Emotional literacy
Emotional literacy
A secret safe to tell
A picture book that tells the author's personal story of child sexual abuse. The story is told gently without specifically mentioning sexual touch specifically. It encourages conversations about body safety, the importance of not keeping secrets and confiding in trusted adults if something is making you uncomfortable.
Alexander and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day
Topics: resilience, emotions, feelings, jealousy, anger, hate, isolation, injustice, siblings, friendship.
Fiction
Alexander knew it was going to be a terrible day when he woke up with gum in his hair. His best friend deserted him. There was no dessert in his lunch bag. And, on top of all that, there were lima beans for dinner and kissing on TV!
Age: 6 to 9 years.
YouTube reading - 4min 33sec (external link)Changes
Topics: changes, families, new baby.
Fiction
When Joseph's mother comes home, says his father, things are going to change. And so they do, in the most extraordinary ways. This book explores the changes to Joseph's life when his parents bring home his baby sister.
Ages: 4 to 11 years.
Chicken Soup for the Kid's Soul
A collection of short stories, anecdotes, poems and cartoons which present a positive outlook on life (8 to 12 years). Topics: courage, hope, laughter.
Don't let the pigeon drive the bus
Topics: peer pressure, emotional literacy, positive coping strategies.
Fiction
When a bus driver takes a break from his route, a very unlikely volunteer springs up to take his place - a pigeon! The pigeon pleads and begs his way through the book offering lots of opportunity for audience participation.
Age: 2 to 6 years.
Emily's blue period
Topics: emotional literacy, sadness, change, families, divorce
Fiction
Emily wants to be an artist. She likes painting and loves the way artists like Pablo Picasso mixed things up. Emily's life is a little mixed up right now. Her dad doesn't live at home anymore, and it feels like everything around her is changing. She is going through her 'blue period'. A book about a young child dealing with her parent's divorce.
Ages: 4 to 8 years.
Girls like that and other plays for teenagers
Fiction
'Girls Like That' explores the pressures caused by technology when a schoolgirls naked photograph goes viral.
'Banana Boys' is about the challenge of being on the school football team and being secretly gay.
'Holloway Jones' is a about with growing up with a parent in prison.
'Pronoun' is about two childhood sweethearts dealing with the fact that one of them, Isabella, has come out as transgender.
Hair in funny places
A 32 page picture book. Light-hearted book outlining the changes during puberty.
Horton hears a who!
Topics: friendships, kindness, trustworthiness, emotional literacy, perseverance, resilience.
Fiction
Horton, the loveable elephant, represents kindness, trustworthiness, and perseverance in his quest to protect tiny creatures on a speck of dust.
Ages 4 to 8.
How to be a friend: A guide to making friends and keeping them
Topics: friendships, conflict resolution, emotional literacy.
Fiction
This picture book contains many examples of how to be a friend and offers kids practical suggestions about resolving arguments, getting over being shy, handling bossy children and bullies, and more.
Agers 4 to 8 years.
How to take the grrr out of anger
Topics: emotional literacy, anger, coping strategies.
Non-fiction
This book combines information, jokes and funny cartoons to help children understand that anger is normal and can be expressed in many ways—some healthy, some not. It teaches them how to recognise anger in themselves and others, how to handle situations and emotions (loneliness, guilt, frustration, fear) that lead to anger, and how to deal with the anger they feel.
Ages: 8 to 11 years.
I have feelings!
Topics: feelings, emotions, emotional literacy.
Fiction
A hamster describes the feelings he and his family members experience during the day, including feeling happy, sad, jealous, angry, and scared.
Ages: 4 to 8 years.
YouTube reading 4min 05sec (external link)Innovative social and emotional literacy card packs
Card packs with cartoons/photos and words to represent emotions, strengths, relationships, social justice, parenting, etc.
Just like Molly
A 24 page illustrated book about starting school, saying goodbye to an imaginary friend and making new friends. Covers friendships, imagination, anxiety and courage.
King of the playground
Topics: friendship, bullying, emotional literacy.
Fiction
Kevin loves to go to the playground, but not when Sammy is there. Sammy, who boasts that he is King of the Playground, is there most of the time. If he catches Kevin on the swings or the slide or the monkey bars, Sammy says, he will do awful, terrible things to him. A book about friendship and bullying.
Ages: 4 to 8 years.
Little Monkey's one safe place
Topics: emotional literacy, safety, families.
Fiction
When Little Monkey is frightened by the storm he runs to his mother's side. "Don't worry," she says. "There is always one safe place." But Little Monkey doesn't know where to find his one safe place.
Ages: 3 to 6 years.
Little Mouse's big book of fears
Topics: emotional literacy, fears.
Fiction
A little mouse talks about all of his fears - creepy crawlies, what's under the bed, sharp knives, being sucked down the drain, having toilet accidents, loud noises, being alone, the dark, getting lost, dogs and cats, everything! But the human is afraid of me.
Age: 5 to 8 years.
Lucy and the bully
Topics: friendships, bullying, emotional literacy
Fiction
Lucy loves everything about school - except for Tommy, who is a big bully. This book not only deals with school bullying, but also addresses the bully's feelings.
Age: 3 to 6 years.
YouTube version 5min 17sec + author discussion at end (external link)
Monster Chef
Topic: strengths, emotional literacy
Fiction
Marcel was a monster of medium size with crotchety horns and googly eyes. He was lumpy and grumpy and suitably hairy. But Marcel had a problem ... he just wasn't scary. But one day, Marcel discovers that his cooking can give kids a real fright. Has he finally found the perfect job...as a Monster Chef?
Age: 3 to 8 years.