The Happy Book: A Book Full of Feelings

by Alex Allan, Anne Wilson (Illustrator)

Encourage children to pay attention to their moods. Share this charming and playful picture book with a child who might be suffering from anxiety, or feeling unhappy, or just having some problems adjusting to a new routine. The Happy Book is a playful, warm and inviting activity picture book to encourage children to pay attention to their moods and learn to express their thoughts and feelings rather than hide them away. Top tips help young children to identify their emotions, while mini science sections explain simply what happens in their brain and body. Topics include the power of laughter, why it's OK to cry, how to face fears, the value of family and friends, being kind, and what to do if you need help. Written with the help of child psychotherapist Sarah Davis, this book is an ideal tool for children who find it hard to understand and express their emotions, hopes and anxieties. The perfect gift for a child starting school or struggling with their peers.

32 pages, Paperback

Published October 6, 2020

Reviews

[Baby Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!

Hello, friends! Our books today are The Happy Book: Understanding Your Feelings and The Calm Book: Understanding Your Busy Brain, by Alex Allan and Anne Wilson, two books to help young bookworms understand and manage their emotions.

Developed in consultation with child therapist Sarah Davis, both books break down major emotions, what can cause them, and ways to deal with them into child-friendly language. In The Happy Book, happiness, anger, fear, and sadness are explained not only in abstract terms, but also in terms of the biological science that causes them. Readers are given tips to deal with their big feelings in healthy ways. This lesson continues in The Calm Book, in which readers are given a crash course in how our brains affect our emotions, and tips on how to calm our brains through mindfulness, deep breathing, yoga, and even a few therapeutic crafts like homemade slime and glitter jars.

A novel approach to dealing with big feelings. Rather than primer-style books on emotions, these more comprehensive titles aim to help kids understand and process their feelings in healthy ways, and they do a great job of it. Both books assure that feelings, even negative ones, are normal, and give simple yet effective tips to allow little ones to have agency over their own emotions. Both books handle their subjects nicely, with Happy covering a broader range of emotions, and Calm focusing on ways to decompress anxiety and stress. By taking the reader’s feelings seriously, it gives kids confirmation that their emotions and feelings are valid. Expressive, colorful illustrations featuring a cast of entertaining animals and kids give plenty of visual interest and sets the mood for each emotion and activity nicely. The length of these make them best for elementary-age readers and older, and JJ enjoyed the fun illustrations and expressive text. A unique way to help kids explore their emotions, and we liked them – 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!

[Amy Stalder · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really lovely book. I observed this being displayed in the ‘calm corner’ of a classroom. The illustrations are beautifully done and make the text much more engaging for children. Colours are also used to represent the different emotions, making it much easier for the children to make connections to the text. As well as descriptions about certain emotions make you feel, there is also a scientific aspect, such as child-friendly explanations of dopamine, endorphins etc. and what effect they have on our emotions. A lovely addition to any classroom and for any children struggling with their emotions, particularly during the pandemic.