Bibliotherapy-Worry and Fear

 Written by Kristin Tallackson, M.A., Licensed Professional Counselor (OH), LPC-Intern (TX)

 Child and Adolescent Specialist

Did you know that 7.1 percent of children struggle with an anxiety disorder? Many other children will struggle with stress and nervousness. If you suspect that your child is struggling with the aforementioned, bibliotherapy is a great way to introduce the subjects.

Bibliotherapy is a creative art therapeutic approach that uses literature to aid in the therapy process. Children’s books can be an excellent clinical tool to support children’s exploration and understanding of their world and life experiences. This is a great tool I often give to parents in order to continue the therapeutic work outside of the office. Many children identify with the characters in the book because they are overcoming the same obstacles. Over the next few weeks, I am going to provide a list of books that can help kids over come different obstacles from anger to ADHD. Today we are tackling anxiety, worry, and fear.

Books:

Wilma Jean the Worry Machine by Julia Cook

Clark the Shark: Afraid of the Dark by Bruce Hale

I Don’t Want To Go To The Toilet by B. Annye Rothenberg

Making Friends Is An Art by Julia Cook

The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes by Gary Rubinstein and Mark Pett

Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg

I Don’t want to go to the Hospital  by Tony Ross

Up and Down the Worry Hill by Aureen Pinto Wagner

Mr. Worry  by Holly Niner

Creepy Things are Scaring Me by Jerome and Jarrett Pumphrey (Ages 4-8)

Don’t Pop Your Cork on Mondays! by Adolph Moser (Ages 4-9)

Franklin in The Dark by Paulette Bourgeois & Brenda Clark (Ages 5-8)

How I Feel Scared by Marcia Leonard (Ages 2-6)

I Am Not Going to School Today by Robie H. Harris (Ages 4-8)

No Such Thing by Jackie French Koller (Ages 5-8)

Sam’s First Day by David Mills & Lizzie Finlay (Ages 3-7)

Sheila Rae, the Brave by Kevin Henkes (Ages 5-8)

Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes (Ages 5-8)

When I’m Feeling Scared by Trace Moroney (Ages 2-5)

When I Feel Scared by Cornelia Maude Spelman (Ages 5-7)

Workbooks:

What to Do When You Worry to Much by Dawn Huebner and Bonnie Matthews

What to Do When Your Brain Gets Stuck by Dawn Huebner and Bonnie Matthews

What to Do When You Dread Your Bed by by Dawn Huebner and Bonnie Matthews

Wilma Jean the Worry Machine Workbook by Julia Cook

If you feel your child needs help managing anxiety or stress, contact us to learn more about how anxiety therapy can help.