Simon and the Big, Bad, Angry Beasts is a story about a boy who expresses his anger in harmful ways, which begin to manifest themselves as progressively meaner beasts that lash out at his friends and family. Though it feels good at first, Simon eventually realizes that his beasts are not making things better -- in fact, they're making it so that no one wants to be around him. By learning to be more calm and mindful, he is able to find a healthier way to deal with his anger.

I think this story works very well as a parable of sorts, and though I can't personally speak to its effectiveness, I can see how it could be useful in helping to give children a visual and fantastical perspective on how unmanaged anger can hurt others and them. I don't know whether or not this would be the kind of story I'd just randomly pick up to read with a child who doesn't struggle with anger -- I see it as more of a teaching tool, but it looks like a good one.

The story focuses a lot more on the anger part than on the management -- it wraps up rather quickly and somewhat abruptly, but the book does include a lot of explanations, tips, and encouragement in the end notes about how it can be used to help children who need it, so hopefully this will be a valuable tool for parents and educators.

(Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy.)

#NetGalley #SimonAndTheBig,Bad,Angry,Beasts

Simon handles his anger by having temper tantrums. But he is discovering that each time he has a tantrum the imaginary monster he becomes grows into something larger and more fierce. Eventually, Simon’s temper is so large that no one wants to be around him. When he realizes that life has become quite lonely, he tries to figure out how to get rid of the angry monsters that come out when he is angry. Can he work through his anger issues and enjoy playing with his friends again?

Cons: Like all books of this nature, the issue is handled in a simplistic manner that is not quite realistic, and I felt the ending was very abrupt and needed a few more pages, but . . . (see below).

Pros: this is a definite start to managing anger issues and adults have several pages at the back of the book with strategies for talking to children about their emotions along with various exercises they can use to cope with anger. The illustrations are just right for this book.

I received this advance copy via Netgalley and after a particularly angry tantrum by by grandson, I decided to read the book to him in an attempt to calm him down. Simon and the Big, Bad, Angry Beasts was the perfect book for doing this. The boy in the story, Simon, was prone to temper tantrums and the angrier he became, the larger the imaginary monster became. A ram becomes, an alligator, then a lion. From a lion, to a rhino to a large angry dragon. Until all Simons friends stop playing with him. The only was for Simon to get back his friends is for him to control his beasts. My grandson really related to this story (he is only 6). He even realised the similarities between him and Simon and at the end, we even practiced some breathing exercises in a bid to get rid of his own beasts. A simple, but effective and powerful book that is beautifully illustrated and should be ready by everybody involved in raising an angry child.

Quando Simon si arrabbia, si arrabbia davvero tanto!

E la sua rabbia diventa coccodrilli, e rinoceronti, e leoni, e draghi temuti da tutti!

Finché Simon non si trova solo, in compagnia dei suoi mostri

Senza amici, che ne hanno paura.

E deve trovare il modo di far andare via i mostri e la rabbia che li crea.

Meraviglioso libretto illustrato, perfetto per impostare con bambini dai tre agli otto anni un percorso di riconoscimento e gestione della rabbia, da vedere non come emozione da soffocare o negare ma, appunto, da governare.

Simon and the Big, Bad Angry Beasts is a kid-friendly way to explore the feeling of anger. Simon learns to accept his anger, as well as other ways to cope when he’s angry. The illustrations are colorful and match perfectly with the text. An appendix filled with activities for parents and groups is provided and looks extremely helpful.

Simon and the Big, Bad Angry Beasts are the most colorful, mindful book for kids from 4 to 8 to learn how to manage their anger.
The illustrations are so meaningful to the story. You can see Simon'anger through the color of the beasts. Even their sizes, the angrier he gets, the bigger his beasts. Children are visual learners and this book gives all the elements to be understood. A book to adopt in your classroom library or at home to start introducing your children to mindfulness and calming down. You will also find activities and a guide for parents and teachers. Love it!