Specific Fears and Phobias

These books help children to increase their sense of safety when around something that can feel a bit dangerous but is actually quite safe, such as thunderstorms, the dark, getting shots, and dogs. A fear becomes a phobia when it starts to really interfere with a child’s life (e.g., a child who is unable to play on playgrounds due to a fear of bees, or who is unable to go to a friend’s house if they have a dog). Most of these books apply to both fears and phobias.
Age range: 1st grade through 5th grade.
Recommended for: This workbook is a must-read for any child and their caregiver who are looking for relief from phobia(s). It’s an interactive book that teaches children gold-standard cognitive-behavioral strategies to reduce their fears, and it’s applicable to any and all phobias, including fears related to animals (e.g., dogs, spiders, bees, sharks), nature (e.g., heights, thunderstorms), injuries (e.g., blood, shots), small spaces (e.g., airplanes, elevators), and/or anything else (e.g., clowns, balloons, vomiting).

Jabari Jumps

Written and illustrated by Gaia Cornwall
Age range: Preschool through 1st grade.
Age range: Kindergarten through 3rd grade.
Recommended for: This book is a fairly fun introduction to exposure therapy and could be really helpful for therapists to use when introducing this concept to children. It’s especially relevant for a child who has a fear of dogs, but it could apply to many specific fears (e.g., fear of spiders, snakes, clowns, elevators, heights). Caregivers who are familiar with the concepts of exposure therapy and feel prepared to support a child in facing their fears in this way may also find this book useful for an at-home read.
Evidence-Based Practices: Exposure
Age range: Preschool through 2nd grade.
Recommended for: This book could open up some important conversations about fears and bravery with children who are holding beliefs that they shouldn’t be scared or that others will judge them if they are. It is also an extremely sweet book about a boy overcoming his fear of dogs to comfort a dog when she is scared. I would not recommend this book for a child who isn’t expressing some embarrassment/shame/denial of their anxiety, as this could introduce the idea that someone might make fun of them for their fear (it’s not that this book is endorsing this, but it’s part of the plot).
Age range: Preschool through 2nd grade.
Recommended for: This book is a great read for children who do not feel confident in their ability to interact safely with dogs. It teaches kids how dogs like to be approached and what to do if a dog is feeling threatened or scared in order to prevent unsafe interactions. This book might be extra useful for kids to read with caregivers who are also a little wary of dogs.

The Dark

Written by Lemony Snicket
Illustrated by Jon Klassen
Age range: Kindergarten through 3rd grade.
Recommended for: This book helps a child to shift their relationship with the dark from foe to friend. It is best for a slightly older child who will tolerate or even enjoy the book’s creepiness (e.g., kids who like ghost stories) and who will understand the ending–it’s a bit subtle. It’s a great story.

Orion and the Dark

Written and illustrated by Emma Yarlett
Age range: Preschool through 2nd grade.
Recommended for: Therapists can use this book as an introduction to exposure therapy to address a fear of the dark. Caregivers and children can read this book together and talk about how Dark can be a friend. I might follow up a read of this book with a fun, dark-themed activity like making shadow puppets.
Evidence-Based Practices: Exposure
Age range: Preschool through 2nd grade.
Evidence-Based Practices: Mindfulness, Exposure

Thunder Cake

Written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco
Age range: Preschool through 2nd grade.
Recommended for: A sweet book to read with a child who is afraid of loud thunderclaps. It teaches children to count the seconds between a lightning flash and a thunderbolt as the storm approaches, and it reminds children that they can be scared and still be brave. Do not read this book with a child if you aren’t open to baking a cake with a frightened child during the next thunderstorm. It’s just about non-optional.
Age range: Preschool through 1st grade.
Recommended for: This book might prevent or reduce children’s fear of the doctor and/or shots by walking children through the typical components of a well-child doctor’s appointment so they feel prepared and by teaching them a visualization strategy to reduce anxiety (and pain) during a vaccination. It’s fairly cute and also quite informative. It’s great for caregivers to read with children prior to a check-up and could be an entry for therapists into a conversation about a child’s fear of shots.