Mental Health Picture Books

My children are growing up quickly.

They don’t fit on my lap quite like they used to, they don’t bring me the same storybook to read to the eightieth time like they used to, and they don’t zoom to the back corner of the library where the picture books live anymore.

But one thing hasn’t changed, I still bring those picture books home from the library, and I still read those books out loud. Sometimes picture books are relegated to snuggle time between my ten-year-old and me when I put him to bed. Sometimes I read them to myself on a Friday while my kids are at school and I have less on my schedule. And occasionally, I sit down on my couch in the middle of my living room, I ask someone to turn down the Xbox volume, I tell Alexa to “Stop,” and I read like there’s a room full of first-graders listening.

Sometimes, slowly, the teenagers gather, the middle schooler, and the ten-year-old wander over and comment on whether it was a good one or a mediocre one.

Picture books are ageless. They can carry the weight of challenging topics in their bindings without leaving the reader feeling overwhelmed or overcommitted.

I believe in embracing the freedom to read whatever book looks good to you. I also believe when topics are complex, we share compassion with our bodies and our hearts, and our minds by gathering the information we need in small bits.

I encourage you to take a look at the selection of mental health picture books at your local library or bookseller, on Amazon, or anywhere. Whether you are 8-years-old, a young adult, a young parent, an empty nester, or any age or life stage, these picture books take concepts about mental health and couple them with a cadence of language and creative illustrations that not only inform but also tend to our mental health at the same time.

Try any of the picture books below, or ask your local librarian to help you find the one you need. Do you know what happens when you ask for something you need? Often you get to share in someone’s story and you get to share your own. That’s a win for your mental health and for theirs. Ask for what you need broadly, “Do you have any picture books on mental health?” or ask about a particular concern or interest more directly, “Do you have any picture books on anxiety? Do you have any picture books on racial justice?”

Here’s a list of my personal favorite mental health picture books. Some were published recently, while others are a few years old. These are all good books for normalizing and wrestling with the challenges of this life and the challenge of building strong and connected mental health:

Heidi’s favorite mental health picture books

The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson - sense of self, individuality, justice, courage

Ruby has a Worry by Tom Percival - anxiety, worry, and reaching out for help

The Rabbit Listened by Cory Doerrfeld - the value of sitting alongside someone struggling

Thank you, Omu! (Also in Spanish - Gracious, Omu!) by Oge Mora - community, diversity, kindness

Mom’s Sweater by Jayde Perkin - grief, loss of a parent/loved one

Ravi’s Roar by Tom Percival - recognizing and responding to our own frustration and anger

Stay: A Girl, a Dog, and a Bucket List - aging pet, loss of a pet

Welcome by Barroux - inclusion and acceptance

Crying is Like the Rain by Heather Hawk - sadness, tears, and allowing space for emotions

I am the Storm by Jane Yolen and Heidi E.Y. Stemple - natural disasters

Grumpy Monkey by Suzanne Lang - responding to grumpiness in our lives and in those we love

When God Made You by Matthew Paul Turner - sense of self, identity, worth

(The link for each title is connected to my Amazon Affiliate account, so if you go through that link and buy a title, I do receive a small commission. These commissions go back into my fund for running the website and developing more resources on mental health, relationships, and hope.)

What picture book would you add to the list?

What picture books have stayed with you long after you outgrew their pages?

Look for more book lists to come on various mental health topics in the future, including my favorite mental health board books and young adult and adult fiction and non-fiction. You can find my list of favorite mental health middle readers at the link below.

I also want to send a shout out to Amber and the rest of the exceptional librarians at the Norfolk Public Library for their help in finding quality books. They know all the best ones and I’m grateful for their work in our community here in Norfolk, Nebraska. Find storytime videos of a few stellar mental health picture books on their youtube channel:

And reach into someone’s life today, whether child or adult. We end the stigma of mental health by normalizing emotions, being a safe space to be seen and heard, and by sitting alongside one another in life’s messiness.

Happy reading, friends! May it spur on strong mental health.