29 Children's Book Lists for Difficult Situations

These book lists are for those difficult situations that come up when you want to talk to kids about something but don’t know where to start:

- Afraid of the Dark
- Anxiety
- Best Friend Moves Away
- Birds and Bees Talk
- Bullying
- Cancer
- Domestic Violence
- Genocide
- Grief and Loss
- Homelessness
- Inappropriate Touch
- Incarcerated Parents
- Intimate Partner Violence
- Living in Alcoholic Home
- Loss of Pet
- Mental Health
- Poverty
- Racism and White Fragility
- War

Are you looking for something different? I indexed and cross-referenced my 300+ book lists: List of Lists: All My Book Lists.

29 Children’s Book Lists for Difficult Situations

Antiracist Books for Kids, Teens, and Adults

How is Genocide Covered in Children’s Books?

Children’s Books on Mental Health Support During Stressful Times

Middle Grade and YA books about Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)

9/11 #NeverForget Books for Kids

White Fragility Books for Kids

A Unit to Teach Kids About Microaggressions

A Unit on Skin Color: Picture Books & Videos

Top Children’s Books to Help You Address the Diversity of Human Race

Understanding Poverty: A Book List for Ages 4-11

Homelessness in Children’s Books

11 Chapter Books About Grief and Loss

Death and Loss in Middle Grade Literature

Foster Care in Tween Books

Birds and the Bees Talk Books for Kids

10 Books Featuring Kids with Incarcerated Parents

Best Friend Moves Away Picture Books

Top 10: Afraid of the Dark Picture Books

Keeping Kids Safe from Inappropriate Touch

New Picture Books to Teach Consent

Living in an Alcoholic Home Books for Kids

Domestic Violence Awareness Books for Kids

Top 10: Best Books for Kids that Deal with Bullies

Top 10: Multicultural Picture Books on Bullying

Top 10: Coping with Loss of Pets Books for Kids

Books About Cancer for Kids and Teens

Picture Books About Anxiety for Kids Who Worry

Picture Books About Children and War

Alzheimer’s Awareness Month Children’s Book List

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My books:

Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Barbed Wire Between Us by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Violeta Encarnación

⭐ Starred review from Kirkus
⭐ Starred review from Publishers Weekly
⭐ Starred review from School Library Journal
Kirkus: The Most Anticipated Children’s Books of Spring 2026

Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Fortune Cookies for Everyone! (Smithsonian): The Surprising Story of the Tasty Treat We Love to Eat

California Eureka Non-Fiction Gold Award
Junior Library Guild Gold Selection
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)

The Traveling Taco: The Amazing and Surprising Journey of Many of Your Favorite Foods

California Eureka Non-Fiction Silver Award
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
Reading Rockets’ Summer Reading Guide 2025

Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

We Sing from the Heart: How the Slants® Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court

ALSC Notable Children’s Book
2025 Carter G. Woodson Book Award Middle Level Honoree
Orbis Pictus Recommended Book for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
2024 Julia Ward Howe Prize for Children’s Literature Winner
California Eureka Non-Fiction Award Honor Book
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year 2025
Recommended Reading for the Social Justice Literature Award 2025 (International Literacy Association)
Pennsylvania Mountain Laurel Book Award Nominee 2026-27
Junior Library Guild Gold Selection