friday's five, emotional literacy

Children, unlike many adults, are not afraid to express their emotions, not in the least. But sometimes, they don't have the words or full understanding to explain what they're feeling. Stories can help provide context for talking about the myriad of ways they could be feeling, and regular exposure to picture books that talk about emotions can help a child develop a healthy sense of emotional self-awareness.

1. Out, Out, Away From Here written by Rachel Woodworth and illustrated by Sang Miao

From one of my very favorite smaller publishing houses, Flying Eye Books, this one takes the common theme of emotions and plays it out in a way that emphasizes a child's self-reliance in dealing with the ups and downs of life. With a hint of Where the Wild Things Are, this book follows a young girl through her mad and sad emotions and how she retreats to the wild of her imagination to gain some control. When she feels bigger than everything else going on around her, she is ready to return to her sometimes chaotic life.

2. Thank You, Omu! written and illustrated by Oge Mora

2019 Caldecott Honor Book

Omu is preparing a big pot of delicious stew one day, and as it simmers on the stove, she relaxes and happily anticipates dinnertime. The wonderful smell of the stew wafts out the window and through the neighborhood, bringing person after person knocking on Omu's door. Omu is a generous and kind woman, and she shares some stew with everyone who comes, which means that when dinnertime rolls around, there's no stew left in Omu's pot. Just then she hears a knock on her door! Can you predict who might be there? This lovely story about generosity and community shares the joys of giving and taking and addresses what it feels like to be both disappointed and grateful. Don't miss the author's note to learn about the background of the name "Omu" and the inspiration for this beautiful book.

3. Hector's Favorite Place written and illustrated by Jo Rooks

Oh, anxiety... a feeling with which I have a whole lot of experience. When I was teaching preschool, I felt a special bond with my students who had a just a few more worries than most of their peers. I think it's important to find literature that feature characters with whom these children can relate, for both encouragement and acknowledgement. In this picture book, Hector the hedgehog is comfortable at home reading, painting, and cooking by himself, but he keeps receiving invitations from friends to go out and socialize. Hector's anxiety keeps him from accepting these invitations time and time again, but one day, Hector realizes that he truly wants to go out and connect with pals. His bravery in talking himself through some of his biggest worries is significant, and this book handles the topic gently and with respect for the weight that worries can carry.

4. The Visitor written and illustrated by Antje Damm

A woman sits alone in her home because she is frightened of leaving. Many things scare her, so she feels safest staying home on her own. She likes her home to be neat and tidy, but she does like a fresh breeze occasionally, so she leaves the window open one day only to find a paper airplane fly in! Worry about where it came from keeps her up all night, and she only gets more concerned when someone knocks on her door the next morning. Will Elise face her fears? What will happen when she sees a young boy on her doorstep? This picture book offers a slow and quiet story that is probably more fitting for older picture book readers. It was originally published in German, and its illustrations are unique and quite engaging.

5. Why the Face? written and illustrated by Jean Jullien

So I know that not too long ago I said that I don't usually include board books here, but I'm making an exception this time because while this is a board book, I think it can be used very effectively with preschoolers and kindergarteners, and maybe even some elementary-aged kids, to talk about feelings and expressions. I just love this book, too, so I want to put it under the spotlight a little bit. Each page shows a cartoon face illustration with a distinct expression and asks the titular question. When you fold back the page, you see the reason why-- maybe it's some stinky garbage or a really loud punk band or something else that's causing the character to react. This funny book uses humor to help give some context to conversations about facial expressions and what they can mean. 

Happy reading!