MANILA, PHILIPPINES — It’s never too early to teach your kids emotional intelligence. In fact, these days, some people consider EQ more important, if not as important, as IQ or cognitive intelligence.
Teaching your kids emotional intelligence will help them be in tune with their emotions and those of others, developing self-awareness, self-regulation, and empathy, among others. These skills are valuable from childhood through adulthood, giving them the best chances of living happy and fulfilling lives.
There are many ways to strengthen your kid’s emotional intelligence and reading is one of them. Here, we’ve rounded up books available at Fully Booked to help kids become more emotionally resilient.
For early readers
Inside Out 2: Go to Sleep, Anxiety by Luna Chi
After a long day, Riley falls asleep for the night. But she isn’t the only one who needs her beauty rest — her Emotions do, too! While Joy, Sadness, Anger, and Fear doze off (with Disgust on night duty), Riley’s new emotions Embarrassment, Envy and Ennui are starting to feel sleepy. Each one drops into a deep slumber until all is peaceful in Headquarters.
But there’s one Emotion who’s still wide awake: Anxiety! Anxiety paces, worries, and just can’t seem to quiet her thoughts. Soon her restlessness wakes up everyone in Headquarters. Can the Emotions help calm down Anxiety?
The I Love You Book by Todd Parr
“I love you when you’re silly, I love you when you’re sad. I love you when you’re scared, I love you when you’re brave.” This sweet and tender board book explores the meaning of unconditional love with your little ones, assuring them of your love amidst the rollercoaster of emotions they experience. For a kid (or even for an adult), there’s nothing more comforting than hearing your loved one say to you, “I love you just the way you are.”
The Pout-Pout Fish and the Worry-Worry Whale by Deborah Diesen
This delightful under-the-sea picture book features a whale who’s ruminating against attending a party. Will the party be too loud? Will she find someone to talk to? Anxious, Worry-Worry Whale conjures countless things that could go wrong! Thankfully, her friend Pout-Pout Whale helps her out and Worry-Worry Whale learns that it helps to breathe, make a plan, and take tiny steps.
Cocomelon: What Are You Thankful For? By Natalie Shaw
Inspired by the popular Cocomelon video, What Are You Thankful For?, this colorful board book can teach your kid to count their blessings and find happiness even in the smallest things. JJ is thankful for the ducks that took a walk with him, Yoyo is thankful for her stuffed animal, Lambie, and Tom-tom is thankful for his dog, Bingo. How about you, what are you thankful for?
Daniel Gets Scared (Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Series) by Wendy Harris
Inspired by the classic series Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood is beloved for its cast of lovable characters and the life lessons it imparts to children. In this story, Daniel Tiger and O the Owl get scared during a thunderstorm. Daniel’s mom teaches them a tip or two on what she does when she’s frightened, helping Daniel and O feel better.
The Invisible Leash: An Invisible String Story About the Loss of a Petby Patrice Karst and Joanne Lew
Zach is devastated: his best friend in the whole world, Jojo, got sick and died last week. “Now, I’ll never see him again,” he cries, while talking to his friend, Emily, who knows exactly how Zach feels. Emily tells Zach about an invisible leash that can connect him to Jojo, through which he can feel his comforting tug and love. Join Zach on an enlightening journey through their neighborhood—and through his grief.
Squirt Magert: The Fraidy Frog by Gidget R. Jimenez
Squirt Magert is a very frightful frog. All day, the lyrics in his head are, “Oh me oh my! Oh me oh my! I think I’m going to cry!” One day, his greatest fears come true when a young boy captures Squirt and his three frog friends for a Great Frog Race for his amusement. Shaking with fear, Squirt faces a dilemma when one of his friends gets into trouble. Will he let his fear get the best of him, or will he muster the courage to help his friend?
Squirt Magert is part of the “I-Like-Myself” series designed to help children build self-confidence. The series also includes books like Tubble Wubble: The Clumsy Little Turtle and Maya Maya Jumbolaya: The Big Bad Bully Bird.
For intermediate readers
Sugar and Spite by Gail Villanueva
Magic and reality mingle in this brilliant middle-grade novel that asks whether it’s ever okay to take away someone’s free will. Jolina had enough of Claudine’s taunts and teasing. To get revenge, Jolina whips up a potion using her lolo’s albularyo magic and it works! Voila, Jolina and Claudine are suddenly BFFs. But magic comes with a cost, and Jolina has to confront the consequences of her actions. The magic demands payment, and it is about to come for Jolina. This unapologetically Filipino story teaches kids about how our own prejudices hinder us from seeing the good in one another.
Adrift by Tanya Guerrero
Cousins Coral and Isa are so close they’re practically siblings, having grown up in the same small island. When Coral and her parents leave on a month-long voyage overseas, Isa is devastated, and the cousins vow to keep in touch. But the unthinkable happens – Coral’s boat capsizes and her parents are lost. Wracked by grief, and stranded alone on a deserted island, Coral must find the strength to get back home. Told in alternating points-of-view, this heartwarming tale explores the processing of difficult emotions – grief, survival, and uncertainty – told through Isa and Coral.
Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey by Erin Entrada Kelly
This endearing midde-grade novel is a sweet story about a girl trying to overcome her fears and anxieties. Eight-year-old Marisol Rainey has an overactive imagination. She’s scared of swimming, being alone in the car, of overwhelming relatives, of climbing a tree in her backyard she calls Peppina and so much more. Will she let her fears get in the way of her summer fun? This book is a heart-warming tale about coming of age, friendships, and conquering fears that will appeal to both kids and the grownups who can still remember what it was like.
The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
The Hundred Dresses is a captivating story about Wanda Petronski, bullied by her classmates for wearing the same faded blue dress every day. She claims she has one hundred dresses at home, but everyone knows she doesn’t. When Wanda is pulled out of school one day, the class feels terrible, and classmate Maddie decides that she is “never going to stand by and say nothing again. A timeless, gentle tale about bullies, bystanders, and having the courage to speak up.
Stories are powerful ways to impart life lessons to your kids. Check out these titles and more in our Children’s Collection. Happy reading with your little ones!
