Ruby Finds a Worry by Tom Percival is a relatable story for all kids, and probably most adults too! When Ruby finds her worry, she tries to ignore it, but that only makes it grow larger. Ruby finally realizes that the only way to make her worry go away is to talk about it.
When I read this book to a 5th grade class earlier this week, it led to a discussion about how we all have worries. Sometimes we worry about the same things, like who will play with us at recess or sit with us at lunch, and some of our worries are more unique. But the class agreed- not talking about your worries never makes them go away. The kids all said this was a great book to read to any grade at our elementary school, and I think it could be used with younger children too. As we continue to see an increase in anxiety and worrying among young children, I know this is a book I will be reading to a lot more classes in the future.
