books on emotional health

[lovetomom]

Hi Mamas,
I am looking for books on emotional health for my 4 year old DD. She likes stories, not little board books but is pretty sensitive. Recently she has been noticing boys playing with toy guns and feeling frustration and anger and all kinds of things I would like her to be able to name with confidence. Any book suggestions would be appreciated.
Thank you,
xo

[sunnmama]

My fav picture book about handling anger: When Sophie Gets Angry, Really, Really Angry by Molly Bang

Oh, I thought of another one.....Tiger, Tiger by Dee Lillegard.

The Bang book is more straightforward....shows Sophie getting angry, and how she calms herself. The second book is more of a fantasy....Pocu uses his imagination to create a fantasy Tiger, which he can barely control. The Tiger represents his anger--and he *does* manage to control it (barely). It is a little intense, so you might want to screen it. But it is a wonderful book.

[kamilla626]

Dd has a book called Peaceful Piggy Meditation - a book about meditation, relaxing, accepting negative feelings, etc. for kids, and has suggestions in the back for parents/caregivers to help children meditate.

[milk4two]

I'm subbing to this thread. What a great topic!

[lovetomom]

thanks

I'm loving these ideas and will take my list to the bookstore this weekend. Any chapter books that you think might be appropropriate here. MY DD loves really long stories, a little bit at a time.

Thanks so much!

[sleepypeanutsmom]

Great topic! I just ordered a few of these from the library. I'd love to hear other suggestions as well.

[sunnmama]

Originally Posted by lovetomom

Any chapter books that you think might be appropropriate here.

We have found the Ramona books (Beverly Cleary) to be very constructive in the realm of handling emotions. Ramona has all kinds of frustrations, challenges, disappointments....and as she grows she learns to handle them better. Dd can relate to Ramona. We've been reading them since dd was 4. (She now probably has the whole series memorized, cause she listens to them over and over on tape ). But I find myself bringing up Ramona when dd is struggling with a situation--"Remember when Ramona......?" And it helps.

Now, they begin when Ramona is 4, and some situations she handles *very* poorly....but then her sister Beezus is there to provide the better example

[milk4two]

I haven't read them myself but I have heard that the Junie B Jones books are good for this, too (referring to the post above mine).