10 Books That Teach Kids How To Manage Their Anger
My go-to statement when it comes to anger management is “it’s okay to be mad, but it’s not okay to be mean.” While I think this is helpful, there is a little more to anger management than just deciding not to be mean. In fact, it is a skill that needs to be developed and practiced. Helping students successfully manage their anger involves talking about anger warning signs, anger triggers, coping skills, and more.
This can feel complicated at times, but my hope is that these 10 anger management books for kids will make it easier for you and your students to explore the topic together in a meaningful way.
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The Angry Dragon by Michael Gordon
Recommended Grades: Pre-K to 1
Joe is a dragon who gets angry easily. When someone else does or says something that makes him feel angry, Joe gets mad. Thankfully, his friend George is always nearby with great strategies, like deep breathing and talking about your feelings, that Joe can use to feel more calm.
Tiger Has A Tantrum By Sue Graves
Recommended Grades: Pre-K to 2
Tiger gets angry about a lot of things– like when someone sits in his seat, or when he doesn’t get the book that he wants. When this happens he yells and stomps and rolls on the floor, which makes the other animals around him feel scared and upset. Thankfully, his teacher is able to talk to him, encourage him to take deep breaths, and help him come up with peaceful ways to solve his problems.
Crankenstein By Samantha Berger
Recommended Grades: Pre-K to 2
There are a lot of things that Crankenstein doesn’t like. He says “Mehhrrr” at almost everything. In the end, the readers learn that the only thing that makes Crankenstein happy is friendship!
When Miles Got Mad By Sam Kurtzman-Counter and Abbie Schiller
Recommended Grades: Pre-K to 2
Miles’s little brother broke his favorite toy airplane, which made Miles mad! The Mad Monster appeared and helped Miles calm down by talking about his feelings. Kids will love the practical advice this story gives!
Ravi’s Roar by Tom Percival
Recommended Grades: K to 2
Ravi was having a hard day. He was out with his family, and everything was going wrong. This made him so mad that he turned into a tiger and began roaring at everyone. When Ravi was like that, he was able to get what he wanted because everyone was afraid of him. As it turns out, though, no one wanted to play with him either, which made Ravi sad. In the end, he realizes the effects of his actions and apologizes to his friends and family.
Clovis Keeps His Cool By Katelyn Aronson
Recommended Grades: K to 3
Clovis is a bull who runs his granny’s old china shop. He used to lose his temper a lot, but had done better recently until a few of his old teammates stop by the shop to pick on him. He tries to use the coping skills he has, but ultimately, he loses his cool. Eventually, he is able to calm down and even offers friendship and grace to his old teammates.
Anh’s Anger by Gail Silver
Recommended Grades: K to 3
When Anh gets angry, his grandfather tells him to go sit with his anger. When he does, Anh’s anger teaches him ways to manage his anger to feel better. This is a great book about expressing anger in a positive way.
Sometimes When I’m Mad By Deborah Serani
Recommended Grades: 1 to 3
The girl in this story shares all about her experience with anger. She shares what makes her angry, what it feels like to be angry, and how she responds to her anger. She also shares about helpful advice that she gets from the people around her.
Hello, Anger By Jessica Sinarski
Recommended Grades: 2 to 4
In this book, kids will learn to be detectives as they try to figure out what hides beneath their feelings of anger. Is it jealousy? Hurt? Embarrassment? This is a great way to teach students to think about and address their deeper feelings.
Pause Power By Jennifer Law
Recommended Grades: 2 to 5
Gabe always got upset when other people pushed his buttons. One day, a button popped up on his arm named Preston. Preston started talking to Gabe and helping him understand why this happened. Preston also helped Gabe use “pause power” to take a pause and slow down when someone pushes his buttons. This book is full of relatable scenarios and practical strategies.
These anger management books for kids are a simple way to make your social emotional learning and school counseling lessons more impactful. They are sure to help you give your students the tools they need to identify and cope with their feelings of anger. Looking for anger management activities to use alongside the books? Check these out!
