Therapeutic Picture Books

Therapist-written read-aloud books for all ages — each book includes a glossary of feeling words in the back

Written by a Licensed Therapist · Read Aloud, Together

These picture books were created by Ryann DeSouza, LMFT — a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 16 years of clinical experience — as a practical resource for anyone who wants to better understand feelings like anxiety, anger, grief, friendship and loss. The stories are simple, the illustrations are warm, and the themes are universal.

Every book includes a glossary of feeling words in the back, with clear explanations that help the reader name and understand the emotions in the story. Building a shared vocabulary for emotions is one of the first and most important steps in emotional literacy — and that's what these books are designed to do, whether the reader is a young child, a teen, an adult, or a client in therapy.

They work beautifully at bedtime, in classrooms, in waiting rooms, in individual or family therapy sessions, with clients who benefit from simpler language (including adults on the autism spectrum, clients with intellectual or developmental differences, and ESL learners), and anywhere a gentle conversation about feelings is welcome. One title, Aurora hace amigos, is available in Spanish for bilingual readers.

All titles are available worldwide on Amazon — ship to any country Amazon serves, or request them through your favorite local bookshop.

Aurora Makes Friends — a therapeutic picture book about social skills and social anxiety by Ryann DeSouza, LMFT

Aurora Makes Friends

For all ages · Read-aloud picture book · Feeling-words glossary

Follow Aurora as she works up the courage to make new friends. A gentle, read-aloud story about social skills and social anxiety — the shy feeling, the nervous feeling, and the relief that comes with connection. The feeling-words glossary in the back gives the reader a ready-made vocabulary for talking about friendships and worries.

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Aurora hace amigos — libro ilustrado en español sobre habilidades sociales y ansiedad social

Aurora hace amigos

Para todas las edades · Libro ilustrado en español · Glosario de emociones

La edición en español de Aurora Makes Friends. Un libro ilustrado para leer en voz alta sobre habilidades sociales y ansiedad social, apto para lectores de cualquier edad. Al final del libro hay un glosario de palabras sobre emociones, pensado para facilitar conversaciones sobre sentimientos. Ideal para familias y lectores bilingües.

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Belle and Her Anger — a therapeutic picture book about anger management and assertive communication by Ryann DeSouza, LMFT

Belle and Her Anger

For all ages · Read-aloud picture book · Feeling-words glossary

Meet Belle, a character learning what to do when big anger arrives. This read-aloud picture book is about anger management and assertive communication, modeling healthy ways to recognize, name and express strong feelings — a message that's useful at any age. The feeling-words glossary in the back makes it easy to keep the conversation going after the last page.

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Jay and The Enchanted Lilac Bush — a therapeutic picture book about friendship and wonder by Ryann DeSouza, LMFT

Jay and The Enchanted Lilac Bush

For all ages · Read-aloud picture book · Feeling-words glossary

Step into Jay's world and rediscover the magic of curiosity, friendship and wonder. A warm read-aloud picture book that invites the reader to slow down and savor small joys. The feeling-words glossary in the back helps name the quieter emotions — wonder, joy, gratitude — that so often get overlooked.

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The Green Ghost — a therapeutic picture book about grief, loss and family togetherness by Ryann DeSouza, LMFT

The Green Ghost

For all ages · Read-aloud picture book · Feeling-words glossary

A gentle read-aloud story about loss, displacement, grief and change, with the comfort of friendship and family togetherness woven through it. Written by a licensed therapist as a tool for anyone supporting someone through a hard season — or navigating one themselves. The feeling-words glossary in the back offers language for sadness, missing someone, and finding hope again.

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Who These Books Are For

Simple language and universal themes mean these books speak to readers of any age. A few of the ways people use them:

Families & Caregivers

A bedtime-friendly way to open conversations with children, partners, or parents about anxiety, anger, friendship, grief and loss.

Teachers & Counselors

Classroom and group read-alouds for social-emotional learning (SEL) across K–12, with a built-in feeling-words glossary for follow-up discussion.

Therapists & Counselors

Gentle therapeutic prompts for individual, couples, family and group sessions — with children and adults alike. Written by an LMFT with 16+ years of clinical experience.

Adult Readers

Building (or rebuilding) your emotional vocabulary as an adult is powerful work. These books make feelings easier to name, think about, and talk about — at your own pace.

Autism & Developmental Support

Clear language and the feeling-words glossary make the books a helpful tool for clients on the autism spectrum and those with intellectual or developmental differences, at any age.

ESL & Bilingual Readers

Simple sentences and a feeling-words glossary make these books a useful bridge for English-language learners. Aurora hace amigos is available in Spanish.

Interested in therapy for yourself, your child or your family? Ryann DeSouza, LMFT sees clients in person in Burlingame, CA and via telehealth across California, Virginia and West Virginia. Schedule a consultation.

Where to Buy

Available worldwide on Amazon — and carried at these independent bookshops and locations:

Amazon (Worldwide)

California (In Person)

Florida (In Person)

Outside the US? The books are also available on Amazon UK, Amazon Canada, Amazon Australia, Amazon DE, Amazon FR, Amazon IT, Amazon ES, Amazon JP, Amazon MX and other Amazon regions — search for "Ryann DeSouza" on your local Amazon store.