depression

May is Mental Health Month. Parents and caregivers help support children’s mental health year-round. Our expert authors provide helpful stories on a variety of topics that can bring insight and understanding. Here are eight Magination Press titles related to children’s mental health including books about anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, and therapy. Something Very Sad Happened: A Toddler's Guide to Understanding Death by Bonnie Zucker, PsyD When a loved one dies, it can be hard to know how to explain it to a young child, particularly if you are grieving the loss yourself.  Sensitively written and gently illustrated, Something Very Sad Happened explains death in developmentally appropriate terms for two- and three-year-old children. It reassures the child that it is okay to feel sad, and that love never dies. A Note to Parents and Caregivers provides more information about how to talk about death, answer your child's questions, and maintain your connection throughout the grieving process. “Essential, powerful, and psychologically researched resource to equip adults to model healthy grieving and help children at this age with loss.” —Booklist A Terrible Thing Happened: A Story for Children Who Have Witnessed Violence or Trauma by Margaret M. Holmes Sherman Smith saw the most terrible thing happen. At first he tried to forget about it, but soon something inside him started to bother him. He felt nervous for no reason. Sometimes his stomach hurt. He had bad dreams. And he started to feel angry and do mean things, which got him in trouble. Then he met Ms. Maple, who helped him talk about the terrible thing that he had tried to forget. Now Sherman is feeling much better. This gently told and tenderly illustrated story is for children who have witnessed any kind of violent or traumatic episode, including physical abuse, school or gang violence, accidents, homicide, suicide, and natural disasters such as floods or fire. An afterword by Sasha J. Mudlaff written for parents and other caregivers offers extensive suggestions for helping traumatized children, including a list of other sources that focus on specific events. Hear A Terrible Thing Happened read aloud. What to Do When Fear Interferes: A Kid's Guide to Overcoming Phobias by Claire A. B. Freeland, PhD, and Jacqueline B. Toner, PhD Lots of kids are a little afraid of some things, like heights or spiders. But some kids are so afraid that it stops them from having fun. Does this sound like your child? What to Do When Fear Interferes guides children and their parents through overcoming phobias using strategies and techniques based on cognitive-behavioral principles. This interactive self-help book is the complete resource for educating, motivating, and empowering children to overcome their fears — so they can blast off to new adventures! “The straight forward approach in this book helps children identify their triggers, false beliefs and how to face the fear those beliefs cause.” —Oregon Coast Youth Book Preview Center You Are Your Strong by Danielle Dufayet, PhD Soothing and empowering, You Are Your Strong reassures kids that