Whether it’s welcoming a new sibling, moving to a different town, starting at a new school, or even learning to cope with the death of a loved one, learning how to adapt to change and the wavering seasons ahead is an important life skill for children. Embracing transitions can oftentimes be difficult for kids, which is why children’s books about change can make all the difference in how children cope.
Reading a beautiful book in which the main character faces changes similar to those your child is grappling with can help them make sense of their own conflicting feelings. Seeing how the main character adapts to the breaks in their routine will encourage your kid to be more comfortable in the face of uncertainty and fill them with hope in place of worry and anxiety. Relatable books can also help jumpstart family conversations about how exciting and positive a new journey, like starting kindergarten or introducing a baby to the family, can be, even if your child faces a few challenges in the meantime.
For example, The Leaving Morning by Angela Johnson is a wonderful picture book detailing two siblings’ experiences packing and saying goodbye to the neighborhood they’ve lived in before they move to their new house. With beautiful illustrations by David Soman, kids will discover themes of courage, friendship, and looking forward to a bright future.
Meanwhile, Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem by poet laureate Amanda Gorman helps kids explore how they can make positive change in their communities. Using expressive illustrations and lyrical rhyming text, readers will discover their own identity, learn how to embrace big changes, and develop the determination to bring bright new ideas to make the world a better place.
Older readers will love The Do-Over, a novel by Jennifer Torres that follows sisters Racquel and Lucinda Mendoza, who are coping with their parents’ separation. But when a pandemic strikes and forces the girls to spend the lockdown at their dad’s ranch house, they hatch a plan to get their parents back together — until they pull up to the ranch and discover that their dad’s new girlfriend and her daughter are already living there! Now the sisters must resolve their conflict and deal with how their family evolves.
Shop the best books about embracing change below. You can find all books and activities at The Scholastic Store.
