Little Parachutes

Picture books that help children

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Categories: Animal Phobias, Anxiety, Bullying, Violence & Abuse, Moving House, Serious Illness

Worried (Dealing with Feeling…)

Helps to identify what worries are and provides tips and advice on how best to express and deal with them.
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Worried

Author: Isabel Thomas
Illustrator: Clare Elsom
Publisher: Raintree

This factual picture book explores worries in child-friendly language. Describing how worries make us feel, it touches upon potentially worrying scenarios such as moving house/school, seeing something disturbing on the TV/internet, bullying, serious illness in the family, exams and fear of spiders. Children are encouraged to notice when others are worried, too, and help them by talking it through. A glossary and further information links are provided, as well as instructions on how to make a ‘worry toolbox’. Pleasantly illustrated by Clare Elsom, this little book would be an ideal springboard for a conversation with young children about anxiety. 

The messages we found in this book:

Acknowledgement:

  • Worries are unpleasant. It can be difficult to stop thinking about ‘strong worries’. They can give you butterflies in your tummy or make you feel grumpy. 
  • It’s tempting to hide worries, but this can often make things worse. 
  • A change in your life can leave you feeling anxious. 

Guidance:

  • Occasional worries are part of life and everyone has them. 
  • Distraction may help to lessen anxious feelings (activity examples are given in the book) 
  • It’s good to talk to a trusted grown up if you’re worried about something. 
  • If it’s difficult to put a worry into words, you could try drawing it instead and showing it to an adult that you trust. 

Hope & Inspiration:

  • The book encourages children to help others by listening to their worries.