Parenting with PACEs

Children's book collections related to ACEs

• Abuse, neglect, and/or trauma

  • Books for kids who have suffered from abuse/trauma from Creating a Family

  • Kids in crisis (picture books) from Growing Book by Book

  • Once I Was Very Very Scared by Chandra Ghosh Ippen, illustrated by Erich Peter Ippen Jr.

  • Somebody Cares: A Guide for Kids Who Have Experienced Neglect by Susan Farber Straus, PhD, Illustrated by Claire Keay

  • Trauma, grief and fear (picture books) from Happily Ever Elephants

  • Validating stories for adopted children who have experienced trauma from Raising Luminaries & Books for Littles

• Anxiety

  • Anxiety from Happily Ever Elephants

  • Anxiety (for kids and parents) from Psych Central

  • Stress and anxiety from Sanford fit

• Bullying

  • Bullies, bystanders, and being kind (chapter books) from Doing Good Together

  • Bullying (picture books) from Growing Book by Book

• Child sexual abuse

  • Child Abuse Prevention Reading List from National Children’s Advocacy Center

  • Sexual Abuse Prevention Books from Cares Northwest

  • Who’s The Boss of This Body? by Meghan Hurley Backofen LCSW (also available in Spanish)
     

• Death and grief

  • Death and grief (picture books) from Scholastic

  • Death and grief (picture books) from Doing Good Together

  • Death and grief (chapter books) from Doing Good Together

  • Death and grief (picture books) from Growing Book by Book

  • Death of a sibling (picture books) from Growing Book by Book

  • Death and grief (picture books) from Goodreads

  • The Invisible String by Patrice Karst, illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff

• Divorce

  • Divorce from Happily Ever Elephants

  • Divorce from Talking Parents

• Domestic violence

  • Domestic violence (picture books) from ESME

  • Domestic violence (books and other resources) from Raising Luminaries & Books for Littles

• Hunger, poverty, and homelessness

  • Homelessness (picture books) from Growing Book by Book

  • Hunger (picture books) from Growing Book by Book

  • Hunger, Poverty, and Homelessness (chapter books) from Doing Good Together

  • Hunger, Poverty, & Homelessness in America (picture books) from Doing Good Together

• Illness

  • Illness & Hospitals (picture books) from Doing Good Together

• Natural disasters

  • Help Children Cope with Disasters from ChildCare Aware of America

  • Natural Disasters Around the World: Understanding and Empathy Through Children's Books from Reading Rockets

• Parental incarceration

  • Demetri Makes a Memory Quilt by Renée Menart

  • Having a Parent in Prison (picture books) from ESME

  • Family member incarceration from Raising Luminaries & Books for Littles

• Racism and discrimination: See Anti-racism resources for parents

• Substance use

  • Explaining addiction to kids from Canyon Vista Recovery Center

  • Explain substance abuse to kids from ESME

Children's books related to positive childhood experiences (PCEs) 

• Listening with My Heart: A story of kindness and self-compassion by Gabi Garcia, illustrated by Ying Hui Tan

• Doing Good Together collections

  • Mindfulness & Gratitude (chapter books)

  • Encourage Mindfulness (picture books)

• Growing Book by Book collections (picture books)

  • Community

  • Courage and bravery

  • Emotions and feelings

  • Family

  • Gratitude and appreciation

  • Kindness

  • Love

  • Making a difference in the world

  • Making friends

  • Respect and inclusion

  • Socioemotional learning

• Timmy Is Resilient by Patti Demma, Illustrated by Kameryn Moss