Books That Help

When you need to explain something important to your kids, a good book is often the best way to do it.  Here is a list of common childhood problems/happenings and books that help.

Sibling Rivalry

• Julius the Baby of the World by Kevin Henkes
• That New Animal by Emily Jenkins
• The New Baby by Mercer Mayer
• A Baby Sister For Francis by Russel Hoban
• The New Baby by Fred Rogers
• The New Baby At Your House by Joanna Cole
• How To Be A Baby...By Me, The Big Sister by Sally Lloyd-Jones
• Peter's Chair by Ezra Jack Keats
• Big Red Lollipop by Rukhsana Khan

Blanket Love 

• Owen by Kevin Henkes
• Small Bunny's Blue Blanket by Tatyana Feeny
• Dirty Wow Wow by Cheryl & Jeffery Katz *Including the tales of beloved stuffed guys.

Dealing with Death

• Lifetimes:  The Beautiful Way to Explain Death to Children
• Harry & Hooper by Margaret wild and Freya Blackwood
• Dog Heaven or Cat Heaven by Cynthia Rylant
• The Dragonfly Secret:  A Story of Boundless Love by Clea & John Adams
• Tear Soup:  A Recipe for Healing After Loss by Pat Schwiebert
• The Next Place by Warren Hanson
• The Fall of Freddie the Leaf:  A Story of Life for All Ages by Leo Buscaglea

Potty Training

• Everyone Poops by Taro Gomi
• Time to Pee by Mo Willems
• Even Firefighters Go To The Potty by Wendy A. Wax
• Potty by Leslie Patricelli
• It Hurts When I Poop:  A Story for Children Who Are Scared to Use the Potty by Howard J. Bennett

Dealing with Alzheimer Disease/Ailing Grandparents

• Singing with Mama Lou by Linda Jacobs Altman
• Still My Grandma by Veronique Venden Abeele
• Now One Foot, Now The Other by Tomie DePaola *A grandson helps his grandfather after a stroke.

Explaining Same-Sex Marriage

• And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell  *This is the true story of two male penguins living in the Central Park Zoo who decided to be mates.  Great book!
• A Different Dragon by Jennifer Bryan
• A Tale of Two Daddies/Mommies by Vanita Oelschlager

Being Different

• Oliver Button Is A Sissy by Tomie DePaola
• William's Doll by Charlotte Zolotow

Divorce

• Mom and Dad Don't Live Together Anymore by Kathy Stinson

Moving

• Lily by Abigail Thomas
• Alexander, Who's Not (Do you hear me?  I mean it!) Going to Move by Judith Viorst