Reading for Wellbeing: Finding Belonging for Children’s Mental Health Week 2026
A Look at the BooksForTopics Book Recommendations for Children’s Mental Health Week 2026
This week marks Children’s Mental Health Week (9th-15th February 2026), an annual campaign led by the charity Place2Be to shine a spotlight on the importance of children’s emotional wellbeing.
The theme for 2026 is ‘This is My Place’, focusing on the vital role that belonging plays in a child’s mental health. Whether at home, in the community or within the school gates, feeling accepted and in place is a fundamental human need that builds the resilience children need to thrive.
As teachers and librarians, we know that a sense of belonging isn’t always easily found. For many pupils, the school library or a quiet reading corner provides that essential safe haven – a place where they can see their own lives reflected in a story or find an entry point into discussing difficult emotions. High-quality literature is a powerful tool for boosting this connection, helping children say with confidence, This is my place.
Explore our Mental Health Children’s Booklist here.
Books that Champion the Power of Belonging
To support this year’s theme, our review panel has highlighted several key titles from our Mental Health Booklist that explore identity and inclusion. For Key Stage 2, ‘The Mystery of the Colour Thief’ is a standout choice; it offers a moving exploration of reclaiming hope and finding one’s sense of belonging after a period of darkness.
Similarly, ‘Not My Fault’ by Cath Howe provides a nuanced look at the importance of peer support and the weight of unspoken feelings.
For younger readers, building emotional literacy is the first step toward feeling secure in their environment. Personified stories like Tom Percival’s ‘Ruby’s Worry’ or the gentle ‘Me and My Fear’ are essential classroom staples that help children understand that everyone has “big feelings” and that sharing them is the key to connection.
For a more lighthearted but equally effective approach, Shinsuke Yoshitake’s ‘Why Do I Feel Like This?’ helps pupils navigate the ever-shifting nature of their moods with wit and reliability.
➡️ Click here to see the full Children’s Mental Health Booklist.
A Lasting Resource for Your School’s Wellbeing
While Children’s Mental Health Week provides a wonderful focal point, the need for emotional literacy and wellbeing support is a year-round priority for every school. Our curated Children’s Mental Health Booklist is designed to be an evergreen resource for your PSHE curriculum, ELSA interventions and general classroom provision.
From the storm of anger in ‘When I See Red’ to the quiet reflection of ‘Michael Rosen’s Sad Book’, these expert-vetted titles provide the vocabulary pupils need to express themselves.
We invite you to explore the full list to find the perfect stories to help the children in your school feel seen, valued and at home in their learning journey.
Putting the Best Books into Pupils’ Hands with Book Packs
We know that for busy teachers and librarians, sourcing individual titles can be time-consuming, and school budgets must always be stretched as far as possible. To make it easier for schools to refresh their wellbeing provision, we have continued our partnership with Peters to offer expertly curated book packs based on our most popular lists.
The Mental Health Awareness and Emotional Literacy & ELSA book packs are available to purchase as full collections directly from Peters, with a 20% discount for schools.
These packs ensure that you have a physical library of tried-and-tested stories ready to hand, whether you are planning a whole-school assembly for Children’s Mental Health Week or looking for specific stories to support a small-group intervention.
You can find these packs, alongside our Year Group Recommended Reads, on the BooksforTopics page at Peters.
Quick Links to Our Wellbeing Collections
If you are looking for specific titles to support your PSHE or ELSA provision, you can explore our full, expert-vetted collections via the links below:
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Full Children’s Mental Health Booklist – Our comprehensive guide to stories that open up conversations about wellbeing and resilience.
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Emotional Literacy & ELSA Booklist – Curated specifically for school-based emotional literacy support assistants and PSHE leads.
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Bereavement, Grief & Loss Booklist – Sensitive stories to help children navigate the most difficult of life’s journeys.
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Confidence-Boosting Picturebooks – Uplifting reads designed to help younger children find their voice and build self-esteem.
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Buy the Full Mental Health Book Pack from Peters – Save 20% when you purchase our recommended titles as a complete collection for your school.
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Where next?
Visit the Mental Health Children’s Booklist here.
> Visit our Reading for Pleasure Hub.
> Browse our Topic Booklists.
> See our Books of the Month.
> View our Year Group booklists