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Anh's Anger
This wonderful and engaging 1st book in a trilogy that includes Steps and Stones and Peace, and Bugs and Understanding, gives children and caregivers a concrete practice for dealing with anger and other difficult emotions.
In Anh’s Anger , five-year-old Anh becomes enraged when his grandfather asks him to stop playing and come to the dinner table. The grandfather helps Anh fully experience all stages of anger by suggesting that he go to his room and, "sit with his anger." The story unfolds when Anh discovers what it means to sit with his anger. He comes to know his anger in the first person as his anger comes to life in full color and personality. Anh and his anger work through feelings together with humor and honesty to find a way to constructively release their thoughts and emotions and to reach resolve with Anh’s grandfather.
The story is beautifully illustrated with handmade collages by New York artist and childrens book illustrator Christiane Kromer. Each collage is a mix of paper, acrylic, and cardboard, and found materials. The materials reflect the connection between the characters and their environment and are indicative of the wide range of emotions that come together in the story.
Anh’s Anger teaches children that it is okay to feel angry, and shows the technique, often used by child therapists, of externalizing the emotion. Through taking time to "sit’ with his anger, a young child is able to see his anger and talk to it and together they move through the journey of experiencing the different stages of anger until the feeling subsides and finally resolve. Anh’s Anger differs significantly from other books on anger resolution techniques in showing that the child is able to talk about what transpired and accept responsibility for hurtful things that he may have said or done.
The author’s intention is to help parents understand that there is an alternative to "time out’s" as a means of helping children to express themselves when feeling angry, while providing children with a mechanism for internal dialogue during a "time out" or when "sitting" with their anger.
Through reading the story, children will learn to acknowledge anger when it arises, understand the cause of their anger, and ultimately feel safe expressing themselves and accepting accountability for their actions when appropriate. By learning these skills, children, will grow comfortable with them and carry them into adulthood with ease and confidence.
In Anh’s Anger , five-year-old Anh becomes enraged when his grandfather asks him to stop playing and come to the dinner table. The grandfather helps Anh fully experience all stages of anger by suggesting that he go to his room and, "sit with his anger." The story unfolds when Anh discovers what it means to sit with his anger. He comes to know his anger in the first person as his anger comes to life in full color and personality. Anh and his anger work through feelings together with humor and honesty to find a way to constructively release their thoughts and emotions and to reach resolve with Anh’s grandfather.
The story is beautifully illustrated with handmade collages by New York artist and childrens book illustrator Christiane Kromer. Each collage is a mix of paper, acrylic, and cardboard, and found materials. The materials reflect the connection between the characters and their environment and are indicative of the wide range of emotions that come together in the story.
Anh’s Anger teaches children that it is okay to feel angry, and shows the technique, often used by child therapists, of externalizing the emotion. Through taking time to "sit’ with his anger, a young child is able to see his anger and talk to it and together they move through the journey of experiencing the different stages of anger until the feeling subsides and finally resolve. Anh’s Anger differs significantly from other books on anger resolution techniques in showing that the child is able to talk about what transpired and accept responsibility for hurtful things that he may have said or done.
The author’s intention is to help parents understand that there is an alternative to "time out’s" as a means of helping children to express themselves when feeling angry, while providing children with a mechanism for internal dialogue during a "time out" or when "sitting" with their anger.
Through reading the story, children will learn to acknowledge anger when it arises, understand the cause of their anger, and ultimately feel safe expressing themselves and accepting accountability for their actions when appropriate. By learning these skills, children, will grow comfortable with them and carry them into adulthood with ease and confidence.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published August 11, 2009
24 people are currently reading
354 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
July 31, 2010
As message books go, this definitely tops the list. This was published from a branch of the company that does Thich Nhat Hanh's books and this book was a "tremendous inspiration" for this story.
In it, Anh gets angry about having to stop playing and his grandfather tells him to go and sit with his anger for a while. At first he doesn't know how, but when his anger shows up - and his anger is SO COOL LOOKING!!!! (like you don't want to stop looking at it, which is kind of how anger FEELS too) - they howl and beat the floor together and eventually just sit together.
The best part for me is when his grandfather comes in to talk to Anh about what happened and congratulates Anh on having taken "good care" of his anger. This idea, that anger isn't something to be conquered, but something to be loved and embraced, that there is pleasure in anger, is SO powerful. It makes anger stop being a weapon and turns it into something entirely different. Like a baby that can't control itself maybe? Not sure, but I AM sure it is great.
Also awesome is that this isn't just a message book for kids about sitting with their anger (and how to do that), it's also a message book for adults who take care of children. His grandfather gives him clear expectations and then removes Anh from the situation when it's not working. But it's clear that sending him to his room is not a punishment, even if it might feel that way to Anh (tho whether it does or not is not addressed), it is a way for him to help Anh get centered again. And when he comes in to talk, and Anh apologizes, the first thing out of grandfather's mouth is "thank you for your kind words," not a remonstration for his behavior.
On top of my absolute adoration of this as a manual for How To Live Well (not to mention mindfully), this book has AWESOME illustrations. I think Anh looks like a really neat kid, and grandfather looks really kind, but the character who steals the show is Anh's Anger. Unlike the drawn images of Anh and his grandfather, and like the backgrounds of the pages, it's multimedia collage. Anger is frayed red cloth with other things stuck on top. And that description sucked. But it's awesome (even though I don't think it makes it into my top 15 illustrated books, I'm STILL going to give it 5 stars). And totally read-aloud length. And very well-written. Go get your hands on it!
In it, Anh gets angry about having to stop playing and his grandfather tells him to go and sit with his anger for a while. At first he doesn't know how, but when his anger shows up - and his anger is SO COOL LOOKING!!!! (like you don't want to stop looking at it, which is kind of how anger FEELS too) - they howl and beat the floor together and eventually just sit together.
The best part for me is when his grandfather comes in to talk to Anh about what happened and congratulates Anh on having taken "good care" of his anger. This idea, that anger isn't something to be conquered, but something to be loved and embraced, that there is pleasure in anger, is SO powerful. It makes anger stop being a weapon and turns it into something entirely different. Like a baby that can't control itself maybe? Not sure, but I AM sure it is great.
Also awesome is that this isn't just a message book for kids about sitting with their anger (and how to do that), it's also a message book for adults who take care of children. His grandfather gives him clear expectations and then removes Anh from the situation when it's not working. But it's clear that sending him to his room is not a punishment, even if it might feel that way to Anh (tho whether it does or not is not addressed), it is a way for him to help Anh get centered again. And when he comes in to talk, and Anh apologizes, the first thing out of grandfather's mouth is "thank you for your kind words," not a remonstration for his behavior.
On top of my absolute adoration of this as a manual for How To Live Well (not to mention mindfully), this book has AWESOME illustrations. I think Anh looks like a really neat kid, and grandfather looks really kind, but the character who steals the show is Anh's Anger. Unlike the drawn images of Anh and his grandfather, and like the backgrounds of the pages, it's multimedia collage. Anger is frayed red cloth with other things stuck on top. And that description sucked. But it's awesome (even though I don't think it makes it into my top 15 illustrated books, I'm STILL going to give it 5 stars). And totally read-aloud length. And very well-written. Go get your hands on it!
March 5, 2020
Published by Plum Blossom Books, the children's book imprint of Parallax Press (the publishing wing of the Unified Buddhist Church), and recommended on the back cover by Thich Nhat Hanh, Anh's Anger offers a Buddhist approach to dealing with a common childhood problem. When Anh's grandfather asks him to leave the block tower he is building, and come to dinner, the young boy becomes terribly angry, eventually destroying his own creation. Seeing that his grandson is overcome, Grandfather sends Anh to his room, to "sit with" his anger. And so begins an unexpected encounter, as Anh and his anger interact and come to an understanding...
I really liked the fact that being angry is not condemned in this story, but is seen as a natural (and inevitable) part of the human experience, something to be understood and accepted. Part of that understanding is the recognition that anger, when unleashed against others, is hurtful, and that withdrawing, when in such a state, to think things over and reach a calmer frame of mind, is a good strategy. I've often regretted speaking or acting in anger, but I've never regretted waiting to speak, until my anger had cooled, so although I am not a Buddhist myself, I really identified with the behavioral practice advocated here. I also greatly appreciated Christiane Kromer's vivid collage artwork, with its bright colors and dramatic shapes. Ahn's anger is actually pretty awesome!
All in all, this picture-book is an engaging look at an emotional state we have all experienced, at one point or another, and offers an intelligent, thoughtful course of action to take, in response to that state. Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories that address anger, mindfulness, or Buddhist practice.
I really liked the fact that being angry is not condemned in this story, but is seen as a natural (and inevitable) part of the human experience, something to be understood and accepted. Part of that understanding is the recognition that anger, when unleashed against others, is hurtful, and that withdrawing, when in such a state, to think things over and reach a calmer frame of mind, is a good strategy. I've often regretted speaking or acting in anger, but I've never regretted waiting to speak, until my anger had cooled, so although I am not a Buddhist myself, I really identified with the behavioral practice advocated here. I also greatly appreciated Christiane Kromer's vivid collage artwork, with its bright colors and dramatic shapes. Ahn's anger is actually pretty awesome!
All in all, this picture-book is an engaging look at an emotional state we have all experienced, at one point or another, and offers an intelligent, thoughtful course of action to take, in response to that state. Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories that address anger, mindfulness, or Buddhist practice.
December 4, 2009
I think this is one treasure of a book. I teach child development and early literacy, but even more importantly I read to my grandchildren and other children whenever I can. This book has totally captured everyone, children and adults, that I have had a chance to share it with. The children have have asked for this book over and over again. They use it to tell the story of Anh and his anger, they use it to discuss their own anger and what to do with it, they become totally engrossed in the book, and most telling they practically memorize the book upon the first reading.
I have read it to children as young as 3 years and as old as 8 years. Every single child has loved the book and ask for it over and over. This is a classic to be and can stand proud along with Frog and Toad, Where the Wild Things Are, and Good Night Moon. I highly recommend it.
I have read it to children as young as 3 years and as old as 8 years. Every single child has loved the book and ask for it over and over. This is a classic to be and can stand proud along with Frog and Toad, Where the Wild Things Are, and Good Night Moon. I highly recommend it.
January 4, 2024
How to manage angry feelings are clearly modeled.
The writing is clunky, but the illustrations are enchanting.
The writing is clunky, but the illustrations are enchanting.
February 8, 2012
When you get past Toddler picture books for dealing with anger, there aren't too many picture books that offer children methods of dealing with their anger--and none quite like this one. The Buddhist message and the inner focus on working through anger is nicely showcased by this picture book. I found at times the text gets a little bit more explanatory than I care for in a picture book milieu, but the art and story itself are so unusual and intriguing that I can't offer this less than four stars. These are the kind of books that could easily be used in bibliotherapy with children. I'm not certain how well this type of text would work with a large audience, but one on one could be excellent. Christiane Kromer's art is, honestly, stunning. Paper and silk collage work is augmented by brush and pencil illustrations, giving the images a multi-textured layout, that evokes the emotion of the text.
Nicely done.
Nicely done.
October 29, 2012
A patron came in today looking for books that show kids dealing with anger, but this one was slightly too long for her purposes, so I ended up reading it at the desk. I'm thinking I'll look into similar books this week. Adults don't handle kids' emotions well, I've noticed; we always want to shut them down rather than help them work through them. I think parents can probably get as much help from these books as kids can.
October 7, 2018
A 7 year old’s review…
I read the story with my 7 year old son. I love it because it helps my son to relate this story to himself to have the awareness of his feeling of anger with a positive approach. And he insisted to write this review! “It was amazing!!!!!! I wonder if they have another version of this book. With feelings when you are sad or bored? But it was amazing! 👍🏻 So please read this book!!”
I read the story with my 7 year old son. I love it because it helps my son to relate this story to himself to have the awareness of his feeling of anger with a positive approach. And he insisted to write this review! “It was amazing!!!!!! I wonder if they have another version of this book. With feelings when you are sad or bored? But it was amazing! 👍🏻 So please read this book!!”
February 8, 2010
This book has beautiful illustrations and an even more beautiful and thoughtful message. I recommend this for parents who want their children to understand their emotions and react appropriately.
September 25, 2024
This wonderful and engaging 1st book in a trilogy that includes Steps and Stones and Peace, and Bugs and Understanding, gives children and caregivers a concrete practice for dealing with anger and other difficult emotions.
In Anh’s Anger , five-year-old Anh becomes enraged when his grandfather asks him to stop playing and come to the dinner table. The grandfather helps Anh fully experience all stages of anger by suggesting that he go to his room and, "sit with his anger." The story unfolds when Anh discovers what it means to sit with his anger. He comes to know his anger in the first person as his anger comes to life in full color and personality. Anh and his anger work through feelings together with humor and honesty to find a way to constructively release their thoughts and emotions and to reach resolve with Anh’s grandfather.
The story is beautifully illustrated with handmade collages by New York artist and childrens book illustrator Christiane Kromer. Each collage is a mix of paper, acrylic, and cardboard, and found materials. The materials reflect the connection between the characters and their environment and are indicative of the wide range of emotions that come together in the story.
Anh’s Anger teaches children that it is okay to feel angry, and shows the technique, often used by child therapists, of externalizing the emotion. Through taking time to "sit’ with his anger, a young child is able to see his anger and talk to it and together they move through the journey of experiencing the different stages of anger until the feeling subsides and finally resolve. Anh’s Anger differs significantly from other books on anger resolution techniques in showing that the child is able to talk about what transpired and accept responsibility for hurtful things that he may have said or done.
The author’s intention is to help parents understand that there is an alternative to "time out’s" as a means of helping children to express themselves when feeling angry, while providing children with a mechanism for internal dialogue during a "time out" or when "sitting" with their anger.
Through reading the story, children will learn to acknowledge anger when it arises, understand the cause of their anger, and ultimately feel safe expressing themselves and accepting accountability for their actions when appropriate. By learning these skills, children, will grow comfortable with them and carry them into adulthood with ease and confidence.
In Anh’s Anger , five-year-old Anh becomes enraged when his grandfather asks him to stop playing and come to the dinner table. The grandfather helps Anh fully experience all stages of anger by suggesting that he go to his room and, "sit with his anger." The story unfolds when Anh discovers what it means to sit with his anger. He comes to know his anger in the first person as his anger comes to life in full color and personality. Anh and his anger work through feelings together with humor and honesty to find a way to constructively release their thoughts and emotions and to reach resolve with Anh’s grandfather.
The story is beautifully illustrated with handmade collages by New York artist and childrens book illustrator Christiane Kromer. Each collage is a mix of paper, acrylic, and cardboard, and found materials. The materials reflect the connection between the characters and their environment and are indicative of the wide range of emotions that come together in the story.
Anh’s Anger teaches children that it is okay to feel angry, and shows the technique, often used by child therapists, of externalizing the emotion. Through taking time to "sit’ with his anger, a young child is able to see his anger and talk to it and together they move through the journey of experiencing the different stages of anger until the feeling subsides and finally resolve. Anh’s Anger differs significantly from other books on anger resolution techniques in showing that the child is able to talk about what transpired and accept responsibility for hurtful things that he may have said or done.
The author’s intention is to help parents understand that there is an alternative to "time out’s" as a means of helping children to express themselves when feeling angry, while providing children with a mechanism for internal dialogue during a "time out" or when "sitting" with their anger.
Through reading the story, children will learn to acknowledge anger when it arises, understand the cause of their anger, and ultimately feel safe expressing themselves and accepting accountability for their actions when appropriate. By learning these skills, children, will grow comfortable with them and carry them into adulthood with ease and confidence.
May 29, 2019
Anh ran to his room and leapt onto his bed. His cries grew so strong he could feel them all the way down to his belly.
"How do I sit with my anger?" he wondered. "I'm so angry, angry, angry!"
I love this book! A little boy named Anh gets mad over a trivial thing, and his grandfather sends him to his room to "sit with" his anger. Anh's anger personifies as a hairy red monster who wants to wreak havoc on Anh's grandfather as revenge. Anh resists, though, and together Anh and his anger learn to express - and release - how he's feeling through movement and focused breathing. The anger, peacefully shrinking, tells Anh that he is an important emotion. The book doesn't villainize anger or Anh's inability to express himself immediately. Those are all lessons most adults could benefit from, let alone kids!
September 13, 2019
We got this book from the library but it’s worth owning forever, not just for the kids in your life but as a reminder to us adults that we have anger for a reason and we need to honor it as part of ourselves, a part of us trying to tell us something. The little boy in the book works through his anger by sitting with it, but he does more than just breathe deeply. He dances. He stomps. Our bodies need to process our emotions, not just our rational mind. After reading this book many times with my kids, my daughter will now breathe deeply to calm down and I think of this book myself when I am triggered and need a reminder to be with my anger.
July 31, 2020
Y'know, by the time I got to the middle of this picture book about getting po'ed over mundane things, I was feeling the Buddhist cultural influence. At the end, saw Thich Nhat Hanh's name and was like: ah-hah! That's cool. I'm a TNH fan and I can imagine kids being charmed by this story; taking from it the idea that there's such a thing as a practice of being still with one's anger. I mean, I learned from Where the Wild Things are that sometimes you just gotta stomp things, so, why not sitting with anger? Finally, when the personified anger monster shrinks, it's just the cutest little anger monster ever.
January 19, 2018
A great find of dealing with anger in a very creative way. A young boy gets frustrated and angry when his grandfather tells him to stop playing to eat his dinner. After lashing out and getting sent to his room, he meets his anger personified. This has a unique message of letting anger run its course by acknowledging it and discovering its source. Collage illustrations make it a visual treat as well.
December 1, 2020
I was not a fan of the illustrations in this book, but the message is amazing. Rather than denying his anger, Anh is encouraged to remove himself from the situation that is frustrating him and advised to sit with his anger. And readers actually get to see how he does this. The grandfather is wonderful in not telling Anh that he is wrong to be angry or that anger is bad, but simply letting him know that no matter what the emotions you feel, it is important to control your actions.
August 28, 2024
This collage-work is unmatched! The angry beast was a little scary at first, but so is anger, so it's quite fitting. I loved the gentle parenting of the grandfather, and the relationship you can see is tender between himself and Anh.
I often daydream about which children's books I'd fill my future nursery with. This book, handsdown, would be included.
I often daydream about which children's books I'd fill my future nursery with. This book, handsdown, would be included.
April 12, 2025
sitting with anger This story shows how the young boy can deal with anger.Deep breathing and calming oneself with stillness solves his difficulty by defusing the anger.
I gave the story a 5 because it was right on target. This is for everyone and young people will understand.I was glad I read it. I have nothing to add. Mr. D.
I gave the story a 5 because it was right on target. This is for everyone and young people will understand.I was glad I read it. I have nothing to add. Mr. D.
October 25, 2017
This is just a beautiful book about emotions. Anger is presented as a natural and necessary part of life, not as a negative to be denied. Reading it lately has really been helping Alice and I talk about frustration.
July 20, 2021
I am so glad I found this book! As an elementary school librarian, I teach mindful breathing to help with transitions. I am a huge advocate for more diverse books in my school. This book is going in my collection.
February 28, 2018
This is a great book for teaching children how to deal with emotion, in particular anger. Through reflection, Anh has to face his anger. He learns to deal with his anger in some creative ways.
March 1, 2018
Excellent story about managing anger - was a hit with my G1 classes and their teachers.
March 13, 2018
Great book to explain that angry feeling that everyone has and how to deal with it.
November 28, 2018
A book about dealing with anger that kids can learn and understand.
January 15, 2019
Excellent book for all ages.
October 30, 2020
This was lovely. I loved the details. We recently read Sam's Pet Temper and that comparison made's Anh's Anger even better.
March 7, 2021
A boy mindfully encounters his anger.
January 13, 2022
Beautiful story & illustrations. Love embodiment of emotions books
November 23, 2022
Excellent book about moving your muscles and breathing deeply as an anger management strategy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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July 8, 2024The illustrations are wonderful!
July 2, 2016
What a creative take on anger: Anger as a playmate. Don't be afraid of your anger; interact with it, deal with it, and understand it. Where were these great books when I was a kid? My girls liked this story and at the end we practiced one of the activities Anh and his anger did together: banging on the floor. Well, we banged on the book so that it sounded like a drum but the effect was the same. And we did it for a full minute and were soothed. That sounds like a Bible verse.
Anyway, I liked the illustrations, too. Anger looked a little crazy but with that long tongue hanging out of its mouth it looked like one of our dogs and that kept the 8-year old from being scared. Anh took a meditation position in the illustrations, which helped the girls understand the breathing.
Prompted a good talk about anger and how we can deal with it. Highly recommended.
Anyway, I liked the illustrations, too. Anger looked a little crazy but with that long tongue hanging out of its mouth it looked like one of our dogs and that kept the 8-year old from being scared. Anh took a meditation position in the illustrations, which helped the girls understand the breathing.
Prompted a good talk about anger and how we can deal with it. Highly recommended.
July 30, 2012
Terrific way to help kids understand and express their emotions--specifically, anger and frustration. I read this to my son before he turned two years old and could tell that he was intrigued by the figure of "anger." He would be at-once shy and curious, wanting to look at the pictures then closing the book. Given his stage of development, we'd been experiencing more frequent and intense toddler mood swings and had already put into practice strategies from Dr. Harvey Karp's book "The Happiest Toddler on the Block"(i.e. mirroring feelings, using simple words to explain feelings and his cause-effect reactions, giving him calm-down time, etc.), so this book offered timely tools to support skillful parent-child communication.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews