Children’s Books – Recognizing and Expressing Emotions

Infant – Toddler (Ages 0–3)

Baby Happy, Baby Sad – Leslie Patricelli
Simple, bold pictures show babies different expressions, helping the youngest readers connect emotions with faces.

Making Faces – Abrams Appleseed
A sturdy board book with photos of babies showing different feelings, perfect for the littlest learners.

Baby Faces: A Book of Happy, Silly, Sleepy, Angry, and More! – DK Publishing
Real baby photos highlight common emotions, building early recognition skills.

How Do You Feel? – Lizzy Rockwell
Clear illustrations and simple words introduce toddlers to a range of emotions.

Young Childhood (Ages 4–7)

The Color Monster: A Pop-Up Book of Feelings – Anna Llenas
Uses colors and pop-up art to help children sort and label their emotions.

In My Heart: A Book of Feelings – Jo Witek
A heartfelt exploration of different emotions with creative illustrations.

The Way I Feel – Janan Cain
Rhyming text and vibrant illustrations show children how emotions feel inside.

Glad Monster, Sad Monster – Ed Emberley & Anne Miranda
Includes masks to act out different emotions, making learning interactive and fun.

When Sophie Gets Angry—Really, Really Angry – Molly Bang
Helps children see that big feelings are normal and gives examples of calming strategies.

Older Childhood (Ages 8–12)

My Many Colored Days – Dr. Seuss
A poetic book linking colors and moods, sparking reflection in older children.

The Rabbit Listened – Cori Doerrfeld
Encourages empathy and the value of listening when someone is struggling with feelings.

Today I Feel Silly & Other Moods That Make My Day – Jamie Lee Curtis
Engaging and humorous, helping older children name and normalize their wide range of moods.

A Little Spot of Emotion Series – Diane Alber
Breaks down different feelings and strategies for managing them, ideal for building emotional vocabulary.

Sometimes I’m Bombaloo – Rachel Vail
Shares the story of a child experiencing overwhelming anger and finding ways to calm down.