The Sad Book

The Sad Book is based on a clever premise; for this is a book which can actually speak to its readers. Our book narrator starts by telling readers not to expect a ‘happy ever after’ story where the frog turns into a prince or the good guy wins. It goes on to show, largely through illustration, that sad things happen to all of us from time to time, it is not unusual. The examples given range from dropping an ice cream or hearing parents arguing.

With interactive elements, the text cleverly conveys strategies for coping with sad thoughts such as controlling your breathing, talking about your feelings, drawing a picture of how you feel or finding ways to help someone else. The overarching message is that it is normal to feel sad sometimes and that sad feelings don’t last forever.

An effective idea, this is one of a series of four books by the same author and illustrator team focusing on different emotions and how to cope with them.