PACEs Connection Resource Center

Resources for Children

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

Other resources

• Just Breathe
  In this powerful short film, children explain how to calm your brain. Watch and hear from elementary school students learning to use mindfulness to navigate complex feelings. (3 min)
   
• National Child Traumatic Stress Network resources for youth
  This website has many resources for children and youth on issues such as mass violence, economic difficulties, suicide, sexual assault, medical trauma, death of a loved one, and natural disasters. Here are a few examples:  

  • Childhood Traumatic Grief: Youth Information Sheet: Offers information for youth to help them understand the differences between grief and traumatic grief, the signs and symptoms of traumatic grief in children and youth, and what to do to feel better.

  • Taking Care of You: Provides information to help youth practice self-care. This fact sheet includes information on what it means to take care of yourself, as well as recommended hotlines and conversation starters. This resource is most helpful for youth ages 12 and older.

  • What Is Complex Trauma: A Resource Guide for Youth and Those Who Care About Them: Offers information about complex trauma, how it can impact youth, both good and harmful coping strategies, and ways to improve. This guide is for youth who have experienced complex trauma or who know someone who has. Clinicians, caregivers, and other adults can also use the guide to have conversations with youth about what complex trauma is.

• Sesame Street in Community
  This website has many resources for kids and parents in three areas: Difficult Times & Tough Talks; Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds; ABC’s & 123’s (school readiness), and click on a topic for tons of resources that help kids (and parents!) with what matters most in young lives: health and wellness, social-emotional skills, and school readiness. All are critical to children’s healthy development…and together they build the foundation for a happy, healthy life. The tools provided by the initiative present universal coping strategies that help children feel safe and become more resilient in a range of situations.
   
• Videos for Children (all described in Lifelong Learning’s ACEs Science Toolkit)

  • I Am Peace, A Book of Mindfulness by Susan Verde (3 min)

  • Loving Kindness Meditation - Mindfulness for Children (6 min)

  • Meditation For Children (6 min)

  • Meditation Instructions for Kids (2 min) 

  • Toddler Yoga: Night Time Routine (4 min)