A Book of Feelings

In this outstanding picture book about a family and all the various feelings that come about in a solid familial relationship, we meet Mum and Dad, Sam and Kate, and the dog Fuzzy Bean.  While they are mostly happy with each other, they can get cross or grumpy; when outside the family, they can be embarrassed, shy or nervous in unusual situations.  Sometimes they are frightened or sad – and when the guinea pig dies, Dad cries as well as Sam.  We learn there are different kinds of crying:  sometimes people cry when they feel proud, like when Mum sees Kate dancing on stage.  Kate’s friend Maddy is terribly hurt when her parents decide to separate, and Kate must learn to be understanding even when Maddy doesn’t seem to want her to be.  Then there is anger!  Grownups can get angry just like children, but often their anger has to do with children doing something dangerous or something they shouldn’t.  Sam and Kate get very angry from time to time, and the fights are both physical and verbal.  There is jealousy too, and Sam remembers how he felt when Kate was born and he no longer had his parents’ full attention.  The running story line is full of highly recognisable events in a family’s life, and even Fuzzy Bean shows emotions – fear during thunderstorms and jealousy when Kate arrives as a baby.  The pictures, several vignettes on each page, sometimes with speech lines above, are full of movement and feelings both positive and negative.  This is a very real family within very real situations, and the illustrations reflect this beautifully.  The book will prove an excellent addition to primary school libraries and a great aid to discussion in families too.