Ann Jacobus and Nancy Bo Flood, authors and educators, developed this list of picture books with mental health as a focus. They are maintaining it, so if you have suggestions, please let us know in the comments. Ann and Nancy are available for workshops on this important topic for librarians, educators, and mental health organizations. Ann Jacobus. Nancy Bo Flood.
More Books about Mental Health: Character Mental Health Middle Grade • Family Mental Health Middle Grade • Grief • LGBTQ Middle Grade • Nonfiction
PICTURE BOOKS
A Walk in the Woods
written by Nikki Grimes
illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
illustrated by Brian Pinkney
Neal Porter Books, 2023
(depression, grief)
Confused and distraught after the death of his father, a boy opens an envelope he left behind and is surprised to find a map of the woods beyond their house, with one spot marked in bright red. But why? The woods had been something they shared together, why would his father want him to go alone?
Slowly, his mind settles as he sets off through the spaces he once explored with his dad, passing familiar beech and black oak trees, flitting Carolina wrens, and a garter snake they named Sal. When he reaches the spot marked on the map, he finds pages upon pages of drawings of woodland creatures, made by his father when he was his age. What he sees shows him a side of his dad he never knew, and something even deeper for them to share together. His dad knew what he really needed was a walk in the woods.
After the Fall:
How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again
written and illustrated by Dan Santat
Roaring Brook Press, 2017
(depression, anxiety)
Everyone knows that when Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. But what happened after?
Dan Santat’s poignant tale follows Humpty Dumpty, an avid bird watcher whose favorite place to be is high up on the city wall―that is, until after his famous fall. Now terrified of heights, Humpty can no longer do many of the things he loves most. Will he summon the courage to face his fear?
Aunt Pearl
written by Monica Kulling
illus. by Irene Luxbacher
Groundwood Books, 2019
(hoarding/homelessness)
Aunt Pearl arrives one day pushing a shopping cart full of her worldly goods. Her sister Rose has invited her to come live with her family.
Six-year-old Marta is happy to meet her aunt, who takes her out to look for treasure on garbage day, and who shows her camp group how to decorate a coffee table with bottle caps. But almost immediately, Pearl and Rose start to clash — over Pearl’s belongings crammed into the house, and over Rose’s household rules. As the weeks pass, Pearl grows quieter and more withdrawn, until, one morning, she is gone.
Black Dog
Levi Pinfold
Templar Books, 2012
(anxiety)
This fable about confronting and conquering fear should hook anyone who sees Pinfold’s cover illustration, which depicts a Gothic-looking house, a tiny child, and a paw print the size of a tank. The story begins one snowy morning when Mr. Hope looks outside to see a dog the size of a tiger. That assessment is upgraded to the size of an elephant when Mrs. Hope sees it, and the size of a Tyrannosaurus rex when little Adeline sees it. (A huge golden eye stares through the window next to where Adeline brushes her teeth.) The family’s solution? Turn out the lights, close the curtains, and hide beneath the covers. Thankfully, the youngest, Small, goes outside to meet the towering dog, whose big wet nose covers a full two-page spread. She gets the dog to chase her, using rhymes to convince the animal to get progressively smaller to fit through various obstacles: You can’t follow where I go, / unless you shrink, or don’t you know? Pinfold’s lavish, Van Allsburglike illustrations, which juxtapose tiny black-and-white sketches with big, detailed, frozen-in-time paintings, are quirky, funny, and often heart-stopping. Part David and Goliath, part Gingerbread Man, this UK import is a shot of courage for those who need it most. (Booklist, starred review)
Charlie Changes into a Chicken
written by Sam Copeland
illustrated by Sarah Horne
Puffin Books, 2019
(anxiety)
Charlie McGuffin tries to be an optimist, but in reality he’s a bit of a worrier.
Some of the things Charlie is worried about:
- His brother (who is in hospital)
- Their very panicked parents
- Unwanted attention from the school bully
- The fact that he’s started turning into animals!
Even though every kid wants a superhero power, Charlie isn’t keen on turning into a pigeon in the middle of the school play.
But what happens if he does? Will he get sent away for Science to deal with? Will his parents crack under the extra stress?
With the help of his three best friends, Charlie needs to find a way of dealing with his crazy new power — and fast!
Little Mouse’s Big Book of Fears
written and illustrated by Emily Gravett
Simon & Schuster, 2008
(anxiety, phobias)
Spiders: Little Mouse is afraid of them (arachnophobia).
Shadows: Little Mouse is afraid of those (sciaphobia).
In fact, Little Mouse is afraid of everything. Join her as she faces her fears and records them in her journal — and discovers that even the biggest people are afraid of some things.
“Whether or not they choose to face their own fears, kids will feel that a chord has been struck – and they’ll savor spicing up their budding vocabularies.” (Publishers Weekly, starred review)
I Am a Bear
by Jean-François Dumont
Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2015
(homelessness)
Life isn’t easy for a bear. Not when he has to sleep on the sidewalk among cardboard boxes and old clothes. Not when he lives in a city full of people who are repulsed by him. Not when he’s hungry and homeless. But one day a young girl smiles at the bear, and he realizes that maybe there is something that could make life a bit easier — a friend.
This poignant, heartwarming tale will move readers of all ages and inspire them to be more compassionate and empathetic towards others. USBBY 2015 Outstanding International Book.
Michael Rosen’s Sad Book
written by Michael Rosen
illustrated by Quentin Blake
Candlewick Press, 2005
(grief, depression)
Sometimes I’m sad and I don’t know why.
It’s just a cloud that comes along and covers me up.
Sad things happen to everyone, and sometimes people feel sad for no reason at all. What makes Michael Rosen sad is thinking about his son, Eddie, who died suddenly at the age of eighteen. In this book the author writes about his sadness, how it affects him, and some of the things he does to cope with it — like telling himself that everyone has sad stuff (not just him) and trying every day to do something he can be proud of. Expressively illustrated by the extraordinary Quentin Blake, this is a very personal story that speaks to everyone, from children to parents to grandparents, teachers to grief counselors. Whether or not you have known what it’s like to feel deeply sad, the truth of this book will surely touch you.

Ruby’s Worry
written and illustrated by Tom Percival
Bloomsbury, 2018
(anxiety)
Ruby loves being Ruby. Until, one day, she finds a worry. At first it’s not such a big worry, and that’s all right, but then it starts to grow. It gets bigger and bigger every day and it makes Ruby sad. How can Ruby get rid of it and feel like herself again A perceptive and poignant story that is a must-have for all children’s bookshelves. From Tom Percival’s bestselling Big Bright Feelings series, this is the perfect book for discussing childhood worries and anxieties, no matter how big or small they may be.
Scaredy Squirrel
written and illustrated by Mélanie Watt
Kids Can Press, 2006
(anxiety)
Scaredy Squirrel never leaves his nut tree. It’s way too dangerous out there. He could encounter tarantulas, green Martians, or killer bees. But in his tree, every day is the same and if danger comes along, he’s well-prepared. Scaredy Squirrel’s emergency kit includes antibacterial soap, Band-Aids, and a parachute.
Day after day he watches and waits, and waits and watches, until one day … his worst nightmare comes true! Scaredy suddenly finds himself out of his tree, where germs, poison ivy and sharks lurk.
But as Scaredy Squirrel leaps into the unknown, he discovers something really uplifting …
Small Things
written and illustrated by Mel Tregonning
(anxiety, depression)
In this wordless graphic picture book, a young boy feels alone with his worries. He isn’t fitting in well at school. His grades are slipping. He’s even lashing out at those who love him.
Talented Australian artist Mel Tregonning created Small Things in the final year of her life. In her emotionally rich illustrations, the boy’s worries manifest as tiny beings that crowd around him constantly, overwhelming him and even gnawing away at his very self. The striking imagery is all the more powerful when, overcoming his isolation at last, the boy discovers that the tiny demons of worry surround everyone, even those who seem to have it all together.
This short but hard-hitting wordless graphic picture book gets to the heart of childhood anxiety and opens the way for dialogue about acceptance, vulnerability, and the universal experience of worry.

The Red Tree
written and illustrated by Shaun Tan
(depression)
Shaun Tan writes: “The Red Tree is a story presented as a series of distinct imaginary worlds, self-contained images which invite readers to draw their own meaning in the absence of any explanatory narrative. As a concept, the book is inspired by the impulse of children and adults alike to describe feelings using metaphor — monsters, storms, sunshine, rainbows and so on. Moving beyond cliché, I wanted to paint images that would further explore the expressive possibilities of this kind of shared imagination, which could be at once strange and familiar. A nameless young girl appears in every picture, a stand-in for ourselves; she passes helplessly through many dark moments, yet ultimately finds something hopeful at the end of her journey.”
The Boy and the Gorilla
written by Jackie Azua Kramer
illustrated by Cindy Derby
Candlewick Press, 2020
(grief, depression)
On the day of his mother’s funeral, a young boy conjures the very visitor he needs to see: a gorilla. Wise and gentle, the gorilla stays on to answer the heart-heavy questions the boy hesitates to ask his father: Where did his mother go? Will she come back home? Will we all die? Yet with the gorilla’s friendship, the boy slowly begins to discover moments of comfort in tending flowers, playing catch, and climbing trees. Most of all, the gorilla knows that it helps to simply talk about the loss — especially with those who share your grief and who may feel alone, too. Author Jackie Azúa Kramer’s quietly thoughtful text and illustrator Cindy Derby’s beautiful impressionistic artwork depict how this tender relationship leads the boy to open up to his father and find a path forward. Told entirely in dialogue, this direct and deeply affecting picture book will inspire conversations about grief, empathy, and healing beyond the final hope-filled scene.
My Whirling, Twirling Motor
written by Merriam Sarcia Saunders
illustrated Tammie Lyon
Magination Press, 2019
(ADHD)
Charlie feels like he has a whirling, twirling motor running inside him all the time and sometimes he just can’t settle. When his mom wants to talk to him, he figures he’s in trouble … but she has a surprise for him instead!
“The story reinforces that his being overactive and impulsive is not intentional and does not make him bad. The young narrator eventually internalizes his parents’ focus on his accomplishments, rather than his challenges, and he wonders what positive things he will do tomorrow … A must-have for young readers with any type of behavior difficulty and their caregivers.” (School Library Journal, starred review)

We Are All in the Dumps With Jack and Guy
illustrated by Maurice Sendak
HarperCollins, 1993
(homelessness)
We are all in the dumps
For diamonds are thumps
The kittens are gone to St. Paul’s!
The baby is bit
The moon’s in a fit
And the houses are built
Without walls
Jack and Guy
Went out in the Rye
And they found a little boy
With one black eye
Come says Jack let’s knock
Him on the head
No says Guy
Let’s buy him some bread
You buy one loaf
And I’ll buy two
And we’ll bring him up
As other folk do
Two traditional rhymes from Mother Goose, ingeniously joined and interpreted by Maurice Sendak.