From anger and sadness to excitement and happiness, we all experience a wide range of emotions every day. For children, these big emotions can be confusing and overwhelming. Understanding how to identify and manage different emotions takes time, but there are ways to help your child along their journey of social-emotional learning and growth.
Emotional intelligence involves building an awareness and understanding of feelings, as well as learning how to handle them. These skills help children manage conflict and navigate social interactions. A strong emotional foundation enables kids to foster genuine friendships, build their self-esteem, overcome failures and setbacks, and accomplish their goals.
Books about emotions for kids can help them make sense of their big feelings and learn how to manage them in real life through the characters.
Still, according to the Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report, kids' reading enjoyment, along with frequency and a sense of importance regarding reading, can decline as children grow, with marked declines by age nine. However, one of the best ways to continue to nurture a love of reading is to let your child choose books that are relatable to their age group, especially concerning social-emotional topics like friendship, potential rejection, self-esteem, and bullying, among others.
As young kids engage in more complex peer relationships and explore new hobbies and interests, they are bound to encounter emotional challenges. Whether it’s an argument with their friends or failing to make a sports team, there are a variety of situations that trigger certain emotions. Although you can’t control what happens at school, starting conversations about emotional regulation with books can make a big difference.
Books About Feelings and Emotions for Kids Ages 9+
Through engaging storylines and animated characters, books are a great resource to enhance conversations with your child about their own feelings.
For instance, Sugar and Spite tells the story of Jolina. Tired of Claudine's incessant bullying, Jolina turns to her grandfather's arbularyo magic, for which she is still in training, to brew a love potion. And, to Jolina's surprise, it works! Claudine suddenly wants to become Jolina's best friend and do everything with her. But magic this powerful has consequences that Jolina never expected.
Meanwhile, in True to Your Selfie, readers meet twelve-year-old Ella, who's ready to take on middle school. She's got everything set: the perfect outfits, the perfect new best friend, and even the perfect new persona. But this quest for popularity means giving up everything that truly makes Ella who she is, like her former best friend and loving fantasy novels. Will Ella become someone she isn't just to fit in? Or will she have the courage to be true to herself?
Lastly, Roar Like a Lion is a sweet book for kids in grades 3 and up that shows kids some important lessons they can learn from animals. Dogs can demonstrate mindfulness. Whales grieve. Barn owls create close bonds. With this imaginative title, kids get timeless wisdom from all kinds of beloved creatures.
Shop books about feelings and emotions for kids ages 9 and up below! You can find all books and activities at The Scholastic Store.
