Many gifted students experience stress and/or anxiety that they are unable to control. The stress can be related to a single act, subject, event, or be wide-spread and occur at any time about anything. Below are some books that are useful for helping lower-elementary gifted school children cope with their stress and/or anxiety.
This book is a must-have for all gifted classrooms. Although it is written for the younger age group (ages 8-11) it is engaging and informative for students of all ages. It is easy to understand but its complicated vocabulary and advanced sentence structures place it in the upper-elementary reading level. For a gifted child advanced in reading, it is manageable as an independent read. Otherwise, an adult will need to read it aloud. It is part of the Emotional Impact Series by Dr. Adolph Moser and is written as a handbook for kids.
Because it is a handbook for kids, the book is written in a different style than a traditional picture book (even though it is full of illustrations). The book explains why children and adults feel stress and tells what stress can do to your body and mind. The book also explains practical stress management techniques including deep breathing strategies, guided imagery, and muscle relaxation. All of the strategies can be used without spending any money or requiring additional materials, making them easy to implement anywhere at any time.
Whether using this book in the classroom or at home, I recommend the following discussion questions to further critical thinking about stress and how to manage it:
1. What are some reasons children feel stress? What are some reasons adults feel stress?
2. Have you ever felt stress for similar reasons? When?
3. Have you noticed adults feeling stress for similar reasons? When?
4. What do you usually do to eliminate stress? Does it work? Why do you think it does/doesn’t work?
5. How can you alleviate (stop) stress in your life in the future?
6. What can you do if you notice a friend or family member experiencing stress?
The Worrywarts is a fantastic picture book about a Wombat, Weasel, and Woodchuck who are best friends but they are constantly worrying and think about “What if….” situations. Their worries are impractical, imagined dangers that provide humor throughout the story. The overall message of the book is clear for children: You can always dream of something to worry about, but you can’t let your worries change your plans or “hold you down.”
This book is different than other worry-themed books I have read because the three main characters embark on their journey together and rely on one another, teaching the importance of being a good friend. I also think that the friendship theme in the book offers a different perspective to worrying for gifted students. It illustrates that worrying about things doesn’t mean you won’t (or can’t) have good, dependable friends. It also shows commonalities among peers; there are other people who also worry that you can identify with.
**Although it is relatively new, this book is no longer in print. It is a great resource, however, so I strongly recommend ordering it from www.Amazon.com.**
In this book, Wemberly Worried, Wemberly is a shy and timid mouse who is constantly worrying. She worries about EVERYTHING. Some of Wemberly's worries are silly (Will I shrink in the bathtub and go down the drain?) while others are very valid for a small child (being worried about school, your parents getting hurt, or a tree falling down). By the end of the book Wemberly still has some worries, but realizes that new things (like school) can be fun.
This picture book is great for gifted children who experience stress and anxiety because Wemberly is easy to identify with. The book is full of colorful illustrations and it keeps the subject of worry and anxiety light, as some of Wemberly’s worries make children laugh. I recommend using this book at home with your child before the first day of school or alleviate any stress he/she may be feeling about such a big change in his/her life.
I recommend using this book before creating a Worry Box. A Worry Box can be as big or small as you need it to be. I like using old tissue boxes because they already have a hole on top. To use a Worry Box the child writes down their worry (or draws a picture if he/she cannot write), folds it up, and puts it in the box, signifying that they have recognized their worry and can now remove it from his/her current thoughts.
I like using the book and activity as a whole-group activity and discussion prompt. After the story, everyone writes down something they are worried about and puts it in the box. The box is then passed and each student reads a worry they pull out. The class discusses the worry before passing the box to the next student. I like how each child’s worry is recognized and validated by the child’s peers. I also like leaving the box in the room next to scrap paper for students to use whenever they feel stressed or worried. If they put their name on their paper, I discuss their worry individually with them at some point during the day. But, name or not, it is a place my students can eliminate worries from their current thinking and move on.
Discussion Questions:
*These can be used to aid the Worry Box activity. They can be slightly altered for use without engaging in the activity as well.
1. What is the worry?
2. What are some situations that might make someone feel this way?
3. Have you ever felt worried for the same reason? When?
4. What are some ways to avoid having this worry again in the future?
5. What do you do when you feel worried? (hug a stuffed animal, write about it, listen to music, read a book, etc.) Does it help eliminate your worry?
Below is a video of the book, Wemberly Worried, being read aloud. Enjoy!
