When Little Worries Feel Big: How Stories Can Help Children Feel More Secure
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By Lidia LoPinto
A new classroom. A first day at camp. The fear of making a mistake or being left out. Things that seem small to adults can feel enormous to a child.
Helping children cope with worries is part of parenting. But finding the right words can be difficult. “Don’t worry” may come from love, yet a child still needs help understanding what to do with that feeling.
That is why I wrote The Worry Monster and Lily Faces the Worry Monster. These illustrated stories give families a gentle way to talk about fears, insecurities, and the courage it takes to try something new.
Joey’s Story: The Worry Monster
Joey loves playing and exploring, but unfamiliar situations bring doubts. Going to camp or starting school becomes harder when the Worry Monster begins whispering fears into his ear.
With encouragement from Positron, his superhero doll with a golden cape, Joey discovers that he can take a step forward even while feeling nervous.
The story gives worry a character children can recognize and discuss. A confusing feeling becomes something they can name. Joey’s experience carries an encouraging lesson: feeling scared does not mean you are incapable of trying.
Written for ages four to eight, the book features watercolor illustrations and a song available through a QR code on the back cover.
For a parent reading alongside a child, Joey offers a natural opening: “Have you ever felt worried about trying something new?”
Lily’s Story: Lily Faces the Worry Monster
Lily enjoys her friends and exploring the world around her. But sometimes the Worry Monster appears, making her feel anxious and afraid.
Through gentle breathing exercises and imagination, Lily learns to make her worries feel smaller. Her story introduces a simple practice children and adults can try together: pausing and taking calm breaths.
This picture book for ages four to eight combines vintage watercolor illustrations with an introduction to managing worried feelings. It also includes a song accessible through a QR code on the back cover.
Lily gives families something concrete to revisit. “Shall we try breathing with Lily?” can become a gentle invitation during an uncertain moment.
Buy Lily Faces the Worry Monster
Why These Books Keep Selling at Craft Shows
These two books are among my consistent best sellers at craft shows. Show after show, families choose them.
I believe their appeal comes from a familiar parenting need. Adults want to help a child who feels insecure, hesitates around new experiences, or worries about what might happen. They want a kind way to begin that conversation.
A story offers a shared starting point. Parents and grandparents can sit beside a child, look at the pictures, and talk about Joey or Lily. Children can join the conversation at their own pace, without being pressed to explain every feeling.
Consistent sales tell me that this subject matters to families. These books offer both a story to enjoy and a reason to spend time listening to one another.
A Kinder Way to Talk About Worries
After reading, try asking one simple question: “What would you say to Joey?” or “What helped Lily?”
Listen to the answer. Leave room for silence. A child may want to talk, reread a page, or simply enjoy being close to you.
The purpose is to offer reassurance, language, and practice. Children deserve to know that their worries can be heard without embarrassment and that they can ask for help.
Parenting includes teaching children how to live with uncertainty. A loving adult and a familiar story can make that lesson gentler.
Both books are available directly from me at Clover Leaf Media: