Books for when you feel angry
Sometimes we get annoyed. Sometimes we get cross. And sometimes we have a full on temper tantrum!
Explore our pick of the very best children's books about anger and temper tantrums for when little ones are seeing red.
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I Really Want to Shout!
Author: Simon Philip Illustrator: Lucia Gaggiotti
Publisher: Templar
Interest age: 4-5
A brilliant picture book about anger with clever rhymes, a repeated refrain and rib-ticklingly funny illustrations which are instantly appealing.
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Why Do I Feel Like This?
Author: Shinsuke Yoshitake
Publisher: Thames & Hudson
Interest age: 6-8
Reading age: 6+Shinsuke Yoshitake’s quirky book has a cartoonish feel and a sweet, appealing way of working through a little girl’s fantastical yet meaningful ideas around sadness and anger. It’s visually appealing with lots to look at as well as recognising the importance of feeling our feelings.
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Grumpy Frog
Author: Ed Vere
Publisher: Penguin Random House Children’s Books
Interest age: 3-6
Reading age: 5+Ed Vere’s adorable illustration and sense of humour tells a wonderful story about little Frog overcoming his own anger and trying to think about others. There are also sweet and funny touches that help make this a very special book.
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Where the Wild Things Are
Author: Maurice Sendak
Publisher: Random House
Interest age: 4-8
Max is being naughty, and his mother sends him to bed without dinner, calling him a "wild thing." As Max sits in his fury, a boat appears, taking him to a world of monsters and wild things with big claws and teeth. A classic picture book and one of the first to explore a child's feelings of anger.
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Angry Cookie
Author: Laura Dockrill Illustrator: Maria Karipidou
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 4-7
Reading age: 6+Cookie is very angry, and she’d prefer it is you just went away! Laura Dockrill’s text is brilliantly quirky and friendly, and little ones will definitely identify with Angry Cookie. It’s a perfect book for talking about emotions.
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Angry Arthur
Author: Hiawyn Oram Illustrator: Satoshi Kitamura
Publisher: Andersen Press
Interest age: 3-7
Reading age: 5+First published almost thirty years ago, Otam and Kitamura's depiction of Arthur remains a classic which continues to entertain and warn us all against unreasonable anger.
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The Rabbit Listened
Author: Cori Doerrfeld
Publisher: Scallywag Press
Interest age: 3-5
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.
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I’m the Biggest
Author: Stephanie Blake Illustrator: Linda Burgess
Publisher: Gecko Press
Interest age: 3-6
Reading age: 5+This light-hearted picture book is a welcome addition to the Simon and Casper series, and touches on some common issues experienced by many toddlers, such as jealousy, unfairness and sibling rivalry.
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Ravi’s Roar
Author: Tom Percival
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Interest age: 3-6
Reading age: 5+When being the youngest and smallest gets too annoying, Ravi roars and turns into a tiger! But who wants to play with a tiger? An entertaining book about losing your temper and recovering from it.
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Horrible Bear!
Author: Ame Dyckman Illustrator: Zachariah OHora
Publisher: Andersen Press
Interest age: 3-6
Reading age: 5+This sweet and simple story about friendship and saying sorry perfectly captures the frustration that children can feel when something doesn’t go right, and the relief we all feel at saying sorry and making things better again.
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Red Red Red
Author: Polly Dunbar
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 2-4
This is a funny and relatable picture book about tantrums for parents and carers, who know all too well how little things can escalate – from wanting a biscuit to having a full-scale meltdown. Perfect for little ones who can feel overwhelmed by their emotions.
