# Recommended Reads: 40+ Books that Teach Young Children Essential Social-Emotional Skills December 13, 2022 Picture books are an excellent tool for teaching and reinforcing the social-emotional skills young children need for social and academic success. Today’s post offers some curated lists of books that help with specific skills, such as empathy, managing anger, and dealing with anxiety. Recommended by the authors of the evidence-based SEL curriculum [**Strong Start: Pre-K,**](https://products.brookespublishing.com/Merrells-Strong-StartPre-K-P947.aspx) these books correspond to the lessons in the curriculum—though teachers and parents can use the books in the classroom and at home anytime. Find some new-to-you titles to share with children in the lists below, and order them through your favorite local bookstore. And if you have a great book to add to this list, submit your suggestion in the comments below! ## UNDERSTANDING YOUR FEELINGS This booklist corresponds with Lessons 1-3 in Strong Start: Pre-K: The Feelings Exercise Group, Understanding Your Feelings 1, and Understanding Your Feelings 2. In these lessons, young learners improve their emotional vocabulary, awareness, and resilience skills through fun application activities. The books on this list can help reinforce children’s understanding of their many emotions. - _Feelings_ by Aliki - _The Way I Feel_ by Janan Cain - _Lots of Feelings_ by Shelley Rotner - _Sometimes I Like to Cry_ by Elizabeth Stanton and Henry B. Stanton - _Feelings_ by Joanne Brisson Murphy - _The Feelings Book_ by Todd Parr - _Everybody Has Feelings/Todos Tenemos Sentimientos: The Moods of Children_ by Charles E. Avery - _My First Day at Nursery School_ by Becky Edwards - _How Are You Peeling? Foods with Moods_ by Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers - _On Monday When It Rained_ by Cherryl Kachenmeister - _My Many Colored Days_ by Dr. Seuss - _The Chocolate-Covered-Cookie Tantrum_ by Deborah Blumenthal ## UNDERSTANDING OTHER PEOPLE’S FEELINGS This booklist corresponds with Lesson 4 in Strong Start: Pre-K. A basic form of empathy training, this lesson shows young learners how to identify common physical cues or clues to help understand how another person might be feeling. These books are a great way to build on children’s awareness and understanding of other people’s emotions. - _Harriet, You’ll Drive Me Wild_ by Mem Fox - _Frog in the Middle_ by Susanna Gretz - _Chrysanthemum_ by Kevin Henkes - _The Rat and the Tiger_ by Keiko Kasza - _I Love My New Toy!_ by Mo Willems ## WHEN YOU’RE ANGRY This booklist corresponds with Lesson 5 in Strong Start: Pre-K. In this lesson, young children learn to understand the physical signs of anger in their bodies, identify common situations that might lead people to feel angry, and determine if responses to anger are done in “Ways that Help” or “Ways that Hurt.” Use these books to deepen children’s understanding of anger and how to deal with it in constructive ways. - _The Anger Monster_ by Jennifer Anzin - _When Sophie Gets Angry—Really, Really Angry…_ by Molly Bang - _Josh’s Smiley Faces: A Story About Anger_ by Gina Ditta-Donahue - _Just Being Me #1: I’m SO Mad!_ by Robie H. Harris - _Sometimes I’m Bombaloo_ by Rachel Vail ## WHEN YOU’RE HAPPY This booklist corresponds with Lesson 6 in Strong Start: Pre-K. Young learners practice identifying common physical sensations associated with feeling happy, recognizing actions and situations that are more likely to lead to this positive feeling, and using a “Happy Talk” technique to cope with adverse situations in a positive way. This list of books can help promote children’s awareness of happy feelings and celebrate fun and positivity. - _I Like Myself!_ by Karen Beaumont - _Fun Is a Feeling_ by Chara M. Curtis - _Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon!_ by Patty Lovell - _Beautiful Oops!_ by Barney Saltzberg - _Super-Completely and Totally the Messiest_ by Judith Viorst ## WHEN YOU’RE WORRIED This booklist corresponds with Lesson 7 in Strong Start: Pre-K, in which children are taught to apply specific behavioral, affective, and cognitive skills to situations that might cause them worry and anxiety. The following books can help children deal with feelings of worry that they may encounter in new or scary situations. - _Even if I Did Something Awful_ by Barbara Shook Hazen - _Wemberly Worried_ by Kevin Henkes - _The Kissing Hand_ by Audrey Penn - _The Good-Bye Book_ by Judith Viorst - _Owl Babies_ by Martin Waddell ## BEING A GOOD FRIEND This booklist corresponds with Lesson 8 in Strong Start: Pre-K. In this lesson, children learn and practice some basic interpersonal communication skills, such as using a nice voice, being a good listener, and using appropriate body language. The following books are a great way to teach and reinforce important friendship skills. - _We Are Best Friends_ by Aliki - _Do You Want to Be My Friend?_ by Eric Carle - _How to Grow a Friend_ by Sara Gillingham - _Enemy Pie_ by Derek Munson - _Yo! Yes?_ by Chris Raschka ## SOLVING PEOPLE PROBLEMS This booklist corresponds with Lesson 9 in Strong Start: Pre-K, in which children are taught how to resolve peer problems by applying their skills for coping with anger and using Happy Talk. The books on this list can help demonstrate how children can resolve interpersonal issues positively inside and outside the classroom. - _Move Over, Twerp_ by Martha Alexander - _I Can’t Wait_ by Elizabeth Crary - _I’m Frustrated_ by Elizabeth Crary - _Bet You Can’t_ by Penny Dale - _Chester’s Way_ by Kevin Henkes - _Words Are Not for Hurting_ by Elizabeth Verdick and Marieka Heinlen Use the books in today’s post to start important conversations with young children and teach them key social-emotional skills in a fun and engaging way. And if you’re an educator, check out the evidence-based [Strong Start: Pre-K](https://products.brookespublishing.com/Merrells-Strong-StartPre-K-P947.aspx) curriculum, developed by a team of educational and mental health experts and proven to help increase young children’s knowledge of healthy behavior.