27 Must Read Books on Social Emotional Development
By: Nosakhere Griffin-El
Tags: Childrens Books, Social Emotional Learning

Over the past three years, I have written numerous book reviews on social emotional development. This article contains some of books that provide great storylines, engaging illustrations, and practical insights on how to support young dreamers in understanding their feelings and emotions.

So Much by Trish Cooke is a book that reinforces familial love. The book shows how each family member loves a baby boy in their own unique way. The amazing illustrations show familial love at its best. The rhythm of the books words allows young readers to follow along with ease and fun. For parents, this book is a tool to spark conversations with your children about how much you love them.

Talk and Work it Out by Cheri Meiners is a tool for #parents. The book displays #conflicts between children & how they can resolve it.This book provides parents with the opportunity to pose questions to their #children about how to resolve conflicts in the future. #GreatReads

Lena’s Shoes are Nervous by Keith Calabrese is an amazing book about being brave. This book is framed around Lena being too nervous to start her first day of school. The authors do an artful job at using a pretend conversation between her headband and shoes. In the conversation, the headband encourages the shoes to develop the courage to go to school. At the end of the story, the shoes are ready to go to school and so is Lena. For parents, this book serves as a tool to teach children about how to overcome the barrier of nervousness through self-encouragement.

Phoenix First Phoenix’s First: An Introduction to Mindful Breathing by Colin Lieu is an amazing read for both parents and kids. When Phoenix’s excitement about his recital transforms into nervousness, he is forced to make a decision: will he give into his nervousness or create a pathway beyond this internal barrier? Using the tool of mindful breathing, the boy overcomes the feeling and does an amazing job at his recital. This is a great book that offers parents and kids a practical step by step guide to mindful breathing, and how to use it within a real world context. My sons absolutely love this book and have used actually used their method presented by the author. This is a must read book!

The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld is a powerful book about listening to our children. The young boy built a beautiful structure with his blocks, but an accident occurs and destroys the it. Multiple characters try to comfort him, but they all fail to meet his needs. The last character, a rabbit, gently touches the boy and eventually hugs him. After the gentle touch, the boy opens up and begins expressing his feelings about the accident. Eventually, he imagines how a new structure can be built, but only after he was comforted. This book serves as a tool to teach adults to stay in the moment and love children through the difficult times.

The Big Book of Love by Trace Moroney is a great read. This book frames love as a holistic process that combines feelings & actions. This is a great tool to begin the conversation with kids about what love is and how to engage in it. The colorful and pleasant pictures allow children to follow the story with ease.

When I’m Feeling Angry is good read. The book the presents various stages a child goes thru when he/she is angry. The author suggests a method child can use to resolve those feelings. This book serves as tool aid in the development of positive social emotional habits.

When I’m Scared is another social-emotional tool for parents. The book expresses the various feelings of and responses to fear. The author does a good job of communicating fear as a natural feeling and proposes a process to overcome it.

Theo’s Mood walks children the different types of emotions a child could feel. The simple language and storyline teaches children to work and think through their feelings. This is another great tool to aid in positive social-emotional development in children.

My New Friend Is So Much Fun ! by Mo Willems is a great book about friendship. Piggie is playing with a new friend, but her best friend Gerald begins to gets jealous. This jealousy leads him to fear of losing their friendship. This book is a great tool for parents and teachers to teach kids that friendship is not a zero-sum experience. This is a #MustRead

Join in & Play by Cheri Meiners is a great teaching tool! This book provides a methodology of play beginning with an introduction, conversation about what game to play, how to share, and wait for one’s turn in a game. The author also does a great job in communicating the difficulty of waiting to participate in play, while providing real-life scenarios for children imagine how to solve a future problem them might encounter. #GreatRead!

Waiting is Not Easy! by Mo Willems is a great book to teach children about patience. Piggie wants to surprise Elephant, but he will have to wait a long time for it. Elephant grows increasingly frustrated with the wait, but Piggie refuses to give him the surprise. The simple illustrations and humor capture the emotional struggle to wait, while teaching children importance being patient. This is a must Read!

I love My New Toy by Mo Willems is a book about friendship. Willems uses a toy to discuss the important of friendship. When Piggie gets a new toy, she shares it with Gerald and it breaks. The story takes the reader on the emotional ups and downs of a precious toy being broken. The great thing about this book is that the characters have a redemptive moment and learn that their friendship is more important than a toy. This is a great teaching tool!

My Cousin Momo by Zachariah Ohora is a must read a book about social-emotional development! Momo is not a conventional squirrel, he does something different than his cousins. In order for Momo to show his cousins his special gift, he has to feel welcome. This is an amazing book to teach children how to learn to accept, appreciate, and play with children who are different. This book serves as a tool for parents to teach children how to be kind to children who may be different and/or shy. This is a must read!

Homemade Love by bell hooks is a great read. This book focuses on a loving relationship between a girl and her parents. Using words of affirmation, hooks teaches parents that thru the ups and downs of daily life, children need to feel loved. The book has beautiful images that show Black family in a positive light.

Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall is a book about conquering fear and parental encouragement. The book tells a story of a boy using different tactics to avoid jumping off of a diving board. With encouragement from his father, Jabari decides to face and conquer his fear. This book shows how children learn to take risk thru parental encouragement.

My Daddy Loves Me by Babba Sekou, Mamma Sekou, Sekou Afrika is a book that reminds hashtag#fathers to hashtag#love and be loving towards their hashtag#children.The illustrations and storyline illuminates an important message- love should be the foundation of hashtag#Fatherhood . The book seeks to frame the narrative of what fatherhood should look like in contemporary times. This is a great gift for men with sons.

Hewitt Anderson’s Great Big Life by Jerdine Nolen is an amazing book about giving children the space to discover their strengths. Hewitt was a small boy born into a family of giants. His worry filled parents wondered if he can survive in the world as a small person. This book takes the reader on a journey where Hewitt displays the ability to see barriers as opportunities to maximize his human potential. This is a great book that teaches parents that we have to love our children towards their personal greatness. The beautiful illustrations by Kadir Nelson offer a great opportunity for dialogue between parents and children.

Uncle Jed’s Barbershop by Margaree King Mitchell is a book about familial sacrifice and dreams. Uncle Jed was a traveling barber who had a beloved niece. His dream was to one day open up his own barbershop. Through his travels he earns enough money to open his dream barbershop, but his beloved niece falls ill. He decides to pay for his niece’s medical bill and delay his dream. This book shows children that the road toward their dreams will have barriers, but with the powerful tool of resilience dreams can be accomplished.

I Love You Too by Ziggy Marley is a great read. This is a book about random moments in life. It is a reminder that parents tell their children in detail what they love about their children. The book reads like a song because it is one. The beautiful pictures and illustrations what love looks like. The poetic words allow kids to understand what love sounds. This is a great tool for parents when they want to reinforce their love for their children. This is a must-read.

My Daddy Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by Martin Luther King III is a biography about Dr. King from the perspective of his son. The author provides a holistic perspective of the Dr. King primarily as a loving father who was civil rights leader. The author does an amazing job at showing the emotional impact of his father’s protests, jailing, and victories had on him as a child. This book allows the reader to develop a great appreciation of the sacrifices his family made to ensure justice for oppressed people.

One Love by Cedella Marley is a remix of her father Bob Marley’s classic song. This book has amazing pictures that show the beauty of Black family life. The rhyming words offer families the opportunity to sing together as the read through the book. The author also discusses the importance of loving all human beings and world we share. This book serves as a tool to teach children how to love each other and their world.

Every Child Needs a Champion is an inspirational book. The author writes the book like an anthem that intentionally discusses and defines what it means to be a champion for a child from various vantage points. In addition, the author let’s adults know that being a champion for children requires that we love them and be present in their lives. The intentional inclusive illustrations offer all children regardless of their race, ethnicity, religion, or ability with the opportunity to see themselves worthy of having a champion in their lives. This book is a must read book!

I Am a Confident King by Jasmine Furr is a great book to promote positive self-identity in Black boys. The book tells the story of a Black boy whose parents have him say positive words of affirmation every morning. One day, the boy decides to bring those words to life. For parents, this book serves a tool to teach children how to enact values in everyday life. #MustRead!

The Lion Inside by Rachel Bright teaches children the power of self love. The animals in the book admire the lion for his strength, beauty, and ability to lead, but the mouse admires his roar. The mouse believes that acquiring the lion’s roar would change his life. An incident in the story allows the mouse to realize he does not need to be anyone other than himself. This book is a tool for parents and educators to reinforce self-love and appreciation for one’s own talents and gifts.

Tough Guys Having Feeling Too is a great book for boys. The author uses colorful pictures of superheroes and tough guys to express the importance of boys expressing their feelings. This book shows that when boys are able to express their feelings they too are super.

Riley Knows He Can is a must read. The author tells the journey of a young boy who is nervous about acting in a school play. The main character is able to overcome this nervousness through familial encouragement. The powerful words and beautiful illustrations allow children to understand the book’s meaning. Parents will enjoy reading this boy because it offers a nice motto to encourage kids in tough situations. I absolutely love reading it to my sons!