Picture books to support a healthy mind

EJ is going to the hairdressers for the first time. She wants to find a special hair style that is just right, but how can she choose? An ode to natural black hair and a celebration of its beauty and versatility.

This fun rhyming tale acknowledges the big emotions that little ones experience and enables 2 to 4 year-olds to find a vocabulary for the way they feel when they get cross.

All the penguins love playing in the sea, but Little Pip-Pip is scared! While the other penguins tease him, Little Pip-Pip’s mum takes time to listen to his fears and understand him – and before he knows it, his worries have melted away. A lovely reassuring book about accepting our emotions.

Taylor creates a magnificent structure from building blocks and is devastated when it is destroyed by a passing flock of birds. Sensitive and insightful, this poignant story provides an ideal starting point for discussion about how it feels when things go wrong. 

Ruby loves being Ruby. Until, one day, she finds a worry – and it won’t stop growing. How can Ruby get rid of it and feel like herself again? A very beautiful, sensitive look at anxiety and how a problem shared is a problem halved. 

A boy introduces both himself and his monster, who has been with him for as long as he can remember. An all-round perfect picture book for entertaining and reassuring any child that though anxiety may be a part of life, it does not define us and can be managed. 

Everyone’s good at something, but what am I good at? A gentle story that will echo young children’s worries, while providing reassurance. A joyous celebration of individuality.

A super-chilled cucumber hands out confidence tips to his foody friends, but when he starts to feel left out, he totally loses his cool. Exploring anxiety and jealousy, this laugh-out-loud story is a super fun way for children to think about emotions. 

Leonard is a gentle lion: just because you’re a lion doesn’t mean that you have to roar. A book about ignoring the aggressive voices in our society and lending an ear to our quieter thoughts, this is a warm and reassuring story. 

A picture book about how grumpy Daniel starts to notice the sweet things in life and improves his mood. 

A little girl travels through perilous landscapes, helped by the gentle animals that guide her towards the sunlight. A luminous book to help children at difficult times.

Dinah the Diplodocus is a bit of a star: she finds everything easy, from baking to learning the alphabet. And, even though Dinah always wins at everything, she also has tons of friends because she’s nice enough to help others out when they don’t understand something, and she cheers them on when they do.

What should you do when you make a mistake? Celebrate it, of course! This deceptively simple and highly interactive board book tells us that mistakes are a part of everyday life, and help us to learn and grow.

Merlin the dog desperately misses his friend Hobbs, and finds some comforting scent messages from him. A touching story about grief – perfect for anyone who’s lost a pet.

Frida is a bit of a worrier. She worries what clothes to wear to go out, whose table to sit at at school, the peas on her plate and she definitely worries about swimming. What if there’s a shark in the pool?

In a world where everything has to be blue, what happens if you like yellow? A joyous celebration of being individual.

Introducing the concept of mental wellbeing, this picture book helps children to recognise and understand difficult emotions. The result is a contemplative and ultimately uplifting tale.

Matilda is nervous when she starts at nursery, but Mummy helps by giving her a hug button so she remembers that she is loved, wherever she is.