I feel! A book of emotions

PreS-Gr 3--Everyone struggles with managing the emotions that roil them, but for young children, emotions can be even harder without a way to articulate them. Medina's new book--and the third in her "I Will" series--seeks to help children point to and name 14 different emotions. On each spread, one page contains a single word while the facing page has a colorful, full-page illustration of a child experiencing an emotion. Additionally, in the upper corner of the page with the word, there is a simple drawing capturing just the child's facial expression. Some illustrations show children in a school setting (a "lonely" child eats by herself in a cafeteria), while others take place in the broader world (a "frightened" child shies away from a pool). There are emotions that most everyone is reluctant to experience (e.g., embarrassed, confused) as well as those people revel in experiencing (such as excited or proud). The illustrations depict a diverse group of children and a variety of skin tones; the pairings will elicit conversations, showing the excited child with an artificial leg, and an embarrassed child wearing a hijab. There are only two sentences in the book, placed at the end where they resonate: "All feelings are valid. It is what we do with them that matters." VERDICT Perfect for parents, teachers, psychologists, and counselors to share with young children to help them validate, understand, and even regulate their emotions.--Sally A. James

An illustrated series of emotions and expressions. Pura Belpré Award--winning Medina clearly and simply sets up this picture book with the question, "Do you feel…." Each subsequent spread lists an emotion accompanied by two illustrations. One shows the feeling in action, for example, a light-skinned child splashing in a puddle to depict "happy." The other is a simple line drawing of a face (for "happy," a teal face with smiling eyes and a large grin). The book concludes, "All feelings are valid. It is what we do with them that matters." Medina tackles some emotions that will be more nuanced or subtle for the target age group; "hurt" is depicted not as a response to a physical wound but as the result of mean-spirited teasing. For "brave," a brown-skinned child with scuffed knees and elbows climbs back on a bike, presumably after a fall. The illustrations are clear and pronounced, standing out against a white background. The thick black outlines and bright colors give each image presence. Children vary in skin tone; one brown-skinned child uses a prosthetic leg. Medina's naming and normalizing of human emotions are empowering for little readers and a starting place for conversations with caregivers. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A concise visual dictionary of feelings, useful for children and their grown-ups. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.