This Makes Me Silly: Dealing with Feelings

by Courtney Carbone, Hilli Kushnir (Illustrator)

This Dealing with Feelings book about a trip to the zoo helps kids understand what they're feeling when they get a case of the giggles. Now a part of the premier early reading line, Step into Reading!

When a little girl visits the zoo with her family, she makes faces at the animals and gets a little silly. After she pounds on the glass, the tour guide has to warn her that loud noises can scare some animals. But with the help of her dad, she learns to recognize her feelings and calm down.

The Dealing with Feelings series of early readers is designed to give voice to what's brewing inside. Through short, simple text and repetitive observational phrases, children will learn to name their emotions as they learn to read.

Step 2 Readers use basic vocabulary and short sentences to tell simple stories, for children who recognize familiar words and can sound out new words with help. Rhyme and rhythmic text paired with picture clues help children decode the story.

Genres: Emotion, Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Paperback

Published September 27, 2022

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set against the backdrop of a family trip to the zoo, this piece explores the feeling of silliness. Be it acting like a monkey, roaring like a lion, or even waddling like a penguin, we all do silly things at times. That bubble feeling in the stomach and uncontrollable sense of the giggles is part and parcel of what it is like to feel silly. Sometimes it is fine, but there are times when silliness can get out of hand. I hope to be able to introduce Neo to this entire series, which tackles many feelings and their offshooting actions. Feelings are definitely important, no matter who you are. We all have them, so why not talk a little more about them, especially from a young age?

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little girl and her family go to the zoo. The little girl describes how seeing the various zoo animals makes her feel, and how she learns to calm down when she's feeling too silly.

Can we just pause and look at the little girl's family in this book? Because outside an adoption book I can't think of a single book that features two caucasian parents with two kids of Asian descent and one of Caucasian descent. They're a very multicultural family, and obviously some adoption has gone on at some point, but that's not the main point of the book. I love that this book features a family put together by adoption and doesn't even blink at that. This will be a great book for all the adopted kids out there looking for their family in a picture book. I also like the self-management technique introduced to help kids calm down when they are feeling too silly. (And oh boy, just ask any elementary teacher how field trips can bring out the sillies!) The book also introduces some good zoo etiquette and explains why you shouldn't tap on glass in a way kids can understand, so it might be a good read before a zoo visit. Hand this one to adopted kids, kids visiting zoos, and those who are overcome by the sillies a little too often.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Emotions can be challenging to deal with, and sometimes it can be hard to figure out when it's appropriate to behave a certain way. In this title, part of the Dealing with Feelings series, readers watch two youngsters on a trip to the zoo. Following the lead of their tour guide, they start acting silly and mimicking some of the animals. As they move through the zoo, the young girl gets increasingly silly, and ends up bothering some of the animals. She comes to realize that there is a time and place for all that silliness, and maybe the zoo isn't the best place for her giddiness. As much as I liked the book and the way she comes to her own conclusions, I'd place a little bit of the blame on the tour guide for the silliness. After all, she encouraged some of it, and it can be confusing for youngsters to know how to distinguish when it is appropriate to behave a certain way. Perhaps this book would be best used as part of a conversation between caregivers and youngsters to discuss dealing with feelings such as the uncontrollable urge to giggle.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Makes Me Silly by Courtney Carbone, illustrated by Hilli Kushnir. EARLY READER. Rodale Kids, 2018. $14. 9781635650754

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

A young girl goes to the zoo with her family. In her excitement she starts to feel and act silly, sometimes disturbing the animals and others. Her parents and the zoo keeper help her realize she is being disruptive and teach he some strategies for calming down. Ultimately she recognizes when she is too silly and uses her new strategies.

This books is fun to read because of the bright illustrations and the comparison between the kids and the animals in the zoo. This book has breathing and counting strategies and demonstrates a child learning empathy. While the characters and lessons are clear, the plot is a little circular and it is a bit of work to follow.

Reviewer: Jen W.
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this entry in the series, a little girl and her brother visit the zoo with their family and make funny gestures and faces to imitate the animals. They are having a delightful time! Still, the tour guide has to remind them that, when some animals are sleeping, loud noises might awaken and frighten them. She teaches the children that there are only certain times when it is appropriate to be silly. What I like about this series is that it gives concrete examples of things children can do to cope with their emotions - in this case, calming down by practicing simple breathing techniques. It's a practical series of books with great examples and fun, colorful illustrations.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A girl and her brother act silly at the zoo, and sometimes need to be taught how to calm down when it is too much.

Loving the illustrations of this family day at the zoo- it's an adoptive family, but the book isn't about that at all. Just representin' different families.

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julianna & I took turns reading this book. We read a lot of books over past month but due to not feeling well I have not been able to keep up logging. Julianna gives this book 5 stars. She said she liked that the little girl was playing around. She said she did not like that they made faces atthe monkeys and the monkeys got mad.

7/07/23 Julianna read me this book on her own. We both still enjoyed book.