Big Feelings, Big Conversations: The Power of Books in Building Emotional Literacy

As an SEMH teacher and dad of three boys, emotional literacy is something that matters to me both professionally and personally.

Children experience a whole range of emotions every day, but understanding those feelings, finding the words to express them and knowing how to manage them isn’t always easy.

That’s one of the reasons I’m such a big believer in the power of books. Stories can help children explore feelings and experiences in a way that feels natural, giving them opportunities to make sense of the world around them.

Sometimes, talking directly about our own feelings can be difficult. But talking about a character in a story? That can be much easier. Asking questions such as “How do you think they felt?” or “What would you have done?” can open up conversations about empathy, friendship, confidence and belonging without putting children on the spot.

Books can also help children recognise that everyone experiences difficult emotions and that it’s okay not to have all the answers.

For my Early Years Picture Book Selection I’ve chosen five picture books that offer opportunities to explore emotional literacy with younger children.

From the worries and uncertainty explored in Geoffrey Gets the Jitters to the themes of friendship and confidence found across the collection, each book offers something different. Stories such as The Leaf Thief,Frank and Bert, The Bear and the Piano and You Can Do Anything, Tyrone! provide further opportunities to talk about feelings, relationships and how we see ourselves and others.

These are the kinds of stories that can be enjoyed together while gently opening the door to bigger conversations.

For my Independent Readers Middle Grade Selection I wanted to bring together stories that encourage children to look beyond their own experiences.

Books such as When Stars Are Scattered, Safiyyah’s War and Leila and the Blue Fox offer opportunities to explore identity, belonging, resilience and different perspectives. Alongside, The Boy in the Suit and Fallout , the collection encourages readers to think about the experiences that shape us and the challenges people face.

In my work as an SEMH teacher, I see the importance of understanding that there’s often more going on beneath the surface than we might realise. Stories can help children develop that understanding and build empathy for others.

As a teacher and a parent, I don’t think every book needs to come with a lesson or a set of questions. Sometimes, simply sharing a story is enough. Other times, one small question can lead to a conversation that stays with a child long after the book has been put down.

That’s what inspired me to curate these two collections with Scholastic. The opportunity to bring together books that can help children explore emotions, understand others and, hopefully, make some of those bigger conversations a little easier to start.

Both collections are available through the Scholastic Shop.

Blog Credit: Alex Puddick – @father_teacher_reader