring, Exposure
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What to Do When You Don’t Want to Be Apart

A Kid’s Guide to Overcoming Separation Anxiety

Written by Kristen Lavalee, Ph.D. and Dr. Silvia Schneider
Illustrated by Janet McDonnell
Age range: Kindergarten through 5th grade.
Recommended for: Children who are ready to be more independent and less bothered by their separation anxiety will likely find this workbook to be helpful and non-judgmental. It’s not the most fun book, but it lays out a clear path to being able to enjoy birthday parties and tolerate nights with babysitters, which will be a relief to many children bothered by separation anxiety. Children who aren’t yet self-motivated to practice coping with separations may or may not be engaged enough by the metaphor of flying a hot air balloon to get on board with the activities presented. That said, it is a collection of the most effective Cognitive Behavioral Therapy tools for reducing separation anxiety, so it could be useful for a caregiver to read even if a child isn’t quite ready for it. Therapists may also find this book helpful to use during therapy sessions and/or as between-session homework for caregivers and children to complete each week.
Evidence-Based Practices: Psychoeducation, Cognitive Restructuring, Self-soothing, Exposure
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Lola’s/ Leo’s Words Disappeared

Written and illustrated by Elaheh Bos
Age range: Kindergarten through 2nd grade.
Recommended for: These books (there are two nearly identical versions–one featuring a girl, Lola, and one featuring a boy, Leo) are great for therapists to use with children with Selective Mutism (SM) as a way of destigmatizing the experience and of introducing the idea that there are different steps the child can take to work towards overcoming their SM. The books come with a website where you can print out paper dolls of the characters in the story, which I really love. Caregivers can read these books with a child at home, too, especially if they have a therapist they and their child are working with or if they’re already familiar with the techniques included in the books (e.g., making a worry box, diaphragmatic breathing). Also available in French.
Evidence-Based Practices: Diaphragmatic Breathing, Cognitive Restructuring, Exposure
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Wishing Wellness

A Workbook for Children of Parents with Mental Illness

Written by Lisa Anne Clarke
Illustrated by Bonnie Matthews
Age range: 2nd grade through 5th grade.
Recommended for: Children with a parent or caregiver who is experiencing psychosis (i.e., hallucinations and/or delusions) or is otherwise behaving very unusually. Parent diagnoses of Bipolar I Disorder, Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder, Delusional Disorder, and Major Depressive Disorder with psychotic features are all appropriate. This book is best completed in small doses with a therapist or a caregiver who is not symptomatic.
Evidence-Based Practices: Psychoeducation, Emotional processing, Emotional literacy
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Danny and the Blue Cloud

Coping with Childhood Depression

Written by James Foley, D.Ed.
Illustrated by Shirley Ng-Benitez
Age range: Best for young children–preschool through kindergarten, maybe first grade.
Recommended for: Good for young children who are struggling with their mood (or as this books says, who are “born under a blue cloud”). This book could function well in therapy as an introduction to Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and at home as an introduction to the benefits of positive self-talk and getting out of bed to do fun things even when we don’t feel like it!
Evidence-Based Practices: Behavioral activation, Cognitive restructuring
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What to Do When You Dread Your Bed

A Kid's Guide to Overcoming Problems with Sleep

Written by Dawn Huebner, Ph.D.
Illustrated by Bonnie Matthews
Age range: Ideal for 1st through 5th grade, but much of the workbook is applicable to kids a bit younger with some extra parental support.
Recommended for: This interactive workbook is a good fit for any child experiencing sleep challenges. It’s appropriate for kids who resist going to sleep, who are struggling to sleep on their own, who have difficulty falling asleep, and those who wake up frequently during the night. It teaches pre-bed relaxation skills, helps a child develop a good bedtime routine, and addresses fear of the dark, nightmares, and scary thoughts that often arise at bedtime. This workbook uses a metaphor of a child being a sleep magician, and it teaches kids fun slight-of-hand magic tricks in each chapter.
Evidence-Based Practices: Sleep Hygiene, Relaxation, Cognitive Restructuring, Exposure
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What to Do When You Feel Too Shy

A Kid's Guide to Overcoming Social Anxiety

Written by A. B. Freeland, Ph.D. and Jacqueline B. Toner, Ph.D.
Illustrated by Janet McDonnell
Age range: Mid- to late-elementary schoolers, but much of the book is applicable to kids a bit younger with some extra parental support.
Recommended for: This workbook is likely to be useful to children with social anxiety who would like to feel more comfortable in social situations and who don’t hate clowns (there are some prominant clown references). It’s most relevant to children who are anxious when interacting with peers, but the interventions also apply to kids with performance-type anxiety (e.g., when giving a presentation, perfoming in a recital). It’s a great introduction to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for social anxiety. This workbook could be completed over a number of weeks by caregivers and children, in a therapy office, or as “homework” between therapy sessions.
Evidence-Based Practices: Cognitive Restructuring, Exposure, Relaxation
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What to Do When You Worry Too Much

A Kid's Guide to Overcoming Anxiety

Written by Dawn Huebner, Ph.D.
Illustrated by Bonnie Matthews
Age range: Ideal for 1st graders through 5th graders.
Recommended for: Children struggling with too many worries who want to worry less will likely benefit from going through this interactive workbook with a trusted adult and practicing the recommended skills. It’s a collection of evidence-based practices for worry management, and for some kids, this workbook might be enough to help them learn to get their worries under control! For kids who need a little more support, this workbook could still be a great supplement to therapy. Also available in Spanish.
Evidence-Based Practices: Psychoeducation, Cognitive Restructuring, Diaphragmatic Breathing, Progressive Muscle Relaxation
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What to Do When Your Brain Gets Stuck

A Kid's Guide to Overcoming OCD

Written by Dawn Huebner, Ph.D.
Illustrated by Bonnie Matthews
Age range: 1st through 5th grade, or even younger middle schoolers.
Recommended for: This interactive workbook is best for kids and tweens with OCD who have clear compulsions (e.g., tapping, reassurance seeking, hand washing) and/or “not just right” OCD (e.g., straightening, erasing and rewriting, repeatedly changing socks) and who don’t have hoarding challenges. It could be completed chapter-by-chapter in therapy sessions, between sessions as therapy “homework,” or alongside therapy as a supplemental intervention. A caregiver with some understanding of OCD treatment might feel comfortable working through this workbook with their child without the support of therapy; however, most children with OCD will benefit most from being in therapy while completing this workbook (or soon after).
Evidence-Based Practices: Psychoeducation, Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Cognitive Restructuring
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The Magical Yet

Written by Angela DiTerlizzi
Illustrated by Lorena Alvarez
Age range: Kindergarten through 3rd grade.
Recommended for: This beautiful book teaches about the power of “yet” when a child is feeling frustrated and discouraged (e.g., when learning a new instrument, soccer skill, math lesson, etc.). With a magical fairy-like Yet, this story teaches a child that “if you keep leaping, dreaming, wishing–waiting, learning, trying, missing/ With the Yet as your guide, along the way/ You’ll do all of the things you can’t do today.”
Evidence-Based Practices: Cognitive Restructuring
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Izzy Gizmo

Written by Pip Jones
Illustrated by Sara Ogilvie
Age range: Preschool through 2nd grade.
Recommended for: This is a sweet story about a super creative girl whose inventions don’t always work as well as she had hoped. With encouragement from Grandpa, she perseveres instead of quitting, and she is ultimately successful. This book is a great read for kids who are inclined to give up when they aren’t initially successful and who could benefit from viewing failure as a stepping stone to success. This book is available in many languages, including English, Spanish, and Chinese.
Evidence-Based Practices: Growth Mindset
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The Girl Who Thought in Pictures

The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin

Written by Julia Finley Mosca
Illustrated by Daniel Rieley
Age range: Kindergarten through 4th grade.
Recommended for: This rhyming biography about Dr. Temple Grandin, autistic scientist and public speaker, sends the message that “being different might just be what makes you so neat.” It’s an important message for any child to hear, but it’s particularly relevant to kids who are neurodiverse (e.g., ADHD, autism, learning disabilities). It’s best for children who will enjoy a relatively long book with a lot of words.
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A Friend for Henry

Written by Jenn Bailey
Illustrated by Mika Song
Age range: Preschool through 3rd grade.
Recommended for: This book is a really lovely read for children who are autistic and interested in making friends, as well as children who are not autistic but who struggle with inflexibility around rules (e.g., sharing) and literal interpretations (e.g., challenges with imaginary play). It aligns with a child who is feeling frustrated with the behavior of their peers who don’t always follow the rules or act logically, and it compassionately helps children to consider what they might look for in a friend, and how a bit of flexibility may help with this. This book could also be a good read for the peers of an autistic child who could use a reminder that their autistic classmate’s perspective is valid and that many friendships are forged on shared interests.
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Leah’s Voice

Written by Lori Demonia
Illustrated by Monique Turchan
Age range: Kindergarten through 3rd grade.
Recommended for: This book is great for the siblings of autistic girls, who are very underrepresented in children’s literature about autism. It validates the challenges of having an autistic sibling while highlighting love and connection between the siblings. It particularly supports conversations about what to do if a friend rejects an autistic sibling and presents a model of what inclusive play might look like. The book explicitly states that Leah is “autistic.”
Evidence-Based Practices: Psychoeducation
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The Most Magnificent Thing

Written and illustrated by Ashley Spires
Age range: Preschoolers might enjoy and relate to parts of this story, but Kindergarten through 2nd grade is probably best.
Recommended for: This book is a great read for a child who is quick to get angry and/or to give up when something doesn’t turn out how they wanted. It’s especially relevant to kids who are makers/ crafters/ builders! The overall message of the story is that something doesn’t have to be perfect in order for a child to be happy with their work.
Evidence-Based Practices: Cognitive Restructuring
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Ian’s Walk

A Story about Autism

Written by Laurie Lears
Illustrated by Karen Ritz
Age range: Kindergarten through 3rd grade.
Recommended for: This book positions the siblings of autistic children as experts in their siblings’ preferences and interests (as many siblings are), and it reminds the reader that their sibling’s happiness and well-being is more important than what other people might be thinking. It’s best for the siblings of non-speaking or minimally verbal autistic children.
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What About Me?

A book by and for an Autism Sibling

Written by Mandy Farmer and Brennan Farmer
Illustrated by Emily Neff
Age range: 1st grade through 4th grade.
Recommended for: This book is ideal to read with children who have autistic siblings and who can sit through a longer, wordier book. It celebrates positive aspects of the siblings’ relationship and builds empathy and understanding for a sibling’s experience while validating some of the very real challenges that can come with having an autistic brother or sister. For children who have ever asked, “What about me?” when their sibling goes to therapy and gets to play games, or when family decisions are made based on an autistic sibling’s needs, this book validates these experiences and provides some useful coping strategies.
Evidence-Based Practices: Psychoeducation
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My Brother Otto

Written by Meg Raby
Illustrated by Elisa Pallmer
Age range: Preschool through kindergarten.
Recommended for: This book is a cute, upbeat introduction to the idea that although children might be different in many ways, they all want “to play, learn, have friends, and be loved.” It’s ideal for young, non-autistic children with a non-speaking or minimally verbal autistic sibling. This book never explicitly labels Otto as autistic, so it’s a good fit for a family that has not yet talked with their children about diagnoses, or for a family with a child who has some autistic features but a different diagnosis.
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Otto Learns About His Medicine

A Story about Medication for Children with ADHD

Written by Matthew Galvin
Illustrated by Sandra Ferraro
Age range: Kindergarten through 2nd grade.
Recommended for: This book is best for a child who has recently been diagnosed with ADHD. It is a surprisingly charming, car-themed overview of ADHD and its treatment. It reviews common symptoms of ADHD (including hyperactivity and inattention), the process of getting evaluated and diagnosed with ADHD (in this book the diagnosis is a motor that runs too fast), and treatment with a psychologist and a psychiatrist–“special mechanics” who are part of young Otto Mobile’s “pit crew.” It describes behavioral and medication interventions and provides hope that a child’s own pit crew will help them run to the best of their ability.
Evidence-Based Practices: Medication, Psychoeducation
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Taking Tourette Syndrome To School

Written by Tira Krueger
Illustrated by Tom Dineen
Age range: 1st grade through 4th grade.
Recommended for: This book’s primary purpose is to teach a child’s peers (classmates, teammates, etc.) about Tourette Syndrome so that a child is less likely to be teased or excluded due to their tics. It could be better written, but it’s an acceptable introduction to tics and Tourette Syndrome. It teaches peers important information, including facts like Tourette Syndrome isn’t contagious, and a child isn’t ever ticing on purpose, and it reminds readers that kids with Tourette Syndrome like to play and learn just like everyone else.
Evidence-Based Practices: Psychoeducation, Medication
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