What do you think?
Rate this book
Allie All Along
“What appears to be a simple story upon first glance actually offers uncomplicated yet practical remedies for helping a child deal with a strong emotion.” —Booklist (Starred review)
“Allie’s crayon broke.
I blinked.
She was suddenly . . .
furious, fuming, frustrated . . .”
Have you ever felt mad enough to stomp, smash, and crash? Allie has! Meet one angry little girl and see how she calms down, bit by bit—with the help of her understanding big brother.
Poor Allie! She’s in a rage, throwing a tantrum, and having a fit! Her emotions have built and built and now they just burst. Is there a sweet little girl hiding somewhere under all the angry layers? And can her big brother find a way to make things all right again? In the tradition of When Sophie Gets Angry—Really, Really Angry and Sometimes I’m Bombaloo, Allie All Along explores simple ways kids can center themselves in the face of overwhelming emotions. The illustrations’ varying hues and vibrant colors capture the powerful feelings that young children can’t always express in words.
“Allie’s crayon broke.
I blinked.
She was suddenly . . .
furious, fuming, frustrated . . .”
Have you ever felt mad enough to stomp, smash, and crash? Allie has! Meet one angry little girl and see how she calms down, bit by bit—with the help of her understanding big brother.
Poor Allie! She’s in a rage, throwing a tantrum, and having a fit! Her emotions have built and built and now they just burst. Is there a sweet little girl hiding somewhere under all the angry layers? And can her big brother find a way to make things all right again? In the tradition of When Sophie Gets Angry—Really, Really Angry and Sometimes I’m Bombaloo, Allie All Along explores simple ways kids can center themselves in the face of overwhelming emotions. The illustrations’ varying hues and vibrant colors capture the powerful feelings that young children can’t always express in words.
40 pages
First published August 7, 2018
About the author
Sarah Lynne Reul
13 books36 followersSarah Lynne Reul is an author, illustrator and award-winning animator who likes science, tiny things and drawing on photos. Originally from Brooklyn, she now lives near Boston with her family.
After some years in science museum education, she was lured back to school by the magic of making drawings come to life. Armed with an MFA degree in 2D animation, Sarah Lynne now strives to pack the energy of animation into each illustration. She spends her workdays creating new books and talking with kids about the process during author visits throughout New England and beyond.
Her picture books and board books include: THE BREAKING NEWS, ALLIE ALL ALONG, PET THE PETS, FARM THE FARM, NERP!, and BUBBIE & RIVKA'S BEST-EVER CHALLAH (SO FAR!), coming this Fall from Abrams Books.
After some years in science museum education, she was lured back to school by the magic of making drawings come to life. Armed with an MFA degree in 2D animation, Sarah Lynne now strives to pack the energy of animation into each illustration. She spends her workdays creating new books and talking with kids about the process during author visits throughout New England and beyond.
Her picture books and board books include: THE BREAKING NEWS, ALLIE ALL ALONG, PET THE PETS, FARM THE FARM, NERP!, and BUBBIE & RIVKA'S BEST-EVER CHALLAH (SO FAR!), coming this Fall from Abrams Books.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
July 28, 2018
I like the methods the story used to deal with anger. We often expect kids to be in control of their emotions without giving them the proper tools.
April 7, 2021
من از اپلیکیشنِ طاقچه خوندمش. این‌که در توضیحاتِ طاقچه نوشته شده این کتاب برای خردسالان مفیده، به‌نظرم اصلاً هم مفید نیست. بچه‌های چهار و پنج ساله به‌طور طبیعی مقداری خیال‌پردازی و توهم دارن. ترس توی این سن‌وسال براشون طبیعی‌یه و از خیلی چیزهای معمولی ممکنه بترسن. از صدای بلند وحشت می‌کنن. از حشره‌های معمولی مث پشه یا مگس ممکنه دچار هراس بشن. از اسمِ هیولا و غول و اینا هم می‌ترسن.
اون‌وخ توی این کتاب، خشمگین شدن رو به‌صورتِ هیولا شدن نمایش داده؛ که اصلاً برای خردسال جنبهٔ مهارت‌آموزی نخواهد داشت.
شاید برای مقطع بالاتر مناسب باشه.
اون‌وخ توی این کتاب، خشمگین شدن رو به‌صورتِ هیولا شدن نمایش داده؛ که اصلاً برای خردسال جنبهٔ مهارت‌آموزی نخواهد داشت.
شاید برای مقطع بالاتر مناسب باشه.
September 24, 2018
Loved this. A wonderful and funny book, great for a read aloud to help kids deal with angry feelings. Anger sometimes can be overwhelming and tough for youngsters, and this gem has the humor and practical techniques to help let those feelings out. Loved the illustrations too.
December 12, 2022
Love Sarah Lynne Reul's use of color in Allie All Along. I'm a sucker for anything presented in rainbow color order. Besides delighting in the color palette, this book also contains good anger management strategies for the little ones in your life... whether they be at home or in the classroom. Lastly, readers will learn various synonyms for the word "angry" that they can incorporate into their growing vocabulary. Got anger? Get Allie All Along!
I'm a foster parent now, and my foster daughter, who is in kindergarten, absolutely loves this book. She loves the sparse text. This allows her to spot words she knows. She also relates to the character being consumed by her emotions. Pick up this book if you haven't yet done so.
I'm a foster parent now, and my foster daughter, who is in kindergarten, absolutely loves this book. She loves the sparse text. This allows her to spot words she knows. She also relates to the character being consumed by her emotions. Pick up this book if you haven't yet done so.
September 30, 2020
عنوان ترجمه فارسی:خواهرم هیولا شده
نقاشی هاش بی نهایت زیبا بودن، متنش و مفهومش فوق العاده بود.
واقعا لذت بردم
نقاشی هاش بی نهایت زیبا بودن، متنش و مفهومش فوق العاده بود.
واقعا لذت بردم
August 17, 2018
Why we chose this book:
To reinforce healthy ways to cope with anger. Sterling Publishing provided a review copy.
Mom's Review (V)
Allie's brother helps her process her anger over a broken crayon.
T and I both like this book immensely. Since it arrived in the mail about two weeks ago, he has asked for it as his bedtime story almost every night. One of his favorite aspects is the endpaper. The front endpaper depicts a broken crayon against a backdrop of red scribbles. The back endpaper depicts that same crayon taped back together against a backdrop of a rainbow. He loves flipping back and forth, comparing the anger and happiness over the broken and repaired crayon. I have to limit how many times he may do this, or we'd never get to bed.
I've acknowledged before that my reviews tend toward strong praise. This is deliberate - I usually seek out books for specific reasons, and I often find what I am looking for. Allie All Along is no exception. It is narrated by a child observing his sister's anger. He validates her feelings, identifies with her, and coaches her on healthily handling them. From punching a pillow, squeezing a stuffed animal, taking a deep breath, and counting backwards, to a final hug, he sets a positive, realistic, and doable example for not only his sister, but children reading the book. Observers will note that on the hardcover, beneath the book jacket, the brother has fixed the crayon (just like on the final endpaper). I could continue to laud different aspects of Reul's book, like the loving relationship portrayed between siblings, but I will just say that it is worth reading to kids who get angry. And what kid doesn't?
Son's Review (T)
(age 3 and 1/2)
Son: I think the little boy drew Allie and then covered her up in a monster costume.
Mom: Why do you think he covered her up in a monster suit?
Son: Um, I don't know.
Mom: I don't think that he covered her up. I think that the artist, Reul, wanted to show that Allie's anger made her feel like a monster.
Son: Why was she angry?
Mom: Well, what happened to her crayon on the first page?
Son: It broke.
Mom: And that made her angry. What makes you angry?
Son: When it is time to go to bed.
Mom: Did you think those were good things she did to help with her anger?...What might be good for you to do?
Son: Yeah. I would want to blow at fingers.
Mom: If you met Allie, would you tell her anything else she could do to help herself?
Son: Yeah. She could read a book, a book about angry monsters because she's angry and the monsters are angry.
Mom:Would you want to be friends with Allie? What would you want to do with her?
Son: Yeah. I think she would want to color and go to Mohegan Sun.
(We took him to the arcade at Mohegan Sun, and now all his suggestions for what to do with guests include this destination.)
Mom: Sometimes when I'm angry I feel like growling like a monster. What do you feel like doing?
Son: Hitting a pillow or boxing a pillow. Let me show you...
To reinforce healthy ways to cope with anger. Sterling Publishing provided a review copy.
Mom's Review (V)
Allie's brother helps her process her anger over a broken crayon.
T and I both like this book immensely. Since it arrived in the mail about two weeks ago, he has asked for it as his bedtime story almost every night. One of his favorite aspects is the endpaper. The front endpaper depicts a broken crayon against a backdrop of red scribbles. The back endpaper depicts that same crayon taped back together against a backdrop of a rainbow. He loves flipping back and forth, comparing the anger and happiness over the broken and repaired crayon. I have to limit how many times he may do this, or we'd never get to bed.
I've acknowledged before that my reviews tend toward strong praise. This is deliberate - I usually seek out books for specific reasons, and I often find what I am looking for. Allie All Along is no exception. It is narrated by a child observing his sister's anger. He validates her feelings, identifies with her, and coaches her on healthily handling them. From punching a pillow, squeezing a stuffed animal, taking a deep breath, and counting backwards, to a final hug, he sets a positive, realistic, and doable example for not only his sister, but children reading the book. Observers will note that on the hardcover, beneath the book jacket, the brother has fixed the crayon (just like on the final endpaper). I could continue to laud different aspects of Reul's book, like the loving relationship portrayed between siblings, but I will just say that it is worth reading to kids who get angry. And what kid doesn't?
Son's Review (T)
(age 3 and 1/2)
Son: I think the little boy drew Allie and then covered her up in a monster costume.
Mom: Why do you think he covered her up in a monster suit?
Son: Um, I don't know.
Mom: I don't think that he covered her up. I think that the artist, Reul, wanted to show that Allie's anger made her feel like a monster.
Son: Why was she angry?
Mom: Well, what happened to her crayon on the first page?
Son: It broke.
Mom: And that made her angry. What makes you angry?
Son: When it is time to go to bed.
Mom: Did you think those were good things she did to help with her anger?...What might be good for you to do?
Son: Yeah. I would want to blow at fingers.
Mom: If you met Allie, would you tell her anything else she could do to help herself?
Son: Yeah. She could read a book, a book about angry monsters because she's angry and the monsters are angry.
Mom:Would you want to be friends with Allie? What would you want to do with her?
Son: Yeah. I think she would want to color and go to Mohegan Sun.
(We took him to the arcade at Mohegan Sun, and now all his suggestions for what to do with guests include this destination.)
Mom: Sometimes when I'm angry I feel like growling like a monster. What do you feel like doing?
Son: Hitting a pillow or boxing a pillow. Let me show you...
September 5, 2018
This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!
Hello, friends! Our book today is Allie All Along by Sarah Lynne Reul, a tale of a big brother helping his little sister with her emotions.
When Allie’s crayon broke during coloring time, she became – quite suddenly – and furry red ball of rage. After screaming, shouting, and letting it out-ing, the Allie-monster sheds her layer of red fur, revealing a smaller orange monster inside. From there, big brother attempts to help, giving Allie ways to deal with her anger – hugging her favorite toy as hard as she can, taking a deep breath and blowing out pretend candle, etc. Each activity helps Allie feel a little better, and shed another layer of fur: orange to green, green to blue. At last, Allie and her brother have worked to calm her feelings, and the real Allie – a regular little girl – emerges from the last monster layer, requesting a hug.
A very interesting take on runaway emotions. I loved the practical ways of helping oneself or others calm down, which are always great for both kids and parents to have in their back pockets. And the metaphor for different levels of anger is both clever and cute – the rage monsters never really appear scary, but more a manifestation of those all-too-familiar tantrums (it should be noted when discussing with kids, monstrous tantrums like that may be appropriate for little ones, but are not acceptable for adults). The illustrations are colorful and thoughtful, and JJ loved watching the monster change. It might have helped to have an earlier indication that there was a little girl underneath all that anger – JJ seemed confused by that – but otherwise we really enjoyed it. A nice book for little readers’ emotional toolkits, and Baby Bookworm approved!
(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)
Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!
Read
September 1, 2018A sweet story about helping a kid deal with her anger.
Allie gets over-the-top upset about a small thing -- as often happens, to children and adults alike -- and transforms into a furry red monster, the illustrations really conveying the feeling of being angry.
Her brother offers her non-destructive ways to channel her anger, and each one helps level down her anger (visually depicted by a monster of the next color of the rainbow stepping out of the monster suit -- we move from hot colors to cooler colors).
This book validates children's feelings of anger (even explicitly acknowledging that they may not always know why they feel so angry) and models healthy coping mechanisms.
Allie gets over-the-top upset about a small thing -- as often happens, to children and adults alike -- and transforms into a furry red monster, the illustrations really conveying the feeling of being angry.
Her brother offers her non-destructive ways to channel her anger, and each one helps level down her anger (visually depicted by a monster of the next color of the rainbow stepping out of the monster suit -- we move from hot colors to cooler colors).
This book validates children's feelings of anger (even explicitly acknowledging that they may not always know why they feel so angry) and models healthy coping mechanisms.
July 4, 2020
This is a sweet and realistic story about good ways to deal with the emotion of anger.
A boy heard his little sister's (Allie) crayon break - snap! - and then she went into a monstrous temper. She was SOOOO ANGRY! Her brother tried things to help her calm down and each thing helped a little. (For each thing the angry child turns a calmer colour of monster.) Eventually, Allie comes back to her sweet self.
Great illustrations.
A boy heard his little sister's (Allie) crayon break - snap! - and then she went into a monstrous temper. She was SOOOO ANGRY! Her brother tried things to help her calm down and each thing helped a little. (For each thing the angry child turns a calmer colour of monster.) Eventually, Allie comes back to her sweet self.
Great illustrations.
December 24, 2020
When a crayon breaks, Allie gets Really, REALLY angry! As an older sibling helps Allie utilize calming strategies, she gradually begins to shed levels of anger. It takes more than one try, but soon Allie starts to feel like herself again.
July 30, 2018
This is such a sweet book, and a fantastic tool to help the littles deal with their anger. Special shout out to the helpful older sibling!
December 19, 2018
A great piece for preschoolers about dealing with angry/upset feelings.
October 1, 2022
کتاب درباره کنترل خشمه و راهکارهای خیلی جذابی رو ارائه میده. ولی خواهر کوچولوی خشمگین به صورت هیولا به تصویر کشیده شده و میتونه برای بعضی از بچه‌ها ترسناک باشه. در انتخابش دقت کنید و با توجه به فرزند خودتون تصمیم بگیرید.
September 15, 2018
Not my favorite book about emotions although possibly the one that deals most comprehensively with anger. I like that the book addresses different calm down methods and I love that the characters are poc. But I don't like the monster-looking bit. It is okay to be angry! It does not make you a monster to have a full range of emotions.
September 18, 2018
When Allie’s crayon breaks, she is suddenly furious and turns into a bright red anger monster. She stomps, smashes things and throws a tantrum. When her brother gives her a pillow to punch, the worst of the anger leaves. She climbs out of the red monster suit, now an orange monster. Her brother tells her to squeeze her favorite toy really tight. That helped more and soon she was a green monster. Her brother tries more techniques and Allie becomes blue and rather sad. Still, she is herself after that and looking for a hug.
This picture book brilliantly explores anger and healthy practices to release it and let it go. The use of different colored monsters gives children a visual meter of Allie’s anger and how she is steadily de-escalating it with her brother’s help. Told from her brother’s point of view, he is calm and steady throughout the book, knowing just what to do. The illustrations are a huge part of this book with the angry monsters showing a steady decline in anger until sadness is revealed.
Well designed, this picture book will offer a way to talk about emotions and anger. Appropriate for ages 2-4.
This picture book brilliantly explores anger and healthy practices to release it and let it go. The use of different colored monsters gives children a visual meter of Allie’s anger and how she is steadily de-escalating it with her brother’s help. Told from her brother’s point of view, he is calm and steady throughout the book, knowing just what to do. The illustrations are a huge part of this book with the angry monsters showing a steady decline in anger until sadness is revealed.
Well designed, this picture book will offer a way to talk about emotions and anger. Appropriate for ages 2-4.
October 7, 2018
"Allie All Along" seems like it's targeted to younger picture book readers, and at one level, it is... Allie seems to be having a tough day and loses it when her crayon breaks. She gets so angry, she "loses it" (the ability to keep herself together).
This colorful book is fantastic for teaching little ones about levels of emotion and helping them understand in a simple and smart way how their emotions might feel intense and overwhelming.
The great thing about "Allile" is that it works on another level equally well, as it's for older brothers and sisters too -- as it is Allie's older brother who walks her through (and helps her unpack) the torrent of emotions she feels, and doesn't yet understand, to get her back to herself.
Having her older brother help her (instead of an adult), and admit that at times he gets overwhelmed by his emotions too, makes this a great story for families to read together. (And possibly even a story for older children to read to younger siblings.)
This is a story kids (and lots of adults I know) would benefit reading again and again.
This colorful book is fantastic for teaching little ones about levels of emotion and helping them understand in a simple and smart way how their emotions might feel intense and overwhelming.
The great thing about "Allile" is that it works on another level equally well, as it's for older brothers and sisters too -- as it is Allie's older brother who walks her through (and helps her unpack) the torrent of emotions she feels, and doesn't yet understand, to get her back to herself.
Having her older brother help her (instead of an adult), and admit that at times he gets overwhelmed by his emotions too, makes this a great story for families to read together. (And possibly even a story for older children to read to younger siblings.)
This is a story kids (and lots of adults I know) would benefit reading again and again.
October 22, 2018
First sentence: SNAP! Allie's crayon broke. I blinked. She was suddenly...furious, fuming, frustrated, and so, so, sooo ANGRY. She stomped, smashed, crashed, and threw a tantrum, a fuss, and a fit.
Premise/plot: Allie's brother helps her calm down and work through her many, many feelings in Sarah Lynne Reul's picture book Allie All Along. [For the record, I am guessing that it is her brother; it could just as well be a friend. Though a friend might be more likely to run far, far away until the storm is over. This person knows Allie and her moods very well.]
My thoughts: I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this one. I haven't loved a book about fits this much since reading FINN THROWS A FIT a few years ago. I'm not sure which of the two I'll end up liking more--only time will tell.
I loved the writing. I loved the concept. I loved the shedding of emotions. I loved the coping skills. I loved the illustrations. It's a relatable book start to finish. And the ending is oh-so-right.
Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 10 out of 10
Premise/plot: Allie's brother helps her calm down and work through her many, many feelings in Sarah Lynne Reul's picture book Allie All Along. [For the record, I am guessing that it is her brother; it could just as well be a friend. Though a friend might be more likely to run far, far away until the storm is over. This person knows Allie and her moods very well.]
My thoughts: I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this one. I haven't loved a book about fits this much since reading FINN THROWS A FIT a few years ago. I'm not sure which of the two I'll end up liking more--only time will tell.
I loved the writing. I loved the concept. I loved the shedding of emotions. I loved the coping skills. I loved the illustrations. It's a relatable book start to finish. And the ending is oh-so-right.
Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 10 out of 10
August 5, 2018
Allie was really upset when her red crayon broke. She was so angry, she turned all red. Her friend however, knew she was still inside and tried to help her calm down. By using multiple techniques, he was able to help bring Allie back.
What I really loved about this book is how real it is. Allie was not expected to calm down right away. Rather, she went through stages of emotions to help her out. This book helps takes kids from an anger state to a rational state.
Another point I want to make is how this book uses colors to help Allie. She went from red and blue. This added visual is the perfect guide children need.
I am very happy with this book. If you have a calm down center, I would recommend the addition of this book.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine and were in no way influenced by outside sources. I am a professional blogger at Little Lady Plays
What I really loved about this book is how real it is. Allie was not expected to calm down right away. Rather, she went through stages of emotions to help her out. This book helps takes kids from an anger state to a rational state.
Another point I want to make is how this book uses colors to help Allie. She went from red and blue. This added visual is the perfect guide children need.
I am very happy with this book. If you have a calm down center, I would recommend the addition of this book.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine and were in no way influenced by outside sources. I am a professional blogger at Little Lady Plays
August 31, 2020
My daughter is almost 3 and we’ve been having a bit of a challenging time with bedtime and her managing all the emotions that come along with being a toddler. I have spent the last month reading every parent help guide and listening to all the podcasts for inspiration and then I spotted his book on Instagram and ordered it immediately. What a breakthrough.
‘Allie All Along’ tells the story of Allie who is feeling angry after breaking her crayon. Narrated through the perspective of her big brother, he helps Allie work through her anger to eventually calm down and have a cuddle at the end of the story.
The story is told visually with Allie depicted as a red monster at the start of the story who transitions to orange, green, yellow and blue until finally Allie is revealed at the end. The colour of the text changes along with the illustrations and is really visual for readers.
The use of colour was a game changer for us. It gave my daughter the vocabulary to talk about her feelings and we were able to discuss what to do when she was feeling ‘red’ just like Allie. We regularly refer to colours now so my daughter can tell me how she is feeling before we (hopefully) reach RED at its worst! 🤞 The change in colour allowed her to see that feeling angry and upset wouldn’t last forever and helped her recognise changing emotions.
One dislike: My daughter found it difficult to look at the ‘red’ page with a close up of the monster; she covered up her eyes and asked me to move on. Some other readers may be sensitive to it too. I think an image of Allie before she was angry at the start of the story might have helped readers know that she wasn’t just a monster - she was a little girl first.
Would definitely recommend for 3-5 year olds who need some help understanding and talking about how they are feeling.
(INSTAGRAM: @minireadsmummyreads)
‘Allie All Along’ tells the story of Allie who is feeling angry after breaking her crayon. Narrated through the perspective of her big brother, he helps Allie work through her anger to eventually calm down and have a cuddle at the end of the story.
The story is told visually with Allie depicted as a red monster at the start of the story who transitions to orange, green, yellow and blue until finally Allie is revealed at the end. The colour of the text changes along with the illustrations and is really visual for readers.
The use of colour was a game changer for us. It gave my daughter the vocabulary to talk about her feelings and we were able to discuss what to do when she was feeling ‘red’ just like Allie. We regularly refer to colours now so my daughter can tell me how she is feeling before we (hopefully) reach RED at its worst! 🤞 The change in colour allowed her to see that feeling angry and upset wouldn’t last forever and helped her recognise changing emotions.
One dislike: My daughter found it difficult to look at the ‘red’ page with a close up of the monster; she covered up her eyes and asked me to move on. Some other readers may be sensitive to it too. I think an image of Allie before she was angry at the start of the story might have helped readers know that she wasn’t just a monster - she was a little girl first.
Would definitely recommend for 3-5 year olds who need some help understanding and talking about how they are feeling.
(INSTAGRAM: @minireadsmummyreads)
August 17, 2018
Age: Toddler-Preschool
Emotions: Anger
Concept Skill: Colors
Another stellar picture book addition for those hard-to-cope-with emotions. Allie the monster's crayon broke and in a moment, Allie was suddenly "furious, fuming, frustrated, and so, so, soooo ANGRY!" A boy tries to help Allie calm down, encouraging different forms of stress relief and calming techniques. Along the way, she gradually winds down as we see her zipping out of layers of anger, starting with a blood red and gradually going into a calmer palette until a girl emerges ready for a hug from her brother. White backgrounds and vibrant colors make this an excellent read-aloud for classrooms and storytime.
Emotions: Anger
Concept Skill: Colors
Another stellar picture book addition for those hard-to-cope-with emotions. Allie the monster's crayon broke and in a moment, Allie was suddenly "furious, fuming, frustrated, and so, so, soooo ANGRY!" A boy tries to help Allie calm down, encouraging different forms of stress relief and calming techniques. Along the way, she gradually winds down as we see her zipping out of layers of anger, starting with a blood red and gradually going into a calmer palette until a girl emerges ready for a hug from her brother. White backgrounds and vibrant colors make this an excellent read-aloud for classrooms and storytime.
May 6, 2022
This is a fun relatable story for little kids about how to process big emotions. Young kids sometimes have tantrums (I've seen adults have a few, too...) and this book gives advice for both the person who is overwhelmed as well as someone who is trying to help. Unlike so many other books that touch on this topic, this hits a humorous and light-hearted tone. Hey, people get mad sometimes, it doesn't make you bad! It gives advice in a non-preachy, practical and non-"woo-woo" way.
This is a great read-aloud, especially if you are good at making funny faces! I liked that the kids in the book were brown-skinned--representation matters!
This is a great read-aloud, especially if you are good at making funny faces! I liked that the kids in the book were brown-skinned--representation matters!
August 11, 2018
Anyone that has ever spent time around a toddler having an angry meltdown knows that it can be very difficult to bring a sense of calm back to the situation. Teaching young children to calm themselves down after a setback or when they're just in a bad mood is so important. This book walks young readers through the meltdown from the moment a favorite crayon breaks to the point when everything is back under control and ready for hugging it out. Bright, vibrant digital illustrations complement the text very well making this a great book to have on the bookshelf.
October 25, 2018
I love this picture book! It is a fantastic addition to any collection of books on feelings and emotions, and Story Time programs looking to deal with these topics. It essentially displays a series of coping mechanisms to assist with anger management in a way that's accessible and palatable for children. There's some color association, too (red equals bad) which may not hold up for non-Western readers, but certainly could work in color-theory-related children's programming as well. It also has the perfect text-to-image ratio for reading aloud to 2 and 3 year olds.
November 11, 2018
In this therapeutic story, two siblings teach each other how to defuse a tantrum. The text introduces simple anger-management techniques while the ingenious illustrations use color-coded monster suits to represent the different degrees of anger, which are removed as the interventions help the child move through each emotional layer. After the countdown, sharing a healthy snack would also be recommended to allow the toddler’s likely low blood sugar levels to return to normal before the final intercession of the hug. Kudos for the multicultural protagonists.
December 21, 2018
Allie becomes 'furious, fuming, frustrated, and so, so, soooo ANGRY' when her crayon breaks. Her brother, the narrator, helps her calm down with various actions such as squeezing toys, punching pillows and taking deep breaths. Each action helps release some of the anger, till Allie reappears, having turned into an angry scribble monster.
The story is cute, when her anger is gone Allie looks like herself again and asks for a hug. Her brother gives her one. We don't know why the broken crayon made her so angry, but we know with her brother's help she can calm down.
The story is cute, when her anger is gone Allie looks like herself again and asks for a hug. Her brother gives her one. We don't know why the broken crayon made her so angry, but we know with her brother's help she can calm down.
February 9, 2019
This is a great, full of color book. This book could help students who get frustrated easily or just in general. It give ideas on how to calm down. This book is great because it can give students ways to calm down and it also shows them that they are not the only one who get frustrated and angry. This story could be read out loud to a whole class or have students read it when they are getting angry so they can try the steps Allie used to calm down. The book is also full of bright colors which could grab the readers attention.
February 24, 2019
Do you ever get angry? Do you have to breathe in and out? Do you need to punch a pillow? In this adorably creative book, Sarah Lynne Reul teaches calming strategies to children in an artistic and emotional way. After the main character Allie's "fire fury explosion red crayon" breaks, Allie helps the crayon calm down. As an elementary school librarian, I would immediately add this book to the collection and be sure our guidance counselor, art teacher and kindergarten teachers all had classroom copies! It teaches great coping strategies in a simple way.
February 21, 2019
I really appreciate how this book teaches readers different techniques for calming down, including hugging a stuffed animal very tight and blowing as if one were trying to extinguish birthday candles, but the illustrations of the large monster who kept shedding fur to reveal another intimidating monster scared my preschooler and made her upset. While it fits with the themes of the book well, it's just not a book she was comfortable with.
October 18, 2018
This colorful book does a great job of showing how a small child can overcome a strong emotion like anger. In this book Allie is in the midst of a meltdown but is able to work through her feelings and get herself together. Great read and easy for young children to relate to. A good learning tool to discuss how young children can manage their feelings.
December 3, 2018
With sparse text and vibrant, meaningful illustrations the author has captured perfectly the quickly escalating rage of a young child and what he or she can do to make it better. I loved the layers Allie shed along the way as her temper calmed. I loved the brother, so intent on helping her. I loved the methods Allie used to diffuse her anger. And in the end she just needed a hug. Perfect.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews