10+ Best Books About Anger for 5-Year-Olds w/ Exercises (2024)

Navigating emotions can be tough for little ones, especially when it comes to feelings like anger. That's why finding the right resources is key. Our list of books about anger for 5-year-olds is tailored to help your child understand and manage their feelings in a healthy way. These books offer engaging stories and relatable scenarios that can make a big difference. Keep reading to discover our curated selections of books about anger for 5-year-olds, perfect for fostering emotional growth and learning at home.

Fun Books About Anger for 5-Year-Olds

• When Sophie Gets Angry—Really, Really Angry… by Molly Bang
  • Genre(s): Children's Fiction, Emotional Learning
  • Synopsis: Sophie becomes upset when she has to share a toy with her sister. Her emotions spiral, and she has to figure out how to cope with her intense feelings.
  • Why we recommend this book: It's a great tool for helping children understand and express their feelings, especially anger, in a healthy way.
  • Perfect for: Young readers who are learning to manage big emotions and parents seeking tools to discuss emotional regulation.

• Cool Down and Work Through Anger by Cheri J. Meiners, illustrated by Meredith Johnson
  • Genre(s): Children's Fiction, Self-help
  • Synopsis: This book teaches kids that it’s okay to feel angry, but it’s important to deal with anger in a peaceful way. It offers strategies for cooling down and resolving conflicts.
  • Why we recommend this book: It provides clear, simple techniques that are easy for young children to understand and apply in their daily interactions.
  • Perfect for: Children who need practical methods to manage their anger and educators or parents looking for resources to teach emotional coping skills.

• Anh’s Anger by Gail Silver, illustrated by Christiane Krömer
  • Genre(s): Children's Fiction, Mindfulness
  • Synopsis: Anh becomes angry when his grandfather tells him to stop playing and eat dinner. He meets his anger personified and learns how to interact with it.
  • Why we recommend this book: It introduces mindfulness and meditation as ways to handle emotions, providing a unique approach to understanding anger.
  • Perfect for: Kids who are interested in creative ways to deal with their feelings and parents who want to introduce mindfulness practices to their children.

• Mouse Was Mad by Linda Urban, illustrated by Henry Cole
  • Genre(s): Children's Fiction, Animal Stories
  • Synopsis: Mouse tries several ways to show his anger, each time being told by other animals that he's doing it wrong. Eventually, he finds his own unique way to express himself.
  • Why we recommend this book: It encourages self-expression and shows that there are many ways to deal with anger, each valid in its own right.
  • Perfect for: Young readers who enjoy animal characters and those exploring different emotions and how to express them.

• The Very Frustrated Monster by Andi Green
  • Genre(s): Children's Fiction, Emotional Learning
  • Synopsis: Twiggles the monster is frustrated and doesn’t know how to cope with his feelings. Throughout the story, he learns from his mistakes and how to deal with frustration.
  • Why we recommend this book: It's part of the "WorryWoo Monsters" series, which is excellent for discussing various emotions. This book specifically helps with understanding and managing frustration and anger.
  • Perfect for: Children who feel intense emotions and benefit from seeing their feelings reflected in character-driven stories.

Educational Books About Anger for 5-Year-Olds

• Roar! A Noisy Counting Book by Pamela Duncan Edwards, illustrated by Henry Cole
  • Genre(s): Children's Fiction, Counting Book
  • Synopsis: This book follows a young dragon who accidentally scares all his friends with his loud roar. Each page counts the friends as they hide, helping the dragon learn to control his volume and anger.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Counting skills, understanding of volume control, emotional regulation
  • Why we recommend this book: It combines learning numbers with the emotional lesson of controlling one’s anger and understanding the impact of our actions on others.
  • Perfect for: Toddlers and young children beginning to learn numbers and those who need to understand the importance of controlling their emotions.

• Sometimes I'm Bombaloo by Rachel Vail, illustrated by Yumi Heo
  • Genre(s): Children's Fiction, Emotional Learning
  • Synopsis: Katie Honors feels great most of the time, but sometimes when she gets really mad, she becomes Bombaloo, a state where she can't control her anger. The story explores how she calms down from these intense emotions.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Emotional self-awareness, anger management, problem-solving
  • Why we recommend this book: It’s a relatable story that helps children understand that it's normal to feel angry sometimes, but it's important to find healthy ways to calm down.
  • Perfect for: Children who occasionally feel overwhelmed by their emotions and parents who want to help their children learn about emotional regulation.

• Angry Octopus: An Anger Management Story by Lori Lite, illustrated by Max Stasuyk
  • Genre(s): Children's Fiction, Self-help
  • Synopsis: An octopus is very angry and the ocean's currents are too strong, making him even angrier. Through the story, he learns to release his anger through deep breathing and relaxation techniques.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Anger management, relaxation techniques, stress relief
  • Why we recommend this book: It introduces children to simple, effective techniques for calming down, such as breathing exercises and muscle relaxation.
  • Perfect for: Young children who need practical tools to help manage their anger and stress, especially in challenging situations.

• Mad Isn't Bad: A Child's Book About Anger by Michaelene Mundy, illustrated by R.W. Alley
  • Genre(s): Children's Fiction, Emotional Learning
  • Synopsis: This book addresses that it's okay for children to feel angry, but it's important to handle these feelings in constructive ways. It offers various scenarios and solutions for managing anger.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, communication skills
  • Why we recommend this book: It provides a straightforward, comforting approach to dealing with anger, emphasizing that anger is a normal emotion but needs to be expressed appropriately.
  • Perfect for: Children who are learning to articulate and manage their emotions, as well as educators and therapists seeking resources for teaching emotional management.

Challenging Books About Anger for 5-Year-Olds

• Grumpy Monkey by Suzanne Lang, illustrated by Max Lang
  • Genre(s): Children's Fiction, Emotional Learning
  • Synopsis: Jim Panzee wakes up grumpy and despite his friends’ attempts to cheer him up, his mood worsens. The story explores the concept that it’s okay to feel grumpy sometimes.
  • Why this book is challenging: The narrative delves into complex emotions and acknowledges that it's alright not to feel okay, which can be a profound concept for young readers.
  • Why we recommend this book: It teaches children that everyone has bad days and that acknowledging one’s feelings is healthier than suppressing them.
  • Perfect for: Young readers who are learning to understand and accept their emotions.

• When Miles Got Mad by Sam Kurtzman-Counter and Abbie Schiller
  • Genre(s): Children's Fiction, Emotional Learning
  • Synopsis: When his younger brother breaks his favorite toy, Miles gets really mad. His anger is personified as a red monster who helps him understand and manage his feelings.
  • Why this book is challenging: It uses the metaphor of a monster to represent anger, which encourages young readers to visualize and thus manage their emotions in an abstract way.
  • Why we recommend this book: This book helps children recognize their anger, understand why they feel that way, and find constructive solutions.
  • Perfect for: Children who need help expressing and managing strong emotions.

• Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes
  • Genre(s): Children's Fiction, Emotional Learning
  • Synopsis: Lilly loves everything about school, especially her teacher, until he confiscates her new purple plastic purse for being too disruptive. Lilly’s anger leads to actions she later regrets.
  • Why this book is challenging: The story tackles themes of anger, regret, and forgiveness, providing a nuanced view of emotional responses and consequences.
  • Why we recommend this book: It’s a great narrative about impulse control, the repercussions of actions made in anger, and the importance of apologies.
  • Perfect for: Young students who are still learning how to behave appropriately in social settings like school.

• Ravi's Roar by Tom Percival
  • Genre(s): Children's Fiction, Emotional Learning
  • Synopsis: Ravi is the smallest in his family and often feels overlooked, which makes him incredibly angry, transforming him into a roaring tiger.
  • Why this book is challenging: It uses the transformation of a boy into a tiger as a metaphor for losing control due to anger, which can stimulate advanced thinking about self-control and emotions in young readers.
  • Why we recommend this book: It creatively shows the impact of anger and the importance of understanding and expressing feelings in a healthy way.
  • Perfect for: Children who feel overwhelmed by their emotions and need a creative depiction of managing feelings.

Exercises to Develop a Good Reading Habit

Hey there! If you're exploring books about anger management for your 5-year-old, it's a fantastic way to help them understand and control their emotions. But why not boost the experience with some simple reading exercises? These activities can make reading more engaging and help your child develop good reading habits early on. Here’s a list of exercises tailored just for young readers:

• Read Together Daily
  • What it is: Set aside a specific time each day to read a book together.
  • How it helps: Encourages a routine and makes reading a shared, enjoyable experience.
  • Tips: Let your child pick the book sometimes to increase their interest.

• Discuss the Story
  • What it is: Talk about the book's events and characters after reading.
  • How it helps: Enhances comprehension and allows your child to express feelings.
  • Tips: Ask open-ended questions to encourage more detailed responses.

• Act Out Scenes
  • What it is: Pick a scene from the book and act it out together.
  • How it helps: Helps with memory retention and understanding of the emotional content.
  • Tips: Use simple props or costumes to make it more fun and engaging.

• Draw the Story
  • What it is: Have your child draw scenes or characters from the book.
  • How it helps: Encourages creative expression and reinforces story recall.
  • Tips: Discuss the drawings to understand your child's perspective and interpretation.

• Story Prediction
  • What it is: Before turning the page, ask your child what they think will happen next.
  • How it helps: Develops critical thinking and anticipation skills.
  • Tips: Praise creative answers, even if they diverge from the actual storyline.

These exercises aren't just about reading; they're about building a stronger bond with your child and helping them navigate their emotions through the stories they read. Incorporate these activities into your reading routine, and watch your little one grow not only in their reading skills but also in their emotional intelligence. Happy reading!