Stories can play important roles in helping children cope with problems
and overcome challenges. When young children make connections between
themselves and story characters, they can use those connections to learn
that other people face similar problems and gain inspiration for
overcoming difficulties. Bibliotherapy, the therapeutic use of stories
in children’s lives, is an approach used by counselors and health
practitioners, librarians, educators, and families. In bibliotherapy,
stories are used in supporting discussions between children and caring
adults of children’s concerns, and as promoters for studying diverse
issues that are meaningful for children’s mental health and moral
development. While stories are often used in a therapeutic way,
educators and families may be unaware of bibliotherapy and the
strategies that can be implemented to make the therapeutic use of books,
poems, films, and other forms of children’s literature more intentional
and successful. This chapter presents developmental bibliotherapy as a
tool to support young children’s social and emotional growth and
provides suggestions for educators and families.