Kids Books About Trauma and PTSD
Trauma can come from many different experiences, either from a single event or a series of events that repeat or last for a long time. No matter the experience, it is tough. This book list contains various picture and chapter books to help you open up conversations with readers about trauma or its side effects to help them process through it. There are books included that are specific to trauma/PTSD and books that are not trauma-specific but could easily be tied into conversations around trauma, depending on what you would find most helpful for your reader. Most of the books in this list are more general, meaning they can apply to various circumstances, such as trauma from natural disasters, accidents, violence, and more. Many of the books that are specific to trauma/PTSD have notes to caregivers and were designed by therapists.
If you are reading this list, there's a good chance you can find more beneficial books on some of my other book lists for more help on the topics of fear, anxiety, anger, sadness and depression, and all the feelings. I also have book lists on hard topics that could be relatable like, death, war and refugees, and school shootings and gun violence.
My lists are always organized, from the simplest books to more complex books. This list starts with picture books and then goes to middle-grade books. I have included some picture books in this list that are not specific to trauma but could be helpful; you will find them under “Trauma Related Picture Books” as you scroll before the middle-grade books.
Trauma Specific Picture Books
After Sherman sees the most terrible thing, life is not the same. He's angry more, sad more, when he can sleep, he has nightmares, and more. Eventually, he goes to a counselor who helps him work through the big feelings he's experiencing after seeing the terrible thing. Love how simple and open-ended this is for a variety of experiences. Sherman's actions and experiences will be relatable to many kids experiencing trauma. There's support information for caregivers in the back of the book.
Different animals have experienced various traumatic events, including displacement from their home, physical/emotional abuse, natural disasters, neglect, and witnessing violence. Hedgehog uses spiky words, Bear wants to hide, and more. Wise Old Owl is there to help guide the animals towards adaptative coping strategies to help calm nervous systems. The author, a child trauma therapist, created this book with calming, simple text and illustrations to help engage children with the book without overstimulating their nervous systems. Further support for caregivers to help children's healing journeys is included.
After Squirrel tells the other animals he was once very, very scared, the other animals surprise him by telling him they've experienced frightening times. Through support and guidance, the animals learn about their reactions and learn more about ways to work through their fears. The animals show common reactions to stress, including fight, flight, freeze, flop, and friend. This book was made to help readers understand common PTSD symptoms.
An excellent choice to share with kids about the feelings, thoughts, and behaviors that many kids have after experiencing trauma. It highlights that kids are not to blame for what happened and shares a few strategies to help kids feel safer and more relaxed. A note for caregivers, along with helpful resources, is shared.
Little Bear has so much fun playing in the woods with his best friend, Big Bear. That is until after Big Bear got caught in a forest fire. Even though Big Bear is safe now from the fire, he's not the same. He will run, roar, or freeze when things that remind Big Bear of the traumatic day happen. This story highlights common responses that can happen after a traumatic event and how to have empathy and compassion for both yourself and someone who's experienced trauma/PTSD. Ideas on how to talk about trauma with children are included in backmatter.
When Butta Bean's daddy returns from overseas, he's different, and his mother explains his head hurts. The family begins to do yoga together, and his daddy's old self starts to return. PTSD is not mentioned in the pages, so it is left open to personalize--a look at healing after trauma.
This would be a good book to reference with trauma due to gun violence. After Miles' teen cousin, Keisha, was shot in the leg at their local park during a concert, Miles' worries take over. As the story goes on, the family talks through their issues and worries. Keisha decides to join others in planning to do something about all the guns, eventually getting the mayor to fund the "Peace in the Streets" project. It does not show the shooting, just Keisha's foot recovering afterward. Love the turn to focus on actions you can do. There's also a great reader's note in the back about gun violence, anxiety, adult-child dialogues, and more.
Trauma Related Picture Books
"Telling someone helps make things better."
This book reinforces to kids how important it is to talk to someone. I know that sounds simple, but sometimes, the simplest things can be the most effective. This book encourages communication when communication might be broken down due to bottling up emotions, shutting down when processing grief, keeping hurtful secrets, and more. There is nothing blatantly traumatic in the pages. Simple and effective, a must-read with kids.
Most People
by Michael Leannah illustrated by Jennifer E. Morris
Not necessarily a direct link to a trauma book, but it could be a helpful resource, especially if you have a child who's afraid of strangers or other people. This book acknowledges that while some people do bad things, most are good and want to help.
Not specifically tied to trauma, but as trauma itself can seem invisible, there might be some great tie-ins with this or potential for good conversations. If you could see invisible things, what would they look like? This thought-provoking read encourages readers to reflect and think creatively about the invisible. Explore what sounds, smells, and more might look like if you could see them. I love the spot for invisible "Invisible Things" spotting glasses for readers to use while reading.
A gentle read about challenging times like moving: there is an analogy relating a seed and nature's winter to spring season to going through a difficult period. It's not trauma-specific, but an easy tie-in.
Lily is moving to Iowa to live with her Gram. The book doesn't say what happened to Lily's parent/parents/caregiver, just that she is moving far away to live with her Gram. Love this aspect for the open interpretation for kids facing various situations. Through little details in the storyline, the reader can tell that this is not an easy journey for Lily; she has empty spots inside that nothing seems to fill along the way. Gram suggests they look for ten beautiful things along their journey for a bit of a break from the long drive. The game breaks up the silence and adds a bit of joy to the hard trip. They spot a gorgeous sunrise for number one, a wind farm for number two, a red-winged blackbird for number three, and more. When they make it to Gram's house, Gram points out the last number ten and perhaps the most beautiful finding of all.
"She saw his hands, his chest, his feet. She saw the mud and stress. She pulled him close to her and said, "I'm with you in this mess." Shame builds up in Billy throughout his day at school, and he ends up covered in shame mud, which affects even how he moves, making him feel heavy. Mom notices the shame mud when he gets home and helps him get rid of it—an insight into shame that can tie into trauma made by a therapist.
Pairing often with trauma is shame. Help understand and chip away at shame with this helpful nonfiction that describes what shame is, what to do with it, and helps readers feel less alone with their shame.
This isn't trauma-specific, but it does discuss handling big fears. Something in Pig's head is scaring him. His friend Horse stays by his side and talks with him about it, offering ideas like going for a bike ride or dressing silly to help. Eventually, Horse comes up with a plan to invite the scary thing to teatime with them. At teatime, Pig's fears of nighttime, being alone, and the scary story at bedtime visit. The whole time Horse stays with Pig, they work to shrink the fears.
When devastating news hits, the adults act differently, talking in whispers and it is scary to a child observing. When her teacher tells the class to look for helpers during upsetting times, she decides she wants to help her community in as big a way as possible. Eventually, she sees that even one small act of kindness can make a difference.
A more thorough look at understanding scary news, this nonfiction is best shared between adults and readers. It is meant to help kids understand and process the news, noting how it may be sensationalized to get attention or how it might be presented, making it look like something happens more often than it does. Activities and strategies are shared to help readers learn more and work through strong feelings.
Middle Grade
Neurodivergent Maudie can't wait to spend another great summer with her dad in California, but will she be able to tell him the terrible secret about life with her mom and dad? Also, when a wildfire strikes her dad's house, they must evacuate to the beach town where he grew up. So many changes, but also so much growth with new friends, a new surfing hobby, and the struggle between noticing the good and working through negative memories that continue to resurface. A powerful read that makes a great book for sharing to discuss neurodivergence, eco-anxiety, and a very hard topic, abuse. The back of the book features resources about autism and abuse.
*Please note that Greta does not discuss the sexual assault she experiences with anyone, including those she trusts. There is an author's note in the back about sexual assault, but there are no reference links.
Greta and her best friend, Lotti, are looking forward to starting seventh grade, a mix of nerves and excitement. Everything goes pretty well until the party when Greta is alone with Derek, and he doesn't listen to her words to stop. Shame, hurt, confusion, and more stay with Greta after she escapes. Eventually, finding the beauty in herself and becoming who she was meant to be. I was surprised by the magical realism that seemed to sneak into the pages of this read, but it made sense. Being one of the first books I've read on this topic for kids, I'm happy this representation exists for conversations and to feel less alone with experiences.
It is a middle-grade novel about Simon, who has PTSD after surviving a school shooting. He was the only survivor from his class. The book does briefly describe the traumatic shooting. Simon and his family move away from the attention and memories of where it occurred. Considering the main topic, this book is surprisingly funny at times, and Simon's friendships are fantastic. Readers get to see Simon work through his PTSD with the support of his new friends and community.
This graphic novel is about a school shooting and how the student who experienced it works through his PTSD following the experience. Graphic novel and school shooting might not sound like the best combo, but the illustrations are well done and sensitive. The few that do flashback to the shooting just show a dark figure in a doorway, and the shooting involved just one teacher, one student, and the shooter—no one died. The graphic novel format makes the topic more approachable for many readers who prefer this format for reading. The story focuses on how the student who experienced the shooting works through the PTSD that it caused and the friendships they formed.
