Using Literature for Young Children to Address Difficult Topics

This article provides examples of ways families can use children’s literature to help children deal with difficult situations.

This article suggests several picture books that can help dispel stereotypes and promote conversations about how disabilities may affect people’s lives.

This resource links to sites that recommend children’s books on such topics as disability, aging, religious differences, LGBTQ+ people and families, socioeconomic class and poverty, and immigration.

In this collection of highly readable essays, teachers recount their experiences with using children’s books to promote classroom conversations about difficult subjects.

This blog post suggests some children’s books that can spark conversations about several challenging topics, including divorce, loss of loved one, and frightening events on the news.

This resource provides brief summaries of picture books that address adverse childhood experiences, including disasters, homelessness, and death of a loved one. Some titles listed are meant for early elementary but language can be simplified for preschool age children.

This video offers a quick look at several titles that can start conversations about a range of traumatic childhood experiences.

The books on this list can help educators and parents start conversations with children about stress, being “different,” having a depressed parent, dealing with strong feelings such as sadness and anxiety, and more.

This webinar addresses the topic of trauma-informed education and ways teachers can use picture books to support children’s understanding of challenging experiences.

This curated list includes picture books about children who become refugees in various circumstances. Some may need to have language simplified for sharing with preschoolers.