Abiyoyo, Pete Seeger. (Simon and Schuster, NY, 2001)

When the little boy and his father enchant the monster, children can get a feeling of control and break the spell of fear.

Feelings, Aliki. (Harper Trophy, 1986)

Sometimes it’s hard to express your feelings but this book helps children express their feelings in different made-up circumstances.

If You Lived at the Time of the Great San Francisco Earthquake, Ellen Levine. (Scholastic Paperbacks, 1992)

This book takes you to San Francisco, California, shortly before, during and after the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. This is a delightful book for early and middle elementary school children.

I’ll Always Love You, Hans Wilhelm. (Dragonfly Books, 1988)

Elfie, the best dog in the whole world, doesn’t wake up one morning. The whole family grieves and the little boy learns how much he really loves Elfie.

Papa, Do You Love Me? Barbara M. Joosse. (Chronicle Books, 2005)

This is a story about a father and his son. It follows the life of the Maasai tribe in Kenya on the Serengeti Plain. A glossary is included in the back of the book.

Mama, Do You Love Me? Barbara M. Joosse. (Chronicle Books, 2001)

An Inuit mother reassures her child that she will always love her, even in difficult times.

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything, Linda Williams.
(Crowell, 1986)

The little old lady wasn’t afraid of anything and the author has a delightful rhythmic way of telling about it.

When I Feel Scared, Cornelia Maude Spelman. (Albert Whitman & Company, 2004)

This book gives children ideas on how to handle their feelings in simple reassuring language using the character of your favorite teddy bear.

Something, Natalie Babbitt. (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1987)

Mylo is afraid of an indefinable something coming in through his window at night. His concerned mother helps him overcome his fear of the dark. It’s an amusing story that will make many children laugh.

Humphrey’s Bear, J. Wahl. (Holt, 1989)

This is a comforting story of a boy and bear that sail off together for adventure. After a typhoon washes them ashore on an island they return home to hot chocolate and safety. It emphasizes the need for children to have familiar objects at bedtime.

Nadia the Willful, Sue Alexander. (Dragonfly Books, 1992)

This is a wonderful story set in the Middle East. Nadia whose much loved brother disappears in the desert, never to be seen again. This is a story of how Nadia deals with her grief – going against the wishes of her father, the Sheikh. In the end she helps her father through his grief, too. If you can find this book, you’ll fall in love with it! It’s old and sometimes hard to get. Keep trying!

A Little Elephant Finds His Courage, Nancy Baron.
(Tharanjee Prints, Sri Lanka, 1994 – available at www.littleelephant.org)

This is the story of Baba, the little elephant, whose father disappeared in a far away forest and how he was able to cope with the loss and help his mother through her grief, also. The book was developed to help families talk together and find improved ways to cope with some of life’s difficulties. It was written especially to help children who have lost loved ones and have suffered stressful experiences. It comes with a Let’s Talk Discussion Guide. This wonderful story and guide have been used for years in many parts of Africa as well as many other places in the world.

The Little Elephant Helps to Find Peace, Nancy Baron.
(Tharanjee Prints, Sri Lanka, 2005 – available at www.littleelephant.org)

This is the story of Baba, the little elephant, who lives with his mother in a camp in a far away jungle. They live in a camp because all the other animals are fighting. This book tells the story about how the animals struggle to find peace, lose it and find it again – with Baba’s help. As in A Little Elephant Finds His Courage, this book comes with a Let’s Talk Discussion Guide and is intended to be used with children, families and communities. Both books use the centuries-old art of storytelling to encourage children and adults to openly share and cope with difficult experiences.