The Great Big Book of Feelings

This large colourful book, covering a good spread of the moods and feelings children experience, is ideal for sharing with a nursery class or with a parent at home. It has a modern feel and shows different children responding to a variety of situations at home and at school.   Whether describing positive feelings – excitement, happiness and curiosity, or more problematic ones – loneliness, fear and boredom, the written text and lively illustrations are in perfect harmony.  The flashes of verbal and visual humour are bound to make young children chuckle. The universal experience of feeling embarrassed by what our parents say or do is exemplified by the picture of a mother rushing up to her son who is with his friends at the start of a school trip, shouting ‘Jack! You’ve forgotten your TEDDY!’   The book makes it clear that different people react differently in the same situation. ‘Some people never feel embarrassed’.  Most people, however, feel some anxiety about big things like moving house and starting a new school. Young children have to understand and cope with their own emotions and learn to recognize these in other people.  Interpreting how people are feeling involves looking at their facial expressions,  noting what they say or do not say and even noticing how they are moving, standing or sitting. How do we learn all this? Through observation, experience and from talking about it to others.   Sensitive and practical advice is given about one of the most difficult emotions for children to deal with:  feelings of anger.  You might cope by going for a walk, doing an angry dance or drawing an angry picture.  Listening to music or to the soothing sound of water is a strategy to try when you feel upset.   Above all, this book helps by encouraging reflection and discussion.  It ends with a life enhancing double spread celebrating ‘ways of feeling better’.