Category

Emotions & Feelings

Words And Your Heart
by Kate Jane Neal

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Words And Your HeartAt first glance this book looks like it’s going to be soppy and ‘girly’ but do not be fooled. It teaches a really important lesson and should not be overlooked because of the abundance of hearts on the cover!

The beautifully illustrated text talks about our words and the impact they have. Words are great for chatting with your friends and describing things you’ve seen and explaining how you feel but sometimes words can hurt. They can make you cry and affect how people feel in their hearts.

Because of this we need to understand that our words have power and we should use that power for good. Your words can cheer someone up if they are feeling sad, lift someone up when they don’t feel strong or help someone keep going when they are ready to give up.

If you use your words to help other people then you can help make the world a better place.

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Calm-Down Time By Elizabeth Verdick & Marieka Heinlen

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Calm-Down TimeA few weeks ago one of our Instagram followers asked for my help with finding a book which could help her daughter learn to handle her emotions. Toddlers often have tantrums because they struggle to express their feelings in words so she was looking for a tool that would help mitigate this.

We’re only just getting in to the tantrum stage with Ivy so this wasn’t an area I had properly researched but I had heard good things about this book by Elizabeth Verdick. Wary of recommending something I hadn’t actually read, I ordered a copy and I am extremely glad that I did. This little board book has proven itself to be very effective!

It explains the emotions your toddler might be feeling in very simple terms and then gives a little mantra to help them calm down which is repeated throughout the book. It also offers up suggestions about how they can make themselves feel better, like asking for a cuddle, talking about how they feel, or simply finding a quiet place to play or sing by themselves.

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The Skin You Live In
by Michael Tyler & David Lee Csicsko

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The Skin You Live InI don’t really have the words to explain how fantastic I think this book is. In my opinion it should be on the shelf of every school library as it does such a great job of celebrating diversity.

On the surface the book is about skin colour but it’s also so much more than that. As well as illustrating the beautiful range of skin colours we have and describing them all in a lovely way, it shows how we are not to be defined by colour and encourages your child to look beyond the surface.

Our skin is a part of us and every day it helps us to be who we are and do the things we enjoy. We live inside it and smile in it. We play in it and we sleep in it. We have fun in it and we laugh in it (to quote the book we even ‘dream about eating ice cream’ in it <3).

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Today I Feel… By Madalena Moniz

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Today I FeelI bought this book online on a whim purely because I fell in love with the artwork on the front. I had no idea what it was about or whether it was any good but fortunately when it arrived the contents lived up to the cover!

The book is an alphabet of feelings, with each double page dedicated to one letter/emotion and a corresponding image. The range of emotions covered is really wide and the beautiful illustrations and colours give a fantastic sense of how each one feels.

From Adored and Brilliant to Yucky and Zzzz (via Jealous, Patient and Warm) this gorgeous book is a fantastic way to start discussing emotions and feelings with your child.

Buy it now: https://amzn.to/2uCxnSj

 

Augustus And His Smile By Catherine Rayner

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Augustus And His SmilePoor Augustus the tiger is sad. He’s lost his smile and he can’t find it anywhere!

Determined to find it, he sets off on a quest which takes him to the top of the tallest trees, the bottom of the deepest oceans and the peaks of the highest mountains. Will he find his smile at the end of his journey, or is it just possible that it has been with him all along?

Ivy loves tigers and the beautiful illustrations (by the author, Catherine Rayner) in this book mean she pulls it down from our shelf to be read again and again. The pictures are simple but you can really feel every emotion that the tiger feels.

The story is  a lovely exploration of the wonder of nature which ultimately shows that it’s the simple things in life which makes us happy.

Buy it now: https://amzn.to/2GgYWlm

What I Like About Me By Allia Zobel-Nolan

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What I like About MeWe love this award-winning little board book which celebrates the fact that every child is different.

Each page focuses on a difference which could be perceived as a flaw in the playground (kids can be cruel!). It takes that point of difference and turns it on its head, showing your child to see the positives rather than the negatives.

Whether you’re short or tall, have crazy eyebrows or out-of-control hair, or wear glasses or braces, the smiling faces on these pages show that being a little bit different is what makes you special.

Buy it now: http://amzn.to/2IInp4B

Be Brave Little One By Marianne Richmond

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Be Brave Little OneThis beautiful little book about courage is perfect in every way.

It shows your tiny reader all the ways in which you can be brave – from the loudest actions to the tiniest little steps.

Whether it’s exploring unknown places and situations or simply plucking up the courage to talk to another child, being brave (and being brave enough to show your feelings and follow your heart) is always to be commended.

The gentle illustrations and lovely message make this ideal for a toddler who is beginning to learn about emotions.

It would also be a beautiful gift for a new mum and baby.

Buy it now: http://amzn.to/2FZ8SRe

We’re All Wonders By R.J. Palacio

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We're All WondersAnyone who has read Wonder by R.J. Palacio or seen the recent movie adaptation will be familiar with the story of Auggie – a small boy with a facial disfigurement who enters a mainstream school. If you haven’t read it then it’s highly recommended!

This version of the book is suitable for little children and let’s them see what life is like when you don’t look like everyone else.

Auggie explains how he likes to do all the same things that other children do but because he looks different then people stare and sometimes they are mean to him. He shows you how this makes him feel and how he deals with it.

He knows he can’t change the way he looks but he wants to try and change the way people see because he thinks it will make the world a better place.

We love this one and it’s an excellent book to start a conversation with a pre-schooler about empathy and how we should treat those around us.

Buy it now: http://amzn.to/2COJJ8v

Big Hid By Roisin Swales

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Big Hid‘Big Hid’ is a beautifully illustrated tale of the friendship between Big (a tortoise) and Little (a squirrel). Together they have many adventures but one day Big just doesn’t feel like doing anything anymore. He pulls in his head and his arms and his legs and he disappears in to his shell.

Little tries everything he can think of to make Big come out but nothing works. He misses his friend a lot so decides to just sit on top of him and give him a big cuddle. Could this be what Big needs to bring him back out of his shell?

This is a really simple but poignant tale about friendship.

Everyone gets sad and needs a little time alone sometimes – and when you think you might be ready to face the world again a big hug from your best friend can make all the difference.

This is currently Ivy’s favourite book. Every time I ask her to pick a book she yells ‘TORTOISE’ and grabs this off the shelf.

Buy it now: http://amzn.to/2oczINg

The Weaver by Qian Shi

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The WeaverStanley the Spider finds the perfect spot for a new web and sets about weaving himself a home. When it’s finished he decorates it with lovely things which he has collected, like leaves and flowers, buttons and bottle tops. He’s very proud of his new creation but then the rain washes it away.

Stanley is very upset and tries to fix it but then the wind comes along and makes it worse. Just when he thinks all is lost he has an idea. Can he pull it off?

This is a beautifully illustrated book which teaches an importance message about resilience and dealing with loss. Nothing you love can ever truly be lost as you always carry it with you in your heart.

Buy it now: http://amzn.to/2smXTO6