Book Review: Happy

Happy
Author/Illustrator: Mies van Hout
Interest Level: Ages 5 and Up

A Note From the Publisher: Clear, strong lines and radiant colors that seem to smile at the reader characterize Mies van Hout's drawings. In Happy, Mies shows all the emotions a young child encounters. Each double page spread is devoted to one fish, showing a particular emotion with its name in lettering that expresses the same feeling. Swim into Happy where the dazzling fish sparkle against the dark background and let the images spark laughter and empathy.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: There is a hefty stack of feelings books on my shelf. I'm obsessed with them. Like obsessed. Let me tell you something - it's so much more fun to read a book about emotions when you have a sweet activity to go with it. But you need the right kind of book to make it happen. Get ready to love this new one as much as I do. Happy is such a cool addition to my collection. I read it to third graders today and they were so into the fish illustrations. Love it when I have 100% engagement from my student audience...all thanks to the cool looking fish on each page. 

I love this illustration below from Happy for SHOCKED.

Activity: Help connect students to the emotions through art. We used black construction paper with different colored chalk to draw our own feelings fish. You could also run a small group called 'Feelings Fish' using the book as the theme to help students explore emotions.

Click here for a sneak preview of the book. 

Feelings Covered: curious, nervous, brave, shy, surprised, sad, furious, proud, jealous, loving, angry, glad, confused, content, afraid, sure, shocked, astonished, bored, delighted

A Link to These Book: 

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Book Reviews: Know Your Emotions Series

Angry Is...
Author: Connie Colwell Miller
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

How does it feel to be angry? What does anger look like? Big, full color photos and simple, rhyming text explore the range of angry feelings. 

Sad Is...
Author: Cheyenne Nichols 
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

How does it feel to be sad? What does sadness look like? Big, full color photos and simple, rhyming text explore the range of feeling sad. 

Happy Is...
Author: Connie Colwell Miller
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

How does it feel to be happy? What does happiness look like? Big, full color photos and simple, rhyming text explore the ways that people feel happy. 

Scared Is...
Author: Cheyenne Nichols
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

How does it feel to be scared? What does fear look like? Big, full color photos and simple, rhyming text explore the range of feeling scared. 






Why They Are On My Bookshelf: Because they are a great resource on feelings! Each book does a superb job describing what the emotion feels like through concrete examples that are easily relatable. The students also appreciate the photos of real kids experiencing the feeling. The series also doesn't give a bunch of lame (yes I used that word) ways to cope with the emotion. It leaves it open ended for the kids and I to start a new dialogue and brainstorm on how to deal and react to emotions. This series is a Winner!

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Book Review: The Rainbow Book

Author: Kate Ohrt
Interest Level: Ages 4 and Up

A Note From the Publisher: Not only do rainbows reveal the path to an ever elusive pot of gold, but they also reveal colors of emotion. In The Rainbow Book, Kate Ohrt sheds light on the relationship between colors and the emotions they might inspire. 

Each page reveals an intricate paper-cut design in a single color, which is set off by an intense black background. Colors are paired with corresponding emotions, such as, "When I feel RED, I am fiery and bold." The Rainbow Book culminates with a bright, foldout rainbow that brings together all the colors and emotions in one beautiful display. 

The Rainbow Book is a great way for children to practice color identification, to discover the emotions associated with various colors of the rainbow, and is sure to bring a smile to the faces of all who come across its colorful cutouts and sincere moments. 
 
Why It's On My Bookshelf: Love love books on feelings! I used this book in a lunch group with 4-5th grade girls this year. They were having a lot of difficulties telling each other how they feel in a healthy manner. Lots of behind the back and under the table communication was happening. So at our second lunch group, I had this book sitting in the middle of the table. One of the girls picked up and said - "Oh wow, this is really cool." Each page has a snowflake like cut out so it's really eye catching and different.

The last page is a fold out of all the colors put together in a rainbow of feelings. It was the starter to our conversation. My goal was really to validate all of their emotions because I know as 4th and 5th grade girls they are also beginning to mature and trying to figure out how to manage all of these feelings. But sometimes those emotions can come out sideways and really hurt one another. We agreed the lunch group would be a safe place where we would resolve those hurts and communicate in a way that builds each other up.

This gave the girls an idea to make their own feelings cut outs. They got started immediately! I don't have a photo of the end result which was a rainbow bulletin board in my office. The girls even made a feelings chart next to the rainbow. THIS WAS ALL THEIR IDEA. Sorry I don't have a final photo, I'm going to blame it on the end of the school year being nuts. But here are some examples of their cut outs. They worked MANY lunches as a group to make the rainbow. I also noticed when we talked about all of the issues that can cause an emotional reaction - the girls were starting to have more empathy for each other.

                         Oops on the blurred image and my husband's slippers in the corner.
                                            This is what working from home looks like.

Don't be afraid to use feelings books. If you get creative with an art project it will make a big difference in teaching the skills kids need in the area of emotional intelligence. I have a feeling the girls will always remember this book.

A Link to This Book:

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Book Reviews: Two Favorites on Feelings

How Are You Peeling? Foods With Moods
Authors: Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers
Interest Level: Ages 4-9

A Note From The Publisher: Who hasn't looked at a piece of food and seen a funny face? The inspired Elffers and Freymann take it to another level in these fanciful flights featuring fruits and vegetables! Embarrassed apples, loving lemons, moody melons, red pepper roadsters, and actual banana boats—these vivid and inspired creations will delight children of every age!

Why It's On My Bookshelf: I have taken a pledge to never read boring feelings books to children. How Are You Peeling? Foods With Moods is just so much fun! It's really important (in my little opinion) to have a lot of resources to draw from when teaching to the social/emotional aspect of a child. Last thing you need is for students to be thinking - Oh gosh, here she comes with that snorefest feelings book again. So lets go back to the word fun. Fruits and vegetables can teach your kids about feelings. So cool! "How did they do that??" This is what the kids kept saying as we turned the pages. I sometimes waited to read the page because there were so many "wows" coming from my audience. 

Why not take it a step further? Bring in your own basket of apples, bananas, etc and let the kids pick one at the end of the lesson to describe how they are feeling. I did and it was such a blast. I heard from students for days about how much they loved the book. Good stuff! I hope you will take the pledge also. No boring feelings books!


Seriously, could this be any cuter?

Why Do You Cry? Not a Sob Story
Book Website: www.kateandsarahklise.com
Author: Kate Klise
Illustrator: M. Sarah Klise
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

A Note From The Publisher: Little Rabbit is about to turn five, and he decides he’s all through with crying. He doesn’t want crybabies at his birthday party, so he tells his friends they can come only if they’re big, like him, and don’t cry anymore. When all of his friends admit to crying sometimes, Little Rabbit is shocked. Does everybody cry? Why?

Why It's On My Bookshelf: I've never really talked to the students about crying before. It's just another one of those things I assume we (including the kids) all know about and do. Why Do You Cry? made me realize if I'm going to teach kids about feelings then we need to talk about that beautiful thing people do....cry. The kids absolutely ADORED this story and fell in love with Little Rabbit. We all giggled at his idea that you should stop crying as you grow older. Little Rabbit's mother explains to him we cry because we all have feelings. Don't ya just love that? When I asked the kids a little later, "Well, so why do adults cry?" A sweet little girl said, "Because they have feelings!" Mother Rabbit also says she sometimes cries when she's happy. So be prepared to talk about tears of joy......heart it.

A Link to These Books:

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Book Review: Growing Up with a Bucket Full of Happiness: Three Rules for a Happier Life

Author: Carol McCloud
Illustrated by Penny Weber
Book Website: www.bucketfillers101.com 
Interest Level: Grades 3 and Up
Chapter Book

From the Book Jacket: Do you know you have an invisible bucket which is filled with all of your good thoughts and feelings? If you're new to the concepts of bucket filling and bucket dipping, then this book is for you. With  easy-to-read chapters, colorful illustrations, and daily questions to help readers become better bucket fillers, Growing Up with a Bucket Full of Happiness: Three Rules for a Happier Life gives readers the tools to live a life filled with happiness.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: When I got this awesome new addition to my bucket books I had a little fun with it. So I hid it behind my back when I showed it to my 3-5th graders. They've heard Have You Filled a Bucket and How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids countless times over the years so I knew they'd be a little shocked and excited about this new one - because it is totally geared to their age. And of course when I showed what I was hiding, they were eagerly wanting me to read it and wanted to know when it would also be available in our school library.

It's a chapter book and well.....it's PERFECT. The kids are learning all kinds of new things about bucket filling:

• BFF = Bucket Fillers Forever (and here you thought it meant best friends forever)
• Group Bucket Filling
• How To Avoid Dipping
• Accidental Dipping
• Thoughtless Dipping
• Selective Dipping
• Group Dipping
• Dipping on Television
• Long-Handled Dipping
• Use Your Lid (I've been waiting for someone to use that idea when it comes to bucket filling.  Protect your bucket from getting dipped in the first place. Love it.)
• Use Your Lid for Others
• Advanced Bucket Fillers
• When A Lid Doesn't Work

If you are a bucket believer then I know you just got a little giddy about the above list. I haven't created any lessons to go with the book yet so I've been playing it by ear and basically doing discussion as we read it. I am sensing from the kids that they would really like to have their own copy to read from. It also has cool pictures throughout. We have ordered a few copies for our school library and they will definitely be in HOT demand. I encourage teachers (grades 3 and up) to have a copy in their kid reading library. Your students will thank you. It could also be a great read aloud to increase your classroom climate. Now who is not for that!?  

Group Dipping

Use Your Lid

Hoping more bucket books are going to be published. They are an INVALUABLE resource for children.

A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful:   

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Book Review: How Full is Your Bucket? For Kids

Authors: Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer
Illustrated by Maurie J. Manning
Interest Level: Ages 4-10

From the Book Jacket: Each of us has an invisible bucket. When our bucket is full, we feel great. When it's empty, we feel awful. Yet most children (and many adults) don't realize the importance of having a full bucket throughout the day.

In How Full is Your Bucket? For Kids, Felix begins to see how every interaction in a day either fills or empties his bucket. Felix then realizes that everything he says or does to other people fills or empties their buckets as well.

Follow along with Felix as he learns how easy it can be to fill the buckets of his classmates, teachers, and family members. Before the day is over, you'll see how Felix learns to be a great bucket filler, and in the process, discovers that filling someone else's bucket also fills his own.

Why It's On My Book Shelf: I cannot even begin to describe the healing power of bucket filling in my own school. It's the #1 way I usually deal with kids when it comes to oh....EVERYTHING. I've taught this metaphor for years and it is built into our thinking and language. The kids use it for problem solving, bullying, friendship issues, home problems, helping others, expressing a need, describing their feelings, talking about a hurt and much more. Relationships are strengthened when students choose to live their lives by this philosophy.

I originally found out about bucket filling through author Carol McCloud's book Have You Filled a Bucket Today?. It's a neat picture book explaining just what is the business of "Bucket Filling." If you've been using this story (or even if you haven't) to explain this wonderful metaphor, then you ABSOLUTELY need How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids by authors Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer.

What makes this book so special is the focus is on a boy, Felix, and what happens to his bucket throughout his day. He wakes up in the morning with a pretty full bucket. But he spills the cereal and his mom scolds him. Ouch, hurt feelings. DRIP. I loved watching the students' reaction to that word. They hadn't heard bucket filling described that way. Felix gets to school and has a series of negative encounters with kids. DRIP. DRIP. All those positive feelings he started with start going away until his bucket is almost empty. 

Unkind behavior = Drips.



But then something happens to stop the DRIPS. Felix's teacher gives him a compliment. DROP. The class is supportive of him and praises his effort. DROP! He starts receiving compliments and acts of kindness from others as the school day continues. DROP! His bucket starts to fill back up with positive feelings. 


Acts of Kindness = Drops.

Here comes my favorite part.  Once his bucket is filled back up he looks around the playground and notices everyone else has one too....and a lot of them need filling. He now has a real understanding of how it works. And so will your kids! So Felix gets right to it by being kind and helpful. DROP! DROP! This time there are two drops. When he fills another person's bucket, he fills his own too.


Each person receives a DROP during kindness.

The students were SO excited when they saw the cover. I've been reading it the first couple weeks of school so kids can remember to start filling others' buckets immediately. I plan on reading it again throughout the school year. This is one of those stories they like to hear over and over again. It is very well written, the illustrations are perfect, and it speaks to kids. They completely relate to Felix and the ups and downs of his day. Using the "drips" and "drops" as a way to describe positive and negative interactions was easily understood by the students. We've started putting our new discovered language to use! Bucket filling is a way of life in my school. I hope you do the same in your school and home.

A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful:

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Book Review: Everyone Has Feelings Series

Everyone Feels Angry Sometimes
Author: Cari Meister
Illustrated by Damian Ward
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

It's OK to feel angry. What does being angry feel like? What does it look like? How can you help anger go away? Everyone feels angry sometimes.

Everyone Feels Happy Sometimes
Author: Cari Meister
Illustrated by Damian Ward
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

Feeling happy is fun! What does being happy feel like? What does it look like? How can you show others your happiness? Everyone feels happy sometimes.

Everyone Feels Sad Sometimes
Author: Marcie Aboff
Illustrated by Damian Ward
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

It's OK to feel sad. What does being sad feel like? What does it look like? How can you help sadness go away? Everyone feels sad sometimes.

Everyone Feels Scared Sometimes
Author: Marcie Aboff
Illustrated by Damian Ward
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

It's OK to feel scared. What does being scared feel like? What does it look like? How can you feel safe again? Everyone feels scared sometimes.

Why They Are On My Bookshelf: At the end of each school year I go through all of my books. Part of my reorganization process is figuring out where the 'holes' are in my curriculum based on the needs of my school population. New books about feelings were at the top of my list. I have some really good solid reads on emotions but I also have some seriously outdated ones. I'm talking 1980's outdated with kids in acid wash jeans. So I began searching for a new series on feelings. I found the perfect set at Capstone Publishing.

They are SUPER user friendly and can be used in a multipurpose fashion. I am absolutely integrating these into my feelings curriculum as a read aloud to classes. I feel confident when I'm reading them....I'll tell you more about that in a minute. They will also fit wonderfully into a small group setting. I have run a group in the past called "Fishing For My Feelings" and these will definitely boost those sessions. I also have a recommended list of books for parents to read to their children. These will DEFINITELY be on it. Another use will be in our school library. I spoke with our school librarian today and we decided to have a new shelf called - The School Counselor's Bookshelf. These will be books picked out by me for the kids to check out. Um, I think it's going to be a hit. So we decided to order another set of my new feelings series because these are definitely books kids could read alone.

So let me share why I loved these immediately. They are simple and concrete. I know I'm not going to lose my audience. These are not over the top books. There is enough room allowing me to expand my teaching on feelings. They are the perfect length of about 22 or so pages. That's what I need for this age population. It's also awesome to just focus on one feeling at a time. Each book proposes solutions to an uncomfortable feeling. Here's an example from Everyone Feels Sad Sometimes: "Zack watches the other kids play kickball. Some of the kids told him he couldn't play. Zack looks at the ground. His throat feels tight." And then the next page gives a solution to the situation and feeling: "Zack talks to the kids. They let him play. Soon he's having a blast!" LOVE THAT! There's a lot of books out there explaining what a feeling is...but this goes further. It teaches kids it's sometimes necessary to do something with those feelings. Do something positive. I often remind the students there is no problem in life we can't find a solution for....no matter how big or small. This also includes feelings. Don't overlook the power of sharing books on this subject matter. Kids desire the emotional guidance.

Stay tuned for future reviews of other titles I have from Capstone.

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Book Review: The Way I Feel

Author: Janan Cain
Interest Level: Ages 4-9

About This Book:

Silly is the way I feel

when I make a funny face

and wear a goofy, poofy hat

that takes up lots of space

So begins a child's romp through a feelings word book. Feelings are neither good nor bad, they simply are. Kids needs words to name their feelings, just as they need words to name foods, clothes, toys, people, and all the other interesting things in their world.

Strong, colorful, and expressive images go along with the verses to help children connect the word and the emotion. Your child will learn useful words, and you will have many chances to open conversations about what's going on in her/his life.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: When it comes to the social and emotional growth of children, this just might be in my top five book picks. The Way I Feel was first released ten years ago and is as relevant today as the day it was published. I get a lot of, 'Yaaaas, I love that book!!' when I show the cover. Not only do they love the illustrations, but they relish the opportunity to discuss feelings and what to do with them. Yes, it may sound cliche for a counselor to highly recommend a book about feelings but I have students who are desperate to have their emotions validated and heard. Author Janan Cain writes a thoughtful note to parents on the last page. She offers four suggestions to parents as they read The Way I Feel to their child (super helpful). I'm so happy this is on my shelf to share with children.

Emotions covered: silly, scared, disappointed, happy, sad, angry, thankful, frustrated, shy, bored, excited, jealous, and proud. 

PS. For the littles, The Way I Feel board book.

A Link to This Book:

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Book Review: My Book Full of Feelings - How to Control and React to the Size of Your Emotions

 

Authors: Amy V. Jaffe and Luci Gardner

Interest Level: All Ages

About This Book: This highly engaging workbook is an ideal way to help teach children to identify, access the intensity of, and respond appropriately to their emotions. The book is fully interactive. By using a dry-erase marker, unique situations and solutions can be added and changed with a wipe of a paper towel, as the child masters a skill and grows. Also included is a Communication Pad for tracking and sharing information between home and school an important component of effective programming. The book is great for all children, including those with Asperger Syndrome and other autism spectrum disorders.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: This workbook is for ALL children, not just those with Asperger Syndrome and other Autism Spectrum Disorders. I came across My Book Full of Feelings at my local bookstore and immediately saw it's potential in helping children at my school. It uses colors for feelings, visualization, and a triangle that has three sizes of feelings - small, medium, and big. Make sure to read the "How To Use This Book" section. We tend to skip past those pages to get immediately to the 'goods'. The author gives really good suggestions on techniques to use with children while using the workbook. A lot of children struggle with identifying their feelings which can lead to an out of control response to a situation. My Book Full of Feelings has helped me be a better counselor. Your shelf needs a resource like this if you work with children who need help controling their reactions and the size of their emotions. 

A Link to This Book: 

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Book Review: Glad Monster, Sad Monster A Book About Feelings

Authors: Ed Emberley and Anne Miranda

Interest Level: Ages 3-8

About This Book: Children who lack the vocabulary to distinguish the emotions they're feeling may find some comfort in this book, which makes use of masks to unmask feelings. Each spread shows little brightly colored monsters acting out different emotions--pink monsters cut out valentines and bake cookies to express love, yellow monsters play ball and open birthday presents in the name of happiness--while a gatefold page reveals a big mask of whatever emotion is covered in that spread. The eyes and noses are punched out, so children can hold those pages up and "wear'' the mask.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: What a cute book! It's just pure fun for little kids. Learning about feelings shouldn't be boring. They jump at the chance to put the mask on and 'try on' a feeling. It's been a wonderful addition to my shelf.

A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful:

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Book Review: My Many Colored Days

Author: Dr. Seuss

paintings by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher

Interest Level: All Ages

About This Book: Pairing emotions with colors is nothing new to poetry, but pairing impressionistic full-color paintings to the text of Dr. Seuss is a first. His formerly unpublished manuscript becomes the basis for a simple color concept book; children will easily identify primary colors and enter into the feeling and mood depicted by the creature in every spread: ``On Bright Red Days/how good it feels/to be a horse/and kick my heels!'' Broad strokes of thick paint on canvas create basic forms with texture, sometimes dark and weighty, sometimes bold and breezy. Those who can set aside preconceived expectations--there is no butter-side-up Seuss here--will find that some of the spreads gracefully elevate poetry that often has feet but no wings.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: This is one of my favorite books to read about feelings. It not only introduces feelings, but also moods. The pairing of colors and emotions is such a great way for kids to communicate how they are feeling. I sometimes notice students using other ways to relay their feelings, and often those are negative ways. My Many Colored Days helps kids to identify emotions in a positive light, through the use of colors. Be sure to ask your child, 'What color are you feeling?' Get this Dr. Seuss book on your shelf.

A Link to this Book and Others You Might Find Helpful:

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Book Review: Have You Filled a Bucket Today? A Guide To Daily Happiness For Kids

Author: Carol McCloud
Illustrated by David Messing

Interest Level: K-5

From the Book Jacket: Through simple prose and vivid illustrations, this heartwarming book encourages positive behavior as children see how rewarding it is to express daily kindness, appreciation, and love. Bucket filling and dipping are effective metaphors for understanding the effects of our actions and words on the well being of others and ourselves.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: This simple little metaphor gets kids talking about their 'buckets' (happy feelings) like crazy! And it's absolutely why I love it. It's also the reason I chose it as my first blog post. Have You Filled A Bucket Today? is my all time favorite book to use with children. It's a beautiful way to communicate with kids. I've had parents ask me over the years, "Just what is a bucket?" I get asked about it because kids use the language at home. Hint....if you are a parent, get this book! Check out bucket fillers to get turned on to this beautiful book and concept.

A Link To This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful:

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