Even very little kids sometimes have VERY BIG feelings. This sweet book from ZonderKidz recognizes that even the smallest of children sometimes need help dealing with their very big emotions.

This book is a gem because it begins by helping children to recognize what sad looks like, feels like, and sounds in their own bodies and those of people around them. Then, it gives hints to help children work through their emotions and vocalize their feelings.

The pictures in this book are delightful. I like how they are very simple and focus upon the faces that the characters are making. Additionally, I think that the inclusion of the adorable animals will really appeal to small children.

A true highlight of this book is that there are BOTH characters shown with a variety of skin tones AND differing physical abilities so that every person reading the book can see themselves in the book.

There are many books out there that speak to emotions but this book stands out from the rest because it connects the emotions to God as the Creator and why He made our emotions. The books ends on a beautiful note of hope with the Scripture passage.

I received an electronic ARC from Zonderkidz through NetGalley.
Nietert takes readers through the many ways feeling sad can affect us. Readers see kids reacting to all sorts of things that hurt us physically or emotionally. Throughout, they are encouraged to find ways to name and share their feelings; to seek help from those they trust, and to remember that God is always there. A family can read this book together or a younger reader can sit with it in quiet and follow the text easily.

Cute little book filled with different emotions that teaches children that it’s ok to have feelings and not always be happy. It also teaches them that people can be sad or upset because of many different things.
Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest feedback!

Wow, this book is beautiful. The illustrations are inclusive of both boys and girls and multiple races. The message of what to do when you are sad is so needed in our world of increasing adversity and anxiety and depression. The book talks about how to recognize when you are sad, different ways it manifests for different people, and also talks about different reasons people may feel sad. Best of all, the last half of the book talks about what to do when you are feeling sad, and has really good suggestions.

What a great resource for kids and parents.
There were so many things I could take from this book as a parent to three kids!

This story is accessible to a wide age range. My son who is two was just as engaged as my daughter who is almost seven.

It is very hard to find a book that addresses big emotions and teaches your kids that its okay to FEEL! This book teaches your kids it's ok to cry or be sad and it lays out great coping skills as well.

The Bible verse at the end of this book was a beautiful way to wrap it up.

I really like how this book explained sadness to a child who may be having a hard time identifying their feelings. It looked at it though a Christian perspective which I appreciated. This book talked about ways sadness may feel and ways to find comfort. I greatly appreciated this book.

This is a great introduction to hard emotions for children and their parents. This book helps children understand what sadness is, why we might feel sad, how sadness comes and goes, and most importantly, that it is okay to feel your feelings AND hope in the Lord at the same time. The language is simple and easy to understand, The book is full of illustrations that feature lots of different children experiencing sadness in different ways, making it relatable. I would definitely recommend this book for helping children learn how to navigate their emotions.

This book is so important! The illustrations were lovely but the message on mental health and emotions for kids was handled very well. It is very approachable for kids and families in talking about feelings, especially feeling sad. The book highlights different ways that kids can cope with sadness including talking to someone, spending time with people you love, writing or dancing out your feelings, and talking to God how you feel. This is a sensitive topic, especially for young kids, but I was really impressed for this book. This book is great for parents to go through with their children!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital advanced copy of this book.

If discussing mental health and emotions is important this is an important book to have in your home. It is written in a way that is approachable and related to the littlest of readers and listeners. The only reason someone would be dissuaded from this book is that it does mention God and notions of Christianity. This would be a great addition to an Easter basket.

***I received a free copy of this e-book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.***

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted. Psalm 34:18

I have found that people that cannot deal with their own feelings, cannot help those they are suppose to love with theirs. They isolate themselves and the cycle continues. So for Christians that want their children to express their feelings, this is a great resource. Little feelings become big feelings that lead to physical harm. The book directs your children to the feelings of sadness and what makes you sad. This is a good time for parents to talk with their children on what makes them sad. For parents to recognize triggers and give the tools to work thru those triggers.

Remember God gives us feelings for a reason. It is our responsibility to know truth and to lead our children to truth. The book goes thru these feelings, how we can cope and how we can bring those feelings to God and remember the hope we have in Him. We can recognize the hope we have in the people we love, creation, and the promises we have. Parents can help with the promises and how we can bring them to mind.

Highly recommend for all ages. I love the simplicity!

A special thank you to ZonderKidz and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

This sensitive nonfiction picture book explores feelings from a Christian worldview, assuring kids that God designed them to experience emotions, that they don't need to be ashamed of their big feelings, and that God will be with them in the midst of their struggles. The text is warm and reassuring, and the illustrations are soft and emotionally expressive. This book will appeal to families with sensitive kids, and it is also appropriate for kids who have gone through traumatic experiences.

A faith based book perfect for discussing big feelings.

The illustrations are wonderful as they help to describe what feeling sad feels like forever different people.

Happy to see this look at sadness for young children through the lenses of counseling and Christianity. It’s a lovely tool to help children learn to feel their feelings AND look for signs of hope. I like how it gently covers a wide range of sadness examples, big and small.

Grateful to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced e-copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so adorable. It talks about the different feelings and emotions that a person can feel and helps kids find a start in how to deal with their emotions. The words are comprehendible for children. The illustrations are beautiful and diverse with lots of different children represented so they can see themselves in these emotions and know it is ok to feel what they are feeling.

This kids' book is beautifully illustrated and discusses the emotion of sadness. Plenty of parents will enjoy this book for their children.
"Hope is God's promise to help you find your happy again" This is a false definition of hope and happiness isn't promised. This could potentially be discussed with a child, but there are also better book options out there.

*I received a dARC copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my review.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Great book! Please read it to kids young and old.

As a parent of a highly sensitive child, we have read many books about emotions and feelings but this book is the first one that addresses a big feeling from a Christian worldview and my mama heart couldn’t be happier.

This book expresses every sentiment I wish to say to my daughter, such as God made you to experience feelings, it is ok to have feelings of sadness or disappointment and offers insight on how those emotions might come about, feel and look. The book is easy to understand even at the youngest ages and offers children hope and encouragement on how that feeling might come and go or stay plus gives practical advice on how to address the sadness including prayer.

One quote reads, “ Yes, sadness happens for a reason. But God doesn’t want you to feel sad forever. That’s why He offers you hope too. Hope is God’s promise to help you find your happy again… With each message of hope, God is saying, ‘I’m here with you and it’s going to be okay.’”

At the back of the book, there is a Dear Parent section that offers additional practical, useful advice to parents on helping young children identify and process their emotions.

I truly love this little book for the skills it helps to build and feel it will be a valuable addition to our bookshelf. A definite recommendation from our family to yours!

P.S. This would make a great addition to a preschool classroom or church library!

* I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.

In this new picture book, Michelle Nietert writes about feelings and how it is okay to feel sad. I enjoyed how it made it simple to understand the different ways that sadness manifests in a person. Hearing that God is there to act as a comfort and that it is okay to feel sad sometimes.

This was very well written and a book that my almost 3 year old enjoyed and could identify with. I enjoyed the biblical principles of it

It’s an unfortunate fact that young children get sad and even depressed. This book talks very tenderly and encouragingly about what sadness is and what can be done to feel better. I think I spotted a duplicate point about talking to adults but it is not a deal breaker.

The illustrations are relevant and appealing, and it is always nice to see that a variety of ethnicities are covered.

A good book for any sad child or for children to understand about sadness even if they are not sad at that time and also to create empathy for other people around them who might be sad,

5 stars from me.