Mental Health Awareness - Children

Created on April 28, 2022, 10:35 am

Last Updated May 1, 2024, 10:38 am

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and May 5-11, 2024 is Children's Mental Health Awareness Week. Mental Health Awareness Month was established in 1949 to increase awareness of the vital importance of mental health and wellness in Americans’ lives and their overall health and well-being and to celebrate recovery from mental illness. It is also a time be aware of resources and information to support individuals and communities who may need mental health support. For more information, see www.samhsa.gov/mental-health-awareness-month, www.nimh.nih.gov, www.nami.org/get-involved/awareness-events/mental-health-awareness-month, www.thenationalcouncil.org/mental-health-awareness-month, and www.mhanational.org/mental-health-month.

1) The magical science of feelings: train your amazing brain to quiet anger, soothe sadness, calm worry, share joy

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Description

"Clinical social worker Jen Daily helps kids understand the science behind feelings, taking them on a lively tour of the brain to see where anger, anxiety, sadness, and joy start, and offering activities for calming emotions"--

2) A horse called Now

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"Now the Horse enjoys the singing of the birds, the chattering of the crickets and all the wonders of nature. But Rabbit fears being chased by a fox, and Hen thinks a swooping magpie will catch her chicks. When a thunderstorm arrives, Now leads her friends to shelter...where they soon discover that not everything is as frightening as it seems."--

3) My thoughts have wings

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"At bedtime, when lights go out, sometimes thoughts stay on. Scary things and worries flutter and flap around. It's so hard to sleep! But a little imagination (and a lot of love) can create a cozy nest for happy thoughts--and sweet dreams for little ones"--

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When a child anticipates a long-awaited day with cousins and grandparents, the child discovers every day is filled with surprises and joy, which can easily be lost if one isn't present.

5) You can be a good friend (no matter what!)

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Henson, Taraji P

Description

"From award-winning actress and mental-health advocate Taraji P. Henson, You Can Be a Good Friend (No Matter What!) shows kids the great things that can happen when we approach others and ourselves with empathy, patience, and love. In this debut picture book from Taraji P. Henson, quirky, stylish and a bit off-the-cuff Lil TJ is ready for her first day of school. But when she gets there, TJ finds that everything she does is a little different than...

6) Brave every day

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Camila is filled with worry and fear, but when she hides during a class field trip to the aquarium, she finds a classmate who is also afraid and needs a friend.

7) Just what to do

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"A child discovers that there is no single right thing to do when someone is sad or grieving"--

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Dot grows increasingly frustrated that she is not perfect at anything.

9) Something happened in our park: standing together after gun violence

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Something happened series

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Miles wants to move away after his cousin Keisha is accidentally shot in their neighborhood park, but Keisha and Miles' father work with others to make their community a safer place.

10) Ruby's tools for making friends

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"Ruby the fox uses tools to overcome her social anxiety during a class project at her new school"--

11) Neat Nick's big mess

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"Nick managers his anxiety by keeping this neat and orderly, but is taken out of his comfort zone when a big, energetic dog joins his family"--

12) The power of mindfulness

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Power of positivity

Description

"How can mindfulness affect your life? The Power of Mindfulness helps readers understand what happens in the brain when they practice mindfulness. STEM concepts cover aspects of psychology and neurology in simple terms, while social and emotional learning (SEL) concepts support growth mindset. Vibrant, full-color photos and carefully leveled text engage young readers as they learn more about the science behind mindfulness. Grow with Goals and Try...

13) Mindfulness and nature

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"Nature is all around us. By paying attention to the world outside and the way our bodies and minds experience it, mindfulness can help us find ways to appreciate the beauty of nature on our doorsteps. Mindful Spaces guides children through exercises and activities that help them slow down and pay attention to their minds, their bodies, their feelings, and their emotions." --

14) Marley's pride

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Retener, Joelle

Description

"Marley is a little nonbinary kid with big anxieties. Crowds? Pass. Loud noises? No, thanks. When their Zaza is up for an award at Pride, they want to go to the parade for the first time with their beloved grandparent. But can Marley overcome their fears? Highlighting the joyful experiences of a queer family of color finding community at Pride, this story features endmatter about the history of Pride, a glossary of LGBTQ+ terms, and a list of resources"--...

15) Dr. Color Monster and the emotions toolkit

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"The Color Monster uses his emotions toolkit to help the reader learn to regulate emotions through many different self-soothing, therapeutic techniques"--

16) Just Like Millie

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Castillo, Lauren

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"A shy young girl finds exploring her new city and making friends overwhelminguntil a rescue dog helps her uncover the bravery that was always in her."--Provided by publisher.

17) Parker's big feelings

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Parker Curry books

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With a little help from her mom, Parker tries to turn a bad day into a good one.

18) Counting to calm: my first self-regulation book

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Description

"One-Deep breath in, nice and slow. TwoNow breathe out...there you go. Introduce self-regulation to the youngest readers early on by allowing them to model breathing, stretching, and movement with a parent or educator in 10 action-packed steps. This board book allows children to refocus their minds and energies to achieve calm or to regain attention before doing activities that require more concentration. The upbeat rhyming text paired with vibrant...

19) Mindfulness With Family

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Explores ways that mindfulness can be useful while interacting with family members. Additional features include a table of contents, sidebars, a mindfulness activity, a phonetic glossary, an index, and sources for further research. Activities for further learning Author/Illustrator biography Educational front/back matter Glossary of key words Index Informative sidebars Phonetics Photo captions Sources for further research Suggested websites Table...

20) Why Are We Afraid?

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Pintadera, Fran

Description

A poignant, evocative exploration of the many reasons we feel fear. After a thunderstorm causes the lights to go out, Max asks his father, "Have you ever been afraid?" His father says everyone is afraid sometimes. Then Max's father carefully begins to describe the contours of fear. He explains what it feels like when fear shows up and the many things that can make us afraid: shadows, feeling alone and losing what we love. But ultimately, even if...