Help your child express their feelings with “The Colour Monster”
The Colour Monster by Anna Llenas(Templar, 2016)Good to Read for:Helping your child discuss their feelingsAffirming your childInspiring creativity Learning to articulate our emotions is a skill that needs constant honing and may take a lifetime to perfect. Young children, in particular, may not have the words to describe how they’re feeling (which is why they end up having tantrums).
Mental Health Foundation says ‘one of the most important ways parents or guardians can help [in supporting good mental health] is by listening to their children and taking their feelings seriously.’ This is where picture books come into their own, as they offer a safe way to explore complex emotions and a safe place – without distractions – to discuss the day’s events and help children find ways - and words - to express how they feel.
My Story Worth Sharing this week is a fantastic example of a picture book that does just that - in a gentle and entertaining way.
Meet the Colour Monster!
The Colour Monster by Anna Llenas (Templar 2016) is described by Book Trust as ‘[d]eceptively simple, surprisingly powerful and satisfyingly reassuring’. A book about feelings (and colours) it features a friendly, fuzzy monster. You know, the kind you’d find inhabiting Sesame Street. (Come to think of it, he does resemble Oscar the Grouch with that big, animated monobrow!)
Llenas’s art is so expressive - childlike in its simplicity and sheer exuberance, with intensely scribbled crayon marks and wild brush strokes. It’s a joy to behold!
Her story begins with the introduction of the Colour Monster (we turn the page and discover the narrator’s a little girl):
This is my friend the colour monster.
Today he’s all mixed up and very confused.
He doesn’t know why.
(His shaggy fur is a rainbow of red, yellow, green and blue.)
Look at you, you’re all over the place!
That’s because the monster’s ‘feelings are all stirred together’ - so his colours are too.
The girl then proceeds to help Colour Monster sort himself out. She names and describes how the emotions might feel, then divides them by colour, putting each into a separate jar.
Such a beautiful idea!
This is happiness.
It shines yellow like the sun and twinkles like the stars.
You feel bright and light. You laugh, you jump, you dance! You want to share that feeling with everyone.
So often, children are taught that negative emotions are wrong (or denied and brushed aside).
Stop crying.
Pull yourself together.
Calm down!
In a very visual way, the colour monster expresses emotions that we often pretend - even to ourselves - we don’t have.
Abject fear.
Sorrow.
Out and out, RAGE!
The strength of The Colour Monster is that Llenas doesn’t pass judgment on whether they are good or bad.
They just are.
This is anger.
It blazes red like fire.
Anger can make you want to stomp…
…and Rooooooaaaaaaarrr!
and shout, ‘It’s not fair!’
What’s lovely about this book is how it can spark discussion about feelings – and affirm children that it’s okay to feel (and think) differently from the next person. I first blogged about this book during the COVID lockdown in 2020 when my nephew, Isaac, was seven years old. Isaac is autistic - and he used to describe feelings as colours. We don’t all think the same - and might disagree with the colour associations presented in the story! For example, Llenas presents blue as sadness, ‘gentle like a rainy day’, whereas for Isaac, blue was his Happy Colour!
Similarly, Isaac sometimes considered red a ‘grumpy’ colour (‘because it’s as hot as the sun!’). But sometimes, red was his second Happy Colour, making him think of kisses.
Here’s Isaac associating feelings and colours:
“My Happy Colour is blue. ... It makes me feel [like I’m] flying in the sky like a bird and swimming a long way in the water.
Orange makes me feel calm, very calm, I mean, because it’s an inviting colour to me.
Yellow makes me feel happy, summery and smiley.
Green is my favourite colour. It makes me delightful! It’s a really comfortable colour to me. I love green plates as well. And black makes me feel as [if] I’m in the dark.”
- Isaac, aged 7A first-grade teacher explains why being able to discuss our emotions is so important:
Learning about feelings and emotions is part of developing positive self-esteem and better relationships with others. As a child’s emotional intelligence grows, they are increasingly able to use their emotional information to guide their own thinking and behaviour; in other words, to calm themselves down.
- Grade Onederful blogThe teacher goes on to explain that children who can name and understand their feelings can better handle the ups and downs of childhood. They are more confident and display a maturity that their peers lack.
So it was no surprise to read that The Colour Monster’s creator, Anna Llenas, cites her art psychotherapy training as an influence. Llenas ‘currently acts as a teacher and art therapist specialising in art and emotional education.’ Her experience in these fields shines through her work, making The Colour Monster a valuable addition to any bookshelf.
Kids will also find The Colour Monster creatively inspiring. I know I do! The cover art first attracted me to it: the charming monster sits peacefully blowing a series of coloured button-like bubbles. Llenas’ art stands out for her confident use of collage. Often with thick bits of card (they look like pieces of old cardboard boxes) which cast pleasing, soft shadows onto the backgrounds. It almost feels like you could pick the bits up from off the page!
Look, kids! it shouts. You can make some awesome art using things from around the house.
Colour some old bits of card, cut out some shapes, piece them together and see what you can create. (Interestingly, this is very similar to the way that Chris Haughton develops his art for books like A Bit Lost and Shh! We have a Plan.)
The Colour Monster concludes with a new colour.
‘You look different, Colour Monster! Er…how do you feel now?’
Radiating hearts, coloured with shades of pink and smiling from ear to ear - the illustration says it all!
3 practical tips for sharing The Colour Monster with your childAs you read, take time to pause on each emotion. Ask open-ended questions to help your child begin to recognise and articulate their emotions. For example:
“Have you ever felt this way?”
“What colour would you choose for that feeling?”
After reading, encourage your child to draw their own "feeling monsters”, or follow the book’s lead and create some feelings jars.
Use The Colour Monster as a reference during emotional moments.
Saying things like, “Are your colours all mixed up today?” or “Which jar do you think this feeling belongs in?” gives children a visual, non-judgmental way to express how they feel (especially when words are hard to find).
Books about feelings
Big Rabbit’s Bad Mood by Ramona Badescu & Delphine Durand
Goodbye Bear by Jane Chapman
Penguin by Polly Dunbar
Weasel Is Worried by Ciara Gavin & Tim Warnes
Don’t Worry, Little Crab by Chris Haughton
The Boy with Flowers in His Hair by Jarvis
The Colour Monster by Anna Llenas
Angry Arthur by Hiawyn Oram & Satoshi Kitamura
I’M ANGRY by Michael Rosen & Robert Starling
My Many Coloured Days by Dr Seuss & Steve Johnson,Lou Fancher
How Selfish! by Clare Welsh & Olivier Tallec
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“fabulous artwork”– Kirkus Reviews
- GeekMom
BUY U.K. BUY U.S.A. * I EARN COMMISSION FROM THESE LINKS #AD/AFF RELATED ARTICLES SOURCESThe Colour Monster by Anna Llenas (Templar 2016) - Used by permissionThe Colour Monster review - BookTrustFeelings Are Important: The Color Monster Book Review and Activities (GradeOnederful)Mental Health Foundation: Children and Young People Are you stuck for quality stories that you and your kids will enjoy? Sign up for recommendations and tips. SIGN UP HERE A version of this article was originally published 2020.© 2020, 2025 BY TIM WARNES(UNLESS OTHERWISE ATTRIBUTED)****USE OF THIRD-PARTY COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL FALLS UNDER FAIR USE/FAIR DEALING PRACTICE
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