Bijal Shah

Bijal's journey into bibliotherapy began while completing a part-time diploma in psychodynamic counselling and experiencing therapy herself. At the time, she was working in investment banking after graduating with a Mathematics degree from the University of Warwick.

Whenever she explored a difficult feeling or life experience, she instinctively turned to books. Stories, myths and thoughtful recommendations helped put feelings into words — revealing how the right book can offer comfort, understanding and a new way forward.

That discovery led to years of research with leading bibliotherapy experts and the study of therapeutic reading's pioneers. Bijal developed a three-step method for matching books to the emotional experiences readers are navigating.

For children, the principle is gentle and practical: stories can help name a big feeling, make a child feel less alone and open conversations that may otherwise be hard to begin. Every list here is selected with parents, teachers and carers in mind, with age guidance to help find the right story at the right moment.

After leaving Deutsche Bank in London, Bijal founded Book Therapy as a bibliotherapy and literary curation practice. Her work now supports readers and professionals around the world, including counsellors, psychotherapists, life coaches, librarians, educators and social workers.

This children's A–Z is part of that work: a growing shelf of stories for worries, grief, friendship, change, confidence, identity and all the complicated parts of growing up.

Bijal is the author of Bibliotherapy: The Healing Power of Reading. Her recommendations have appeared in The Guardian, NBC News, Reader's Digest, Good Housekeeping, BBC Culture, Marie Claire and Asian Voice, among others.

She has delivered training, workshops and talks for the United Nations, the NHS, Storytel and international libraries, members' clubs and literature festivals. She also hosts the podcast Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah and writes the newsletter Bibliotherapy with Bijal.