Book Works: Feeling Blue
Feeling Blue: Children’s books that increase emotional awareness and talk about sadness or feeling down.
This time of year can bring on feelings of funk or sadness that might be triggered by gloomy weather as well as other struggles in a child’s life. When kids feel down or sad, they often don’t know how to express it or know what can help. These books show kids that they’re not alone and can lead to honest conversations about feelings and ways to cope.
Everybody Gets the Blues by Leslie Staub; Illustrated by R.G. Roth
Kids will appreciate the empathy and optimism in this story, which explains that everyone gets the blues sometimes. I love the story line that reflects on how helping others can make you feel better. The author, a New Orleans native, wrote this book after going through Hurricane Katrina.Amazon affiliate link (opens in a new tab): https://amzn.to/2BRvx0T
When I Couldn’t Get Over It, I Learned to Start Acting Differently by Bryan Smith; Illustrated by Lisa Griffin
Fourth-grader Kyle has trouble getting over setbacks and sad feelings. He struggles to move forward when he is in a funk, but gets help from a teacher who supports his awareness and helps him manage his feelings and behavior.Amazon affiliate link (opens in a new tab): https://amzn.to/2tEqCM5
I’m Sad by Michael Ian Black; illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi
This delightful sequel to I’m Bored by author and comedian Michael Ian Black features a girl, a Potato, and a sad Flamingo. The girl and Potato try to cheer Flamingo up, but it doesn’t work. Flamingo realizes that he won’t always feel sad and his friends learn that they can stick together even when you can’t make the other person feel better.Amazon affiliate link (opens in a new tab): https://amzn.to/2tEqI6p
The Color Monster: A Pop-up Book of Feelings by Anna Llenas
This book teaches emotional vocabulary and awareness and encourages young children to share their feelings with parents and other trusted adults. Filled with brightly colored illustrations and 3-D pop-ups that teach basic emotions such as happy, sad, angry, fearful, etc.Amazon affiliate link (opens in a new tab): https://amzn.to/2U9iVJOArticle by Elizabeth Sautter, M.A., CCC-SLPSpeech Language Pathologist & Executive Director of Communication WorksBook Works are book recommendations by Communication Works (CW) that support speech, language, social and emotional growth for children.