Picture books tagged with: mother

Charlie and the Dog Who Came to Stay: A Book About Depression

This gentle and reassuring story should chime with any young child who is living with depression, whether it is themselves or someone else who has been affected by it. A useful tool to help children to understand depression and how it can change people's feelings and behaviour, containing practical non-preachy guidance and coping strategies.

Mum’s Jumper

A thoughtful, sensitive and realistic portrayal of the thoughts and feelings of a young girl following the death of her mother.

Hair Love

A positive story of how a father and daughter work together to create the perfect hairstyle for a very special day. There are many helpful messages within which could apply to a child who is dealing with an absent or ill parent, or who is simply finding it hard not to give up on a challenging task.

The Fix-It Man

A touching portrayal of how a young girl deals with the loss of her mother.

The Garden of Hope

A poignant yet positive story about a grieving daughter and father and how tending a garden together helps them to begin the healing process and find hope for the future.

The Journey

This powerful story about a family's forced migration to a new country gives children the chance to empathise with people in difficult circumstances. It promotes greater understanding and respect for those with different origins and cultures. Children who are refugees themselves may recognise something of their own story here.

What Happened to Daddy’s Body?

This is a frank and lovingly written book, explaining clearly what happens to someone’s body when they die. It provides young children with a means to understand what happens after death, whilst reassuring them with the message that life goes on for those left behind.

Is Daddy Coming Back in a Minute?

By honestly explaining sudden death in a clear and simple language a young reader can understand, this book will aid a child who is trying to process the concept of a loved-one passing away. The book discusses the feelings of sadness that a child will inevitably feel, but reinforces the message that it’s okay to be happy sometimes, too.

The Great Big Book of Families

Highlighting the fact that families come in all shapes and sizes, this book celebrates diversity, explaining how every personal situation is different. It's a good book for debunking the traditional storybook myth that happy families usually consist of mother, father and two children.

Mummy’s Lump

Providing a reassuring and realistic account which may dispel some of the fears young children have about cancer, the treatments which are given for it and how it affects family life.

There’s Going to Be a Baby

Prepares a child for the birth of a sibling, guiding a young reader through the excitement of pregnancy towards the birth of a brother or sister to love.

Missing Mummy

This touching and beautiful picture book perfectly reflects the grief of a young child who has lost a parent.

Mum and Dad Glue

Acknowledges the emotional challenges children may feel when parents divorce or separate. Reinforces the view that the child is not to blame and will continued to be loved as before, and sometimes it is not possible to 'fix' a problem. Explains that parents can sometimes live happily apart.

No Matter What

May provide reassurance for an insecure or anxious child that their parents' love for them is unconditional and constant, despite the circumstances. It sensitively reinforces the message that love carries on, even after someone dies.

Ever So Ever So

This book may help to explore disgruntled feelings between an older sister and a new baby arriving home. It is hard to accept the adoration and attention mum and dad are giving to new baby sister Susan.

The Scar

This supportive and compassionate book would be an ideal tool to explain grief and loss to young children. A child who has lost a parent or other loved one may identify with the emotions felt by the boy in the story.

How Are Babies Made? (Flip Flap)

A good choice for a child who is curious about how babies are made, how they grow inside their mother, and what happens when they are born. It is factually accurate but also simple enough for very young children and is not sexually explicit.

Under the Love Umbrella

A book to comfort 'anyone who has ever felt lonely, lost or alone'. Useful for children who are experiencing separation anxiety or loneliness, it sends the comforting message that wherever you are, you are loved.

Love Makes a Family

This fun, inclusive board book for very young children celebrates the one thing that makes every family a family: LOVE.

Supposing…

In this comforting story a little monster is helped to overcome a scary dream by imagining the many happy things he and his mother can do together.

You Make Your Parents Super Happy

Written to reassure children in separating families that both parents love them and this will never change no matter what happens.

George Goes on a Plane

A good introduction to what to expect on a plane journey for very young children.

Edie

Inquisitive children who love to help will engage with Edie. They will be able to relate to her, and understands what she is doing. Furthermore, readers can be encouraged to look closely at the pictures, to see how any help Edie is giving might be received, and to think of ways in which their own helping strategies might be improved. This book affectionately explains a child’s thought processes, and reminds the adult reader that perhaps what might sometimes be seen as “naughtiness” is often just a small person’s way of helping.

Nurse Ted

This is a very useful text, written in a clear and concise way. It might help a child to understand some of the facts about cancer, its diagnosis and treatment. It could also encourage a child to talk about their emotions if they are experiencing a similar situation.

Two of Everything

Providing a starting point to encourage children to talk about divorce and separation. Reassuring them that they are not alone in their experiences, and parents can live happily apart.

My Gran has Parkinson’s

This book uses everyday settings and places to explain to young children what Parkinson's is and how it can affect people with the condition. Also available: My Grandad has Parkinsons's, My Mum has Parkinson's and My Dad has Parkinson's.

Two Nests

For very young children, experiencing the separation or divorce of their parents can be an extremely confusing and troubling time. This book provides an easily understood and reassuring picture of how family life can continue happily even if parents are living apart.