Picture books that encourage resilience

A child begins their journey of experiencing water as a baby in their mother’s arms – but the sea is so big that they feel scared by it.

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.

All The Ways to be Smart is an earnest and charming book celebrating the joys of all the wonderful qualities that make children who they are, with a subtle and unique message that getting excellent grades is not what makes you smart.

Kamara is strong and fast. But negative words from her friends make her doubt herself. Can she find a way to celebrate her strength? This heart-warming picture book celebrates the many ways to be strong, and to be yourself.  

Gail is a little snail with a big dream – to become the first snail in space! A hilarious story about the power of passion and persistence. 

When Ronnie and his mum and dad move to England, Ronnie only knows a few phrases in English: Hello, My name is Ronnie, I am four, Yes and No. So, when he starts at nursery, he is a little nervous that he won’t fit in with the other children.

Even the most difficult times, like saying goodbye to a pet when it dies, or a friend when they move house, can lead to saying hello to a heart full of emotion and letting go. Cori Doerrfeld’s beautiful picture book is perfect to talking to children about feelings of sadness or in times of change.

A young dinosaur artist (looking a bit like a T‑rex but a cute one) sees the dinosaur world as full of joy and beauty, something that some dinosaurs are too busy to notice. She sees all that, draws and paints it and makes it into her art.

Aaron is scared of going under the water. But when he finds an octopus stranded on the beach, he must be brave. A gentle story about facing fears, and about ocean conservation. 

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?

Joe Todd-Stanton’s new picture book explores how a family can create a home filled with imagination and warmth, even in less than perfect circumstances. It’s a lovely one to read with mid-aged primary school children who might be worried about moving house.

Kai wishes he weren’t so tall, and didn’t have a scar on his cheek. His parents say that everyone is different, but can he find the confidence to be different? A charming, gentle story about low self-esteem, forgiveness and building confidence.