Small Things
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
The protagonist of the story is a young ordinary boy in an ordinary world. He is, however, full of worries and dread. He is bullied at school and is upset about his falling grades. These worries eat away at him, making him feel entirely alone in the world. Yet with some help from his older sister, his parents and a new friend at school, he comes to learn that everyone is worried about something and that family and friends can help put things in to perspective.
This brilliant book manages to deal with bullying, fear of being different, frustration at underachieving, and the fact that while some things may appear small from the outside, they can feel unconquerable to those experiencing them. The fact that it achieves this without a single line of text or dash of colour is amazing. Tregonning's evocative and beautiful black-and-white illustrations are more than enough to pull off this perfect tale of childhood anxiety.
-
Books to help children understand depression in grown-ups
If you're a parent or carer with depression, the fiction books below may help your child talk about their feelings and understand what's going on a bit better.
-
Books about bullying for 8-12s
Almost everyone gets bullied at some point in their life – so if this is happening to your child, they are not alone.
-
Wordless picture books: a great way to get your child to tell the story
Wordless picture books encourage children to think for themselves and form their own interpretation of what is happening in the narrative. They’re a great way to expand the imagination and have a lot fun doing it! Why not give one of these a go?
-
Books about feelings
Picture books can be a great way to get children to discuss their feelings.
