Reading stories to children in which fictional characters deal with different feelings and situations can help them to talk about and/or manage similar situations
Seeing how the characters react and develop strategies can be a non threatening, indirect, manageable way for a child to be guided in coping with a scenario.
Talking about how the different characters feel, react and cope can again support a child without having to actual bring them directly into the conversation – although asking indirect, theoretical questions about how they might feel / react in similar situations can be productive in supporting their emotions/ management strategies. In fact unless they volunteer information it is often best not to directly involve their feelings. They can pick up a lot of support through the story and will open up as and when (if) they feel ready to, or need to.
There are many useful titles out there – Here are a just a few ……
Stories about Loneliness
The Storm Whale – Benji Davies
Frog Finds a Friend – Max Velthuijs
Little Beaver and the Echo – Amy MacDonald and Sarah Fox-Davies
The Polar Bear and the Snow Cloud – Jane Cabrera
Stories about Confidence / Being Happy with Who We Are / What We Have
Giraffes Can’t Dance – Giles Andreae
The Lion Inside Paperback – Rachel Bright
Frog is Frog – Max Velthuijs
Think Big – Kes Gray (Author), Nathan Reed (Illustrator) ( Being the best you can be)
The Snail and the Whale – Julia Donaldson (You may feel/be small you can achieve big things)
You’re too small – Shen Roddie and Steve Lavis – (being small can be important and useful!)
Kipper – Mick Inkpen (valuing what we have)
A Squash and a Squeeze – Julia Donaldson (about recognition / accepting of what we have).
Stories Supporting Loss & Longing
The Invisible String (workbook also available) – Patrice Karst and Joanne Lew-Vriethoff (How we are connected by an invisible string to those not with us, or near us)
The Invisible Web – Patrice Karst and Joanne Lew-Vriethoff
Grandad’s Island – Benji Davies – How those we love remain with us no matter how far away they seem).
Badger’s Parting Gift – Susan Varley – (about death and how the memories left behind can be happy reminders and ways of keeping close to those we’ve loved).
Stories about Friendship and Sharing
The Squirrels Who Squabbled – Rachel Bright(friendship and sharing)
Mouse, Mole and the falling star – H Benjamin, John Bendall Brunelllo
Sharing a Shell – Julia Donaldson (About not wanting to share, but learning to do so).
The Ugly Five Paperback – Julia Donaldson (About animals normally unloved)
The Selfish Crocodile – Faustin Charles and Mike Terry
Stories about Worries and Anxieties
The Colour Monster – Anna Llenas (Recognising we are made of several different emotions and can manage these.
Owl Babies – Martin Waddell (Reassurance / attachment disorder – that your parent/carer will come home).
The Koala Who Could – Rachel Bright (Author), Jim Field (Illustrator)
Dealing with change and over coming worries
Other Useful stories …
- Frog series – Max Velthuijs
- Let’s Go Home Little Bear – Martin Waddell – Other stories in the series