CHILDREN'S BOOKS IN GERMAN THAT HELP DEAL WITH ANXIETY AND WORRY

Anxiety among children is a big topic right now, Jonathan Haidt's book THE ANXIOUS GENERATION about the mental health of children and teenagers stormed the bestseller list right after its publication earlier this year and is being discussed in the media and parents' whatsapp groups. The new InsideOutside Pixar movie has anciety on center stage. And we hear of always rising numbers of anxiety among teenagers in the US, about 25 to 30 percent have issues. Also among younger children it is occurring more often. And besides that, worries and stress are part of everybody's life sometimes. Dealing with it is a life skill. Children oftentimes don't have the vocabulary to say what they are feeling. They also might not be aware that they are not alone, that others have intrusive thoughts and fears as well. Books can help them in both cases.

There are some great picture books, non-fiction books and chapter books in German about how to handle fear and worries.

Here are our favorite ones. Some involve a good laugh.

Philip Waechter

ROSI IN DER GEISTERBAHN

Rosi stares into an enormous red abyss. Not in real life, but in her nightmares. She regularly wakes up drenched in sweat and fear. When she goes to talk about it with a specialist, he diagnoses monster fear. She starts studying a ton of books on monsters to get ready to confront her anxiety.

Funny and real at the same time, with the wonderful illustrations by Waechter. A favorite in our house.

3 years and up

Rachel Bright / Chris Chatterton

DER SORGOSAURUS

Sorgosaurus has spent some time carefully planning a little excursion. . But then he starts worrying about all that could possibly go wrong. What if the food and drink he prepared is not enough? What if he gets lost on the way? What if it rains?

A great picture book for small and not so small kids that tend to overthink, on how to enjoy instead of getting bogged down by worries. Told in rhyme.

3 years and up

NICHTS by Rachel Rooney and Zehra Hicks. German picture book about fear

Rachel Rooney / Zehra Hicks

ANGST HABEN MACHT DOCH NICHTS

We all have something we fear, Some are afraid of spiders, others of heights or being alone. Sometimes we confuse fear with excitement. Sometimes what you fear most is something somebody else loves. And just as fear comes, it goes. It is part of life.

Bright colorful and diverse illustrations make this picture book a great starting point to talk about fear, why we have fears and how we can overcome them.

3 years and up

Marie-Helene Versini

MONSTER TRINKEN KEINE ERDBEERMILCH

Afraid of hairy, scary, giant monsters? Time to think about what monsters cannot or will not do! Monsters don't go to the hairdresser, they don't brush teeth, don't go to the dentist either, play the piano or put on shoes,. They don't swim and are not afraid . They don't even drink strawberry shakes!

Why? We will not give the secret away... But the book does.

A book that combats fear with humor and quirkiness.

3 years and up

Mercer Mayer

DA LIEGT EIN KROKODIL UNTER MEINEM BETT

The little boy in this story is convinced there is a crocodile under his bed. Unfortunately, his parents show no sympathy, So the little boy has to take matters in his own hands. What if he lures the crocodile into the garage?

A great timeless classic recommended by children's psychologists and loved by kids, about a kid winning over everyday fears, loved by kids.

3 years and up

Tom Percival

SOPHIAS SORGE

Sophia loves being Sophia. She enjoys what she does. Until one day she finds a worry. At first it is small. But then it starts growing, every day a little more. And more. And she gets sad...

Beautifully illustrated, this book encourages children to talk about what bothers them.

4 years and up

Felicity Brooke

SORGEN UND AENGSTE

This non fiction book explains age appropriately with how we can handle anxiety, what happens in our body when we are afraid, and how we can talk about it. It also contains a part for parents.

5 years and up

HEY, KLEINER KAEMPFER

Anxiety is a super power that warns us of dangers. It also gets triggered when they is no need for it. Written by an Australian psychologist, this fantastic non fiction book explains what anxiety is, the role of the brain, and gives advice how to be in control your fears and be courageous and creative.

It offers children an psychological understanding - that anxiety comes from a superpower to protect us from dangers, that sometimes goes overboard.

6 years and up.

Ulrike Lege, Fabian Grolimound

HUCH, DIE ANGST IST DA

Another helpful non-fiction book, by Swiss children psychologists, addressed at parents and children alike. Grolimund and Lege offer a big parenting section that explain how anxiety arises and why the intuitive response by parents might not always be the best. In a second part for children it offers kids a way to explore their fears and strategies to overcome them.

6 years and up

Jutta Nymphius /Volker Fredrich

BENNOS BESTIE

Benno is a cheerful boy. Until a dog bites him at the farmer's market. And suddenly the new found freedom to walk by himself to school becomes an obstacle course, His heart starts to pound, his hands tremble, his mouth is dry, his legs wobbly.. He tries to skip school,. He comes late. Because there is a huge dog barking furiously at him on the way to school. But then he finds out the dog is so aggressive, because he is scared, he was beaten by a previous owner. and Benno wants to help the dog...

The perfect beginning reader book in short sentences, some comic inserts and a great story kids can identify with.

8 years and up

Gauthier / Lefevre

DIE ENTSETZLICHE ANGST DER EPIPHANIE SCHRECK

Eight year old Epiphanie is followed by a shadow at all times - it is the personification of her fears. She decides to see a famous doctor to help her - and on her way there encounters all kinds of people, who have worries themselves. And even when they are not afraid of anything, it poses problems of its own.

A beautiful comic, with slightly absurd elements and allusions to fairy tales and classics like Alice in Wonderland.

8 years and up

Christine Rickhoff, / Felicitas Horstschaefer

KEINE ANGST VOR DER ANGST

100 people tell us what they are afraid of and what helps them. Famous people like the kids band Deine Freunde, soccer star Thomas Mueller or Checker Tobi. Successful people and people like you and me. A famous singer who has terrible stage fright and still has to sing in front of thousands of people. An Olympic winner in horse riding who as a kid fell off the horse and never wanted to be on a horse back again, but somehow managed it back there. A shark researcher who as a young girl that was terrified. Or a boy that is afraid of ghosts under his bed, but makes use of Harry Potter tricks…Fear comes in all shapes and forms. What better way to normalize fear than this collection of 100 different people, 100 different fears, 100 different ways to cope..

10 years and up (if read by the kid themselves)

Hartmut El Kurdi

ANGSTMAEN

9 year old Jennifer Mann is alone at home, her mother had to go to an unexpected night shift. This is her occasion to do everything that is usually a No Go - Jennifer has a whole list of things to do. Lie on the couch wearing her shoes, put on all electric machines at the same time and wait for the fuse to blow up, order her favorite food., stay up extra late.. But then it is time to turn off the lights. And face her fear of the monster in her cupboard....But it turns out, there really is somebody in the closet, an alien who ended there by mistake. His name is Angstmaen and compared to him, Jennifer is Superwoman...

Super funny, suspenseful. A classic.

9 years and up

Magali Le Huche

NOWHERE GIRL

Magali is 11 years old. She just has started going to middle school. Before she was one kid among others, but now with all the new teachers, children and demands, she is starting to develop a fear of failure, Soon she is terrified of going to school. Her changing body does not help. So she dives into the world of music, of the Beatles instead....

An autobiographical graphic novel that is sensible and light in spite of its topic.

11 years and up