How Do I Feel? A Dictionary of Emotions

by Rebekah Lipp, Rebekah Lipp

Finalist in the New Zealand Children & Young Adults Books Awards 2022
Storylines Notable Books 2021 - Non-Fiction Winner
With 60+ definitions to help improve emotional literacy. This HUGE hardcover book with over 140 pages, is all about our children learning to recognise and label emotions and feelings.
Join Aroha and her friends as they share how different emotions might feel in the body and how each emotion might be helpful. This emotions dictionary is all about helping children find the words for how they truly feel. Learning to recognise and label our emotions correctly is such an important skill for life.
Giving our children this language helps to build emotional literacy. It is a gift to give children the tools to know how to recognise what they truly feel and that is it okay to feel all emotions. When they know that no emotion is 'good' or 'bad' and that all emotions provide messages, then it takes away any attachment to that emotion being part of who they are.
We may have experienced this ourselves being labelled 'naughty' or 'out of control' due to feeling angry a lot. However, this behaviour is just a way for a child to communicate. Diving deeper into why they are acting that way, why they may be feeling the things they are, can help us find some answers with our child. It can also help us find ways to help them empower themselves with tools to feel better.
Use this book to start conversations about different emotions. If you can, give examples of things you have experienced. When you see a child experiencing an emotion, help your child label it. "Are you feeling ... right now?"
This book can be used with children from 5 years of age up to 100+ as everyone might get something from the book.
Hardcover - full colour Pages - 146 Size - 216mm x 280mm (Landscape) Recommended Age - 5 years - 100 years+

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, Childrens

146 pages, Hardcover

First published May 17, 2021

Reviews

[Addie]

Thoughts:
• I got this because it seemed like a handy emotional literacy resource to have for work. As it turns out, it's pretty solid!
• This book covers a broad range of emotions, including emotions that might be a bit more tricky to talk about e.g. insignificance, self-pity, suspicion, and vulnerability.
• The illustrations are age appropriate and feature a diverse cast of characters (older and younger kids from a range of different backgrounds).
• I really like the 'Why is this emotion helpful?' segment under each emotion. Emotions aren't labelled as inherently 'good' or 'bad'. There is a strong emphasis on emotions providing messages and acting as opportunities for curiosity and action.
• Overall it's a great resource for emotion coaching.

[Natasha]

This is a really good book, that is literally a dictionary of emotions. Looks at how they can feel in the body and also some ways to manage them. Would be great for adults as well. It is beautifully illustrated.

[Lauren Sims]

Such a lovely and comprehensive book of emotions for children. The uncomplicated language and variety of ways emotions are described is very helpful. I also like how more detailed feelings (that are of a more advanced vocabulary) are still mentioned in each emotion's similarity list.

[Annie]

A comprehensive look at many emotions, each with its place, and each teaching something.

[Jessica]

This book is insanely beautiful. Helping my therapy clients so much. Thank you

[Julie Caroline]

I found this book helps put words on my own emotions, then i am able to talk to my toddler using words and explanations that are more objective to talk about his emotions and how he perceives others' emotions.

I really like that it describes "how this emotion is useful"