Building Emotional Intelligence in Kids: Summer Reading Guide by Age

Reading together is one of the most natural and powerful ways to build your child’s emotional intelligence (EQ). Emotional intelligence skills enable your child to navigate challenges, overcome setbacks, build strong relationships, and become the kind, collaborative, and capable kid you want them to be. When you read and talk about stories together, you can help your child learn how to identify and manage their own emotions through relatable moments.

Our summer reading guide provides three weeks of age-appropriate reading activities for children to help Tampa Bay parents build EQ at home. No prep required: just read (or watch) and talk!

• Ages 4-7: Naming Feelings & Self-Awareness
• Ages 7-9: Empathy & Kindness
• Ages 9-11: Self-Regulation & Problem Solving

Each week focuses on one book and includes a corresponding read-aloud video on YouTube, easy conversation questions, and an interactive EQ skill to practice together.

Summer Reading Guide for Ages 4-7: Naming Feelings & Self-Awareness

Young children are just beginning to identify and label their emotions. These three books use color, expression, and relatable moments to open the door to talking about emotions.

Week 1: “The Color Monster” by Anna Llenas

The storyline follows a monster who wakes up with all his emotions jumbled together and tangled up inside him, not knowing how he feels. A little girl helps him sort through his confusion by guiding him to place each emotion in its own jar and assign a color to each. The story is a helpful tool for building a child’s emotional literacy.

Week 2: “When I’m Feeling Happy” by Trace Moroney

“When I’m Feeling Happy” gently explores what happiness feels like through the eyes of a young rabbit, touching on everyday moments that spark joy, like playing with friends, spending time with family, and simple acts of kindness. Rather than following a traditional story, it invites children to recognize how happiness shows up in their bodies and behavior while encouraging them to reflect on what makes them personally happy.

Week 3: “The Way I Feel” by Janan Cain

“The Way I Feel” explores a range of emotions, like happiness, anger, fear, jealousy, and silliness, through colorful, expressive illustrations and simple rhyming text. Rather than following a single storyline, the book moves through different feelings one by one, describing what each emotion feels like and what might cause it, helping children connect physical sensations and everyday situations to emotional words. It reassures kids that all their feelings, even the big or uncomfortable ones, are normal and okay to have.

Summer Reading Guide for Ages 7-9: Empathy & Kindness

At this age, kids are growing more aware of the people around them. These stories help them practice seeing the world through someone else’s eyes — and taking small, meaningful action.

Week 1: “Have You Filled a Bucket Today?” by Carol McCloud

“Have You Filled a Bucket Today?” uses the metaphor of an invisible bucket to teach children about kindness, empathy, and positive behavior. The book encourages readers to be “bucket fillers” by performing simple, kind acts like smiling, saying hi, or writing thank-you notes, which in turn fill their own buckets and make the world a better place.

Week 2: “Kindness is My Superpower” by Alicia Ortego

“Kindness is My Superpower” uses rhyming text and colorful illustrations to teach skills like empathy, kindness, and compassion, showing that it’s okay to make mistakes and apologize, and encourages positive behaviors like sharing, helping others, and being respectful.

Week 3: “I Walk with Vanessa” by Kerascoët

“I Walk with Vanessa” is a wordless picture book that tells a powerful story about kindness and anti-bullying through illustrations alone. It shows how one girl’s simple act of walking with a new, lonely classmate inspires a whole community to join in, demonstrating that actions speak louder than words, and that collective kindness can create change. 

Summer Reading Guide for Ages 9-11: Self-Regulation & Problem Solving

Older kids benefit from stories that show choices in action — and the ripple effects those choices can have. These books spark conversations about listening, managing big feelings, and navigating friendships.

Week 1: “What Should Danny Do?” by Adir Levy & Ganit Levy

“What Should Danny Do?” is an interactive, “choose your own story” book where the reader makes choices for the main character, Danny, a superhero-in-training, to determine the outcome of his school day. It’s designed to empower kids to understand that their choices shape their day and life, with different paths leading to positive or negative results.  

Week 2: “Listening with My Heart” by Gabi Garcia

“Listening with My Heart” is about a girl named Esperanza who learns to extend kindness and compassion to herself, not just others, after a setback during a school play. The story includes mindfulness and self-compassion activities to help children build emotional resilience and self-acceptance. 

Week 3: “Enemy Pie” by Derek Munson

“Enemy Pie” teaches lessons about friendship, bullying, and overcoming prejudice through a humorous and heartwarming narrative about a boy whose father helps him use a secret family recipe to get rid of his enemy. The recipe involves spending a day with him and being nice, which ultimately turns the enemy into a friend.

More Resources for Tampa Bay Parents to Build EQ at Home

Frameworks of Tampa Bay is your trusted partner in helping develop your child’s emotional intelligence so they can succeed personally, academically, and professionally. From parent workshops and school partnerships to resources you can use at home, we’re here to support you.

• Find practical tips for families on our blog.
• Download our Feelings Wheels by age to use with your child.