Worries and Anxieties

Feeling worried! 
by Kay Barnham

Annie is great at giving out advice. She helps a friend who is worried about where she will live because her parents are splitting up, and supports a new girl at school who is worried about making friends. But soon, it’s Annie’s turn to feel worried because she has to go to the dentist. Will she remember her own words of advice? Each title in this series helps children to understand and deal with their feelings in a reassuring way.
Age: 5+

Worry Angels
by Sita Brahmachari and illustrated by Jane Ray
Age range: 8+

Amy May knows about webs of worries – so many people she meets are caught in them, from her own artist dad to newly arrived refugee Rima and her family. By being brave enough to open up her worry box, Amy May helps all those around her find a way forward. Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant and dyslexic readers.

The Worrysaurus
by Rachel Bright and Chris Chatterton

It’s a beautiful day and Worrysaurus has planned a special picnic. But it isn’t long before a small butterfly of worry starts fluttering in his tummy. What if he hasn’t brought enough to eat? What if he gets lost in the jungle? What if he trips and falls? What if it rains? Can Worrysaurus find a way to chase his fears away and have fun?Age: 3+

Silly Billy
by Anthony Browne

Billy is a bit of a worrier.  He worries so much that he can’t sleep.  Grandma knows just what he needs to help him overcome his fears.
Age: 4+

Questions and Feelings About: Worries
by Paul Christelis and illustrated by Ximena Jeria
Age range: 5+

A gentle, down to earth book for addressing the things that can cause
children to be anxious and worried. Mindfulness expert Paul Christelis
expertly explores everyday situations in picture book form, helping children to recognise signs of worry and giving them reassurance and simple suggestions on how to cope with any worries

Lion’s in a Flap
by Sue Graves and Trevor Dunton

This is a great book for an adult to share with an anxious child.  It explains what it feels like when you are very worried and suggests a couple of simple strategies to help make things feel better.  The illustrations provide some humorous relief.
Age: 3+

Worries Go Away!
by Kes Gray and Lee Wildish

When a little girl feels worried she goes into a world of her own. At first the world is full of cream cakes and cola, but soon the worries begin to take hold. Only her family and friends can help.
Age: 3+

All Birds Have Anxiety
by Kathy Hoopmann
Age range: 6+

Life as a bird can be stressful! From worrying about airplanes, windows, and getting enough worms to eat, it is clear that birds can be anxious beings. Through a light-touch, quizzical depiction of bird behaviour, All Birds Have Anxiety uses colourful images and astute explanations to explore with gentle humour what it means to live with anxiety day-today, and how to begin to deal with it. The combination of understanding and gentle humour makes this the ideal introduction to anxiety disorder for those diagnosed with this condition, their family and friends and those generally interested in understanding anxiety.

Outsmarting Worry
by Dawn Huebner, illustrated by Kara McHale
Age range: 9+

Worry has a way of growing, shifting from not-a-big-deal to a VERY BIG DEAL in the blink of an eye. This big-deal Worry is tricky, luring children into behaviours that keep the anxiety cycle going. Children often find it hard to fight back against Worry, but not anymore. Outsmarting Worry teaches 9-13-year olds and the adults who care about them a specific set of skills that makes it easier to face – and overcome – worries and fears. Smart, practical, proven techniques are presented in language immediately accessible to children with an emphasis on shifting from knowing to doing, from worried to happy and free.

The Huge Bag of Worries
by Virginia Ironside and Frank Rodgers

Jenny has started to worry.  She worries about everything and soon the worries start to follow her wherever she goes.  This is a good book for starting a discussion about sharing your worries to stop them getting bigger.
Age: 5+

Grobblechops
by Elizabeth Laird, illustrated by Jenny Lucander
Age range: 5+

Amir doesn’t want to go to bed. He is scared of the dark and afraid there might be a monster under his bed; a monster called Grobblechops who has huge teeth and growls like a tiger. Dad reassures Amir that if he growls louder, the monster will go away – but Amir can’t help catastrophising and worrying that Grobblechops’s mum and dad will join in the fight and eat him up. Luckily, Amir’s dad is a bit of an expert when it comes to monsters, and can rationalise and defuse all his son’s anxiety to the point where Grobblechops becomes a friend rather than a threat.
Stunning, collage-style illustrations reflect the quelling of Amir’s fears as Grobblechops and his parents subtly mutate from frightening to friendly.

Charlie Star
by Terry Milne

Charlie is an anxious dachshund who worries that something terrible might happen if he doesn’t keep to his daily rituals. After he is called upon to help rescue a friend and in the rush forgets his rituals, Charlie discovers that he doesn’t have to be ruled by them and that change can have really positive outcomes.
Age: 4+

William Worrydactyl
by Brian Moses and Mike Gordon

William is a little dinosaur who worries every day about everything.  Will his Mum be able to help him become more confident?  Will he ever stop worrying?
Age: 4+

Ruby’s Worry
by Tom Percival

Perfectly happy Ruby discovers just how big a worry can get! Luckily she finds the solution – to talk about it!
Age: 3+

The Black Dog
by Levi Pinfold

In this modern fairy tale about the power of fear, a black dog appearing outside a family’s home.  It grows and grows the more family members see it. Only Small, the youngest of the Hope family, has the courage to face it.
Age: 6+

What’s worrying you?
by Molly Potter

We all have worries now and then, but sometimes worries can feel like they’re getting bigger and bigger, like you can’t control them any more. What do you do then? ‘What’s worrying you?’ is a book all about helping children understand their worries, and what to do when they feel overwhelmed by their thoughts and feelings.
Age: 3+

Me and My Fear
written and illustrated by Francesca Sanna
Age range: 5+

When a young girl has to travel to a new country and start at a new school, her Fear tells her to be alone and afraid. How can she hope to make friends if she doesn’t understand their language? A heart-warming and relevant new tale from the bestselling author and illustrator of The Journey, this book shows us the importance of sharing your Fear with others – after all, everyone carries a Fear with them, even if it’s small enough to fit into their pocket!

Ready Rabbit?
by Fiona Roberton

Little Rabbit has been invited to a party, but is not at all sure that it will be as fun as everyone says. It’s nearly time to go to the party, but there are just a few small worries standing in the way. Yes, there will be cake and carrots – but what if it’s too loud? And what if Rabbit gets tired and wants to come home? This is an empowering story about the fun you can have when you overcome your fears.
Age: 3+

The Worry Monster
by Caroline Uff

Who wants a worry monster?  Sally doesn’t – but it won’t stop following her everywhere.  How can she make it go away?  A gentle tale about tackling worries and why it’s good to tell the truth.
Age: 4+

The Worry Website
by Jacqueline Wilson

Is anything worrying you?  Do you have problems?  Don’t know where to turn for help?  Log on to the Worry Website, type in your worry and wait for the good advice to flow in.
Age: 9+