Ruby's Worry

Anxiety is a major area of concern in children’s literature these days, and this simple but effective story is an interesting addition to the genre.  Ruby is a very happy, contented girl, but one day a small worry comes into her life.  We don’t know what it is, but what we see is a yellow-coloured creature always by her side, and because she continues to think about the worry, it becomes bigger and bigger until it threatens to takeover her life.  Ruby is no longer happy, but no one seems to notice:  ‘Ruby didn’t realise, but she was doing the worst thing you can ever do with a Worry…she was worrying about it.’  It is only when she sees a boy in the park who also looks anxious and is accompanied by a large blue creature that she begins to know that other people have worries too.  Sitting down by the boy, she asks him what is wrong – and he tells her.  His blue worry starts shrinking, and when Ruby also talks about hers, her yellow worry also disappears.  They are both delighted and have learned the important lesson of talking about their anxieties.  Ruby now knows just what to do when a new worry develops.  The pictures with their personalised worries are a delight, and the changing colours from light to dark reflect Ruby’s changing moods.  An excellent way of explaining to children the only real way to get rid of one’s concerns is to talk about them.