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Our Parenting Collection

Our Parenting Collection is a curated selection of kids’ picture books that can be of use to parents and carers when they need to have various ‘life conversations’ with their young children. Children are learning everything about their world, and helping them learn can be a big job: What will my new sister be like? Why do I have to brush my teeth? How do I know if I’m angry or sad? What does it mean if my friend is different to me? How did Grandpa die? What is death? How big is space? Why isn’t the moon made of green cheese? 

We’ve selected books that can help with these questions and many more, and divided them up into five sections, grouping them for easy use:

  • Day-to-day and new experiences
  • Wellbeing and emotional intelligence
  • Diversity and diverse families
  • Difficult feelings and emotions, and
  • The big questions.

And the best news is these books are available to borrow like any other picture books, so take them home, introduce them into your reading time and conversations with your kids, and learn together. 

Day-to-day and new experiences

The books in this section help you and your child talk about common experiences that children 0 and 6 may encounter, such as visits to doctors, brushing hair, welcoming a new baby brother etc. These books are excellent tools for preparing children for upcoming and predictable changes, as well as managing regular tasks or situations, helping them to navigate small but tricky hurdles with confidence. 

Wellbeing and emotional intelligence

The books in this section help you and your child get to grips with their growing emotional life, including the natural ups and downs that come with their emerging personality and sense of self. Research shows that children who can better recognise, accept, and regulate their emotions enjoy positive lifelong benefits across all aspects of life. And parents and carers can grow along with them!

Diversity and diverse families

The books in this section help you and your child understand, accept, and even celebrate differences between themselves and others across a range of spectrums, including race, disability, skin colour, neurodiversity, religion, family structure etc. Full of ‘Own Voices’ picture books, this sub-collection provides parents and carers with a safe and supportive foundation for positively introducing the concept of difference to children.

Difficult Feelings and Situations

The books in this section help you and your child grapple with the most difficult emotions and experiences: grief, loneliness, isolation, and pain. Your child may be coping with the death of a grandparent, parent, sibling, friend, or pet. They may be adjusting to the loss of a beloved home after a move, dealing with a traumatic illness, or feeling overwhelmed or unhappy due to a difference or disability.

This collection offers valuable support. It provides parents and carers with tools to help children acknowledge, understand and accept their feelings, which can be the first step towards healing.

The Big Questions

The books in this section help parents and carers address the big, curious questions children often ask about life’s mysteries—questions we may not fully understand ourselves. Questions like: Why do people die? How big is the universe? What is poverty? Why are things unfair? What am I made of? How did I get here?

These books provide a starting point for thoughtful conversations. They help parents and carers move past feeling stunned or speechless and embark on a journey of life-learning together.

How to find Parenting Collection books on the library catalogue

  1. Go to the library catalogue
  2. Click Advanced search (just below the search bar)
  3. Change ‘Collection’ to Parenting Collection
  4. Click Search

Books listed on this page: