Quick summary: A grandparent explains how six children’s picture books, including works by Dr Seuss and others, help a two and a half year old grandson understand emotions, conflict, resilience and honesty at a level he can grasp. Each story offers a simple lesson, from accepting “No” gracefully to processing grief through quiet companionship, that mirrors real therapeutic concepts used with young children. For parents, carers and mental health professionals, the piece shows that early emotional literacy can be built through shared reading, offering a practical, low cost tool for supporting children’s well being from toddlerhood onwards.
I love picture books. I love my grandson. We both love reading. Together, we have read a lot of books. Some books are fun and exciting. Some are pretty and interesting. A few are boring. And then there are the special ones that expand my grandson’s view of the world and himself. And at 2 ½-years-old he is starting to discover and figure out his own approach to living, reading and sharing a book. This is his list as I understand it to be.
My list would be very different because of my experiences, education and passions. I am more than 2 ½-years-old. I started babysitting at 11-years-old. I have a degree in child psychology and am a licensed mental health therapist. During college, I worked as a live-in-nanny for three children (ages 1 ½, 2 ½ and 4). I am a parent with 2 adult kids. I am also passionate about children’s picture books. I’ve privately written and illustrated many books over the years and even published one called, Turtles into Butterflies. I think my passions and experiences help me understand my grandson and picture books and how they impact him. That’s why this is his list.
My grandson doesn’t want to be a grinch. Usually. But sometimes he is, and he knows it. Other times he points out when others are acting grinchy. Including me. The Grinch, in Dr Seuss’s book, How the Grinch Stole Christmas is angry, lonely, sad, and isolated and treats others and himself in a mean and hurtful way. He’s a grinch. But, and this is a common thread in these insightful mental health picture books, something happens that leads to changes. The Grinch decides to face his bad behaviours and thoughts and become a different and better person. He goes from thinking, “I must stop Christmas from coming.” to sharing a community Christmas feast as, “The Grinch himself carved the roast beast.”
My grandson can see both sides of the Grinch. Angry, lonely, and isolated. Happy and sharing. The words and pictures work together to provide clear and simple insights. Dr Seuss did a masterful job of simplifying complex ideas into rhyming words and funny pictures for children. He wrote so many wonderful books, each with its own focus. For example, while there is significant conflict between the Grinch and the people of Whoville, it is hard to really see that conflict. Enter “Green Eggs and Ham.”
The whole book of Green Eggs and Ham also by Dr Seuss, is on conflict. It is about Sam trying to convince an unnamed grumpy guy to try something new. In a house. With a mouse. In a box. With a fox. Anywhere. And the conflict continues as a patient, creative, and cheerful Sam gently and persistently keeps asking, “Will you try them here or there?” The conflict continues but never blows up. There is no violence or overwhelming emotions in the conflict. Just a stressful, respectful dialogue. The grumpy guy continues to validate each request Sam presents and then rejects it. Until he pauses and reconsiders his position. He becomes willing to at least try it. And discovers that he likes green eggs and ham.
My grandson understands that trying something new can be scary. He recognises that sometimes he is the fearful grumpy guy unwilling to try something new. So we discuss it and usually, he is willing to give it a try. A little try. His best try. Like Ping.
Ping is the child gardener in The Empty Pot by Demi. Ping is very talented at growing plants, especially flowers. So when the old Emperor decides to find his successor, he gives all of the children flower seeds to grow the most beautiful flower. But despite his best efforts, Ping’s seed won’t grow. After a year, all the other children’ bring beautiful flowers to the Emperor. But Ping is ashamed and crying as he presents his empty pot. It was the best he could do. Then the Emperor reveals that he boiled the flower seeds so none of them would grow. Ping is the only one brave enough to present the uncomfortable truth. He becomes the new Emperor.
My grandson recognises the courage Ping had in being different. In trying his best. Just like the grumpy guy being willing to try and do something new. But sometimes, even when you are honest and try your best, things don’t work out and you are still told, “No!”
Robert Lopshire’s book, Put Me in the Zoo explores if a leopard change its spots after being told, “No.” A friendly leopard wanders into the zoo and loves how well the animals are cared for. He wants to stay but is throw out by the zoo keepers. “We do not want you in the zoo. Out you go!” Then the adventure begins as two children ask him why he should be put in the zoo. The leopard dazzles them with all the things his spots can do. And then he is told once again, “No. You should not be in the zoo.”
I usually pause here before turning the page. I want my grandson to listen and mindfully hear “No.” To understand that sometimes being told “No” is okay. That sometimes it is the best choice, as it helps find the right “Yes!” In this case, the children tell the leopard, “With all of the things that you can do, the circus is the place for you!” And they are absolutely right. A thoughtful, respectful win-win for everyone.
Sometimes to process through conflicts or to face a “No” doesn’t go so smoothly. Sometimes it takes support from a special someone to help deal with differences, relationships, and conflicts. Someone that helps with the internal and social struggles of being assertive and speaking up for yourself.
One of the wonders and benefits of children’s picture books is that sometimes it is easier for kids to connect with not kids. They connect with animals, plants, inanimate objects, of even just colours and shapes. In this case, it just takes, “One” by Kathryn Otoshi.
“One” is about Blue, who faces a bully, Red. Red bullies all of the colours and nobody stand up and calls out his hurtful behaviours. That is until One shows up. One is a colour and a shape. When Red tries to bully One it doesn’t work. One says, “If someone is mean and picks on me, I for one, stand up and say, No.” Connecting with the assertiveness, all the colours become numbers too. Blue becomes 6. Together they stand up to Red. But as Red stalks angrily away, Blue invites him back by switching Red’s insult of saying, “Red is hot, blue is not” into a question, “Can Red be hot and Blue be cool?” One adds, “Red can count too.” Then Red become number 7. All the colours shout, “Everyone counts.”
My grandson recognises that Blue struggles to speak up and that Red is mean. He likes how everyone becomes friends in the end. But sometimes accidents just happen. Sometimes nobody can be held accountable when bad things happen. Sometimes you just need someone to sit quietly, wait and listen to nothing until you are ready to talk. Perhaps that someone could even be a rabbit.
The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld patiently explores how to manage emotions and thoughts when bad things unexpectedly happen. Taylor builds an amazing structure out of blocks. “Taylor was so proud.” Then birds flew into it and it crashes down. My grandson would say the birds “gronked it down.” Gronking is when you crash down and take apart something that you built. Sometimes you don’t want things to be gronked.
Taylor is sad, angry and quietly grieving the loss of the amazing structure when the animals start showing up. The chicken wants to talk. The bear wants to yell and throw a tantrum. The hyena wants to laugh about it. Different animals come and go expressing how they and Taylor might deal with what happened. My grandson and I imagine and act out the different ways to deal with a loss. “But, Taylor didn’t feel like doing anything with anybody.” In the silence, a rabbit came and sat. Eventually Taylor starts talking and the rabbit listens. Taylor works through a range of emotions and thoughts as the rabbit listens. “And when the time was right, the rabbit listened to Taylor’s plan to build again.”
The mental health magic of these six children’s picture books is that they explore and face a challenge at a toddler’s level. AND they invite you to take that lesson learned and move forward to make your life better. At 2 ½-years-old that is what mental health is about – learning to live and share a good life. To picture this childish mental health perspective, it helps to remember that when life gronks you down, it’s okay to take your time and listen to the “No.” Then when you are ready, become a little braver and try again to do your best. You best is always good enough because “Everybody counts.”
Dane Jorento, MSW, LICSW is a speaker offering keynotes, seminars, and workshops on mental health, trauma, ADHD, and relationships. He specialises in BCA Holistic Therapy, EMDR, and DBT approaches.
