Books about substance use disorder and addiction by other authors:
“Bird” by Zetta Elliott, Illustrated by Shadra Strickland is a sensitively told story about a boy whose older brother has substance use disorder. His love of drawing and relationships with others in his family help him to cope with his sense of loss.
“Addie's Mom Isn't Home Anymore: Addiction is scary - especially when you don't know what it is” is told from the perspective of Addie, a young girl who is confused about who she can trust in the face of her mother’s addiction. It’s written by Genia Calvin, MA, LPC, CSOTP, and illustrated by Laura Faraei.
“Stoney the Pony's Most Inspiring Year: Teaching Children About Addiction Through Metaphor” by Linda Myers and illustrated by Sarah Foreman-Manzano handles the topic of addiction in a manner that can enable children to better understand what addiction is and how it affects the people they love. It includes “Points for Parents.”
“What the Heck is Opioid Addiction?” was written in 2018 by 5th graders Angelina Dioguardi, Clayton Russell, and Quincy Sirko to raise awareness about the opioid crisis, focusing on the science of addiction and how opioids can affect the brain.
“Someone I love Died from a Drug Overdose” by Melody Ray is a story about a young boy named Tommy who has a father who dies from substance use disorder. It’s an excellent tool for parents and caregivers. It includes a workbook, definitions, some facts, and a note to the adult reading the story.
“A Sickness You Can't See” Laura Washington, and illustrated by Nicla Marinobased is based on a true story of three children loving someone with an addiction. This book intended to help adults broach this difficult topic with children.
“The Tricky Sticky Addiction Monster” by Charlaine Sevigny and illustrated by Ricky Audi and Darren Sevigny tells the story of a young boy wose mom meets the Addiction Monster, and his path to learning he will be okay no matter what happens. It is geared towards children aged 5 - 10 years old.
“The King and the Monster: Let's Talk About Addiction” was written in 2023 by Kathi Lockwood, M.Ed. The king in this story uses guardian angels, a wisdom tree, and Healing Helpers to aid him in his journey to health and his joyful reunion with his family.
“High: Everything You Want to Know about Drugs, Alcohol, and Addiction” is a nonfiction book that draws on the experiences of the NY Times bestselling father/son team of David and Nic Sheff to provide all the information teens and tweens need to know about drugs, alcohol, and addiction.
“The Addictoholic Deconstructed: An Irreverently Quick and Dirty Education by a Doctor Who Says F*uck a Lot” by Nicole T. Labor, D.O with illustrations by Kevin Kolankowski is designed to explain the disease concept of addiction in a concise way to help every day people understand addiction.
“Timbi Talks about Addiction: Helping Children Cope with Parental Addiction.” by Janet Healey Hellier and Trish Healey Luna, and illustrated by Mackenzie Mitchell is meant to support children with a parent struggling with addiction by validating their varied emotions by describing, naming and normalizing them.
“An Elephant In the Living Room: The Children's Book” was written by Marion H. Typpo. Ph.D., Jill M. Hastings, M.S., illustrated by Mimi Nolan, and published by Hazelden. It uses "not talking about “the elephant in the room” to help start conversations.
“Hey, Kiddo: How I Lost My Mother, Found My Father, and Dealt with Family Addiction” by Jarrett J. Krosoczka is a young adult graphic memoir about growing up in a family grappling with addiction and finding the art that helps you survive..
“If You Give an Ox an Oxy: A Parod(ox)y” by Dr. Laura E. Happe, PharmD, and illustrated by Bryan Nigh is meant to connect with young people despite opioid use being a very serious and complex topic.
“The Addiction Monster: A Children’s Guide to Understanding the Dynamics of Drugs and Alcohol” by Janet Amptman and illustrated by David Amptman uses Narrative Therapy to help a little girl see her mother’s chemical dependency as a separate entity from her mother.
“Fresh Fables: The Dragon Who Lives at Our House - A Story Of What It Feels Like to Lose Control Of Your Life” by Elaine Mitchell Palmore and illustrated by Norris Hall tells a story of a dad who has an all consuming relationship with Al the Dragon.
