Age range: Best for kids in preschool and early- to mid-elementary school, but it’s still a good fit for a developmentally younger and/or more emotionally distressed 8- or 9-year-old who would benefit from a simple, calm introduction to trauma and therapy.

Recommended for: This book is great for caregivers to read with a child prior to starting therapy or for a therapist to read with a client prior to starting trauma treatment. It really pulls for the child to share their story, so if a parent might be triggered by this (i.e., if a parent also experienced the frightening event and is going through their own trauma process), I’d recommend using this book as a set-up for therapy, rather than an at-home intervention. It is best for children who witnessed a specific frightening event (e.g., a car crash, domestic violence, a hate crime) rather than multiple, complex traumas.

Age range: Ideal for preschool through 2nd grade. The animals in the story are approximately kindergarteners or even preschoolers (based on a brief mention of the school skills they are learning).

Recommended for: This book is really great for a young child who has experienced something very frightening. It’s applicable to children who have experienced complex trauma as well as specific events (e.g., a car accident). Caregivers can read this book with their children as a way to start talking about kids’ feelings and how they can cope with them; it’s also great for therapists to read with kids prior to starting trauma treatment.