Being little can come with some very big feelings. Happiness, sadness, anger, worry, excitement, frustration. Children can experience all of them, sometimes several before breakfast. Learning to recognize those feelings, put words to them, and talk about what’s happening inside can take time.
Books can help.
The ORL’s Youth Services team has put together ORL Reads: Big Emotions, a collection of picture books and easy non-fiction titles that can help children and the grown-ups in their lives explore feelings together.
A Story Can Start a Conversation
Sometimes it’s easier to talk about a feeling when it belongs to someone else first. A worried character can help a child recognize their own worries. A story about anger can show that being angry is okay, while opening a conversation about what we can do when that feeling becomes overwhelming. And a book about happiness, mindfulness, or simply having a difficult day can give children new words for experiences they may not know how to explain yet.
Our Big Emotions reading list brings together books about sadness, worry, anger, happiness, mindfulness, emotional wellbeing, and more. You’ll find familiar favourites such as The Color Monster and The Rabbit Listened, alongside excellent reads like Ruby Finds a Worry, Big Feelings, Ravi’s Roar, and Happy, Healthy Minds.
Read one together at bedtime, borrow a few for an autumn afternoon, or keep the list handy for the next time a particularly big feeling arrives.
Browse the complete ORL Reads: Big Emotions booklist in the ORL catalogue and find a story to share with a little reader in your life.
Need More Help?
Call us at 1-844-649-8127 or email help@orl.bc.ca. Please include as many details as you can about your question, account, or device. This helps us support you more quickly and accurately.
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