Sam's Sadness Slips Out

by Kristin Ray, Audrey Suau (Illustrator)

“You are loved however you feel
You’re loved while you’re sad, and you’re loved while you heal.”

In gentle verse, this new illustrated children's book follows Sam as he moves through a day colored by sadness. He finds that bits of his sadness slip away during parts of his day, helping him to imagine a future with less sorrow. He is still sad as the book closes, but he is able to hear that he is loved and his feelings are accepted during times of sadness and times of healing.

For those seeking to support a child through sorrow or grief (including parents, caregivers, friends, therapists, counselors, or teachers), this beautifully illustrated picture book authored by a pediatrician is an excellent addition to any social-emotional learning bookshelf. The source of Sam’s sadness is not stated, and his sadness is not resolved at the end of the story, making this a good option for meeting children where they are in their own experience of sadness and healing. In classroom settings, Sam’s Sadness Slips Out can also open up conversation about how sadness feels in our bodies, how sorrow can wax and wane, and how to support each other through difficult times.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Paperback

Published July 12, 2024

About the author

Kristin Ray is an author of children's books as well as a practicing general pediatrician and a parent. In each of these roles, she cares deeply about children and families and believes in the power of stories to support children in making sense of their worlds. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

lovely book-highly recommend

What a nice book to let kids know their sadness is ok and will pass. The rhyming scheme helps the book flow and the art work is terrific and an amazing fit to the text.
I’m a retired school librarian and have read and professionally reviewed a gazillion kid book and this is a stand out. Recommended for ages 3-8.
*The author is a relative but my review is not influenced by this. The book is fantastic!

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is exactly the kind of book I needed when I was a young child struggling with depression & suicidal ideation. The gentle verses and touching images brought me to tears and helped me reconnect with my inner child. It's such a comforting read that I felt a wave of warmth and support wash over me, reminding me that kindness can come from unexpected places.

I'm planning to buy a couple of copies to share through BookCrossing, hoping they find their way into the hands of children or adults who are experiencing sadness and could use a little support, even if it’s just from a stranger. Thank you, Ms. Ray, for writing such a much-needed book. It’s a beautiful reminder that we’re not alone and that a simple book can make a big difference.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful story about a little boy named Sam, who is experiencing sad feelings. Sam finds healthy ways to cope with his sadness and shares this with his mother. This is a great book for young and old, to remind us we all feel sad and can find ways to let the sadness out until we find joy again.
The illustrations are exceptional.
Thank you for selecting me to review this book in the Goodreads giveaway. This will be added to my collection and recommended to others, personally and professionally.

[Diana Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think too often we forget that children too can experience sadness and depression. Depression runs in my family and this really puts it on a child’s level. One of my children especially goes through this.

I read a book Night Falls Fast by Kay Jamison that made the excellent point that we talk to kids about all kinds of sensitive topics, but we overwhelmingly skip depression.

I think this is a great book for younger children who just need to know, sometimes you get sad, and that is okay. But the sadness does not last forever.

[Savanah Rockman · Rating 5 out of 5]

My child struggled with sadness for a while and we read this one together. I put it on her kindle so she can refer back to it so she knows she isn’t alone. Great book for kids so they can understand that everyone gets sad sometimes and that it will get better. ❤️

[Shan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, a really good book that will definitely help kids understand and deal with their grief. In a nutshell, this book achieves its goal. Teachers, parents, guardians, and babysitters will love having this book as a tool to help kids that are dealing with feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and grief. This book helps to take some of the work off of the adult, while still giving the child the amount of support they need. On top of that, the illustrations (especially the coloring) perfectly complement the core theme of the book. At first, colors are gray and drab, but as Sam realizes that this bad feeling is temporary, color comes back to the pages. This was such a smart choice to make, and it adds a lot to the story.
My only critique is I think there is a lack of substance in the plot/story. It's great that the author included moments where Sam attempts to use coping skills to ease his sadness, but it got worn out fast. A couple times is great, three at the maximum, but when that's the bulk of your story it loses its efficacy. Additionally, I thought there would be more to the singing aspect, but it never got off the ground. I think that taking the singing and making something more out of it would give the story a lot more substance, and it would ultimately make the book worthy of my 5 stars.
Generally, though, this book is going to be such a great resource for kids to use when they are dealing with a tough emotion such as sadness.
Special thanks to author Kristin Ray for gifting me this book for a review. #kristinray

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I send my thanks to Kristin Ray, M.D., author and Audrey Suau, illustrator, along with Goodreads First Reads Giveaway for the eBook copy of Sam's Sadness Slips Out that I won in the Giveaway.

After teacher other early childhood educators about preschool reading skills, I know an excellent children's book when I see one and Sam's Sadness Slips Out is one of them.

The subject is so important to young children that are dealing with learning to control emotions and get along with others. It can be had to feel sad and move on for this age group. This book uses gentle pictures with soft colors that reflect the mood of the text and they match perfectly. I am so happy to have received this book in the Giveaway and I will be sharing it with preschool children every chance I get when I volunteer to read to them now that I am retired. The first small group of four-year-olds loved it.

[Nathan Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. Great book to share with your child dealing with sadness. Every child deals with this at some point, so this is a very relevant book to keep on hand.

I loved this book. The story explains how it's ok to be sad sometimes, shows some healthy ways to express your sadness, and reminds kids that they are loved and that sadness is only temporary. I'm also a sucker for the well-executed rhyming couplets.

The artwork is beautiful and engaging. It doesn't just depict the words; it conveys tone and adds to the value of the story. The layout of the art was thoughtful which made flipping through the pages and reading the words quite enjoyable. The color theme advances from from dark and dreary to bright and happy as Sam's sadness slips out.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this E-book free through Goodreads Giveaways.
This is a sweet story about sadness. Sam awakens feeling sad and sees things in grey. Throughout the day, he uses different coping skills to help let the sadness go. At bedtime, Sam's mom helps him to understand that his feelings are valid and that is okay to feel what he feels. Sam feels encouraged and he drifts off dreaming of brighter days ahead, knowing he won't always feel that way.

[Sarah Sims · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sadness is ok

A sweet story about a little boy who allows himself to feel bad and experiences a day of growth, learning to let the sadness have its moment and then slip away through art, music, play, poetry, and the love of his cat and mother.
The artwork is simple but fits well and could tell the story all on its own.

[Jessica simpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a book about being sad. I liked that as the book progressed Sam was able to find ways to relieve some of his sadness while normalizing that it’s okay to be sad. It was a little darker than I thought but I liked it and read it to my kids.

[Brittany Ribeiro · Rating 5 out of 5]

a great book to read to your kids

Won this on goodreads giveaways for my sisters kids . Great book to read for teaching kids how to express their emotions and feelings in a healthy way . And I highly recommend this book

[Gabriela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for describing sadness to kids

The books has great illustration of how sadness looks in kids. As a therapist I would use this in my practice to help normalize difficult emotions.

[Jennifer Berry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great message!

This was a good book for kids about being sad and how that's ok too. We all have feelings, and some of the time, they aren't always happy. It's great to see a book acknowledging that. Kids can have down or depressing days as well.

[Pam Papworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting Concept

Thank you Goodreads and the publisher for sending me the Kindle version of this children’s book. I had never considered letting sadness “slip out” as a coping mechanism for kids. It is a thoughtful approach, one I will try to remember in the future.

[Missy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A superb book on helping children understand sadness and how it will not always be there.

[Kimberly Hendricks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book and would love to pass it on if anyone can tell me how. Thanks!

[Dri Olive · Rating 3 out of 5]

i really liked the illustrations … I wished the book had a mix of good days and bad days! I felt a little helpless reading about Sam since the book only talked about his sadness

[C · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this E-book free through Goodreads First Read.

A good book that shows kids it's ok to be sad.