Anxiety is such a common thing with kids. I like the way the information is presented in this book. It gives kids someone to relate to and to understand from. So helpful for many kids.

What a wonderful book about anxiety, perfectionism, and what happens when we can work with our feelings instead of simply suffering through them with no end in sight. The depiction of "worry" as a pesky meerkat -- with another, perhaps more helpful, emotional animal down the road, is a wonderful way to discuss the very real experience of facing, and overcoming, the physical and emotional experiences of being alive.

This book will be particularly useful for those kids (and maybe even grownups, like this one!) who face challenges with math, but can easily expand to other subjects, and even sports and social situations.

The writing is simple and accessible, and the illustrations are lovely, colorful, and expressive. Highly recommend for caregivers and educators of all kinds.

Max and the Purple Worry is a wonderful story that will help students understand the emotion of worry and how it can be replaced with resilience. I can relate with Max. I was never a good math student, and I worried over my homework. I think there are a lot of children who have a subject they struggle with. This would be a great book to share in a classroom or one-on-one with a child. I received a free copy, and opinions are my own.

Max and the Purple Worry uses a purple meercat to represent a child's anxious thoughts and feelings. The illustrations are adorable and the anxious thoughts are familiar to the patterns of thinking that can surround common childhood experiences like taking tests, but there is something the author (and publisher) seem to have overlooked: children in elementary school are concrete thinkers, and asking them to think in abstract metaphor is literally developmentally inappropriate. No, it isn't easy to explain concepts like resilience to children, and trying to do this using cute animals is certainly an adorable idea, but as a professional in child development I just don't believe that young children will be able to access the lessons being presented in this format. To say that worry "needs a moment" to process a child fighting back with logic - this is clearly written for an adult's perspective.

Max feels worried when a math page lands on his desk. He's unsure of how to figure out an answer. Worry sets in. I love the way the author presents this emotion as a purple cat. Max's brain gets flooded with negative emotions. To get rid of them, Max folds the math paper into a paper airplane to dispose of the problem. That gets him in trouble and lands him in the principal's office.

Max continues to worry until a different idea pops into his head. The next time the math paper pops up on his desk, he decides the worst that could happen is making a mistake. Maybe he should give it a try. Can resilience become a new friend and ally?

I enjoyed the colorful illustrations and vocabulary peppered with sounds and action words. Rather than approaching mindfulness directly, this book employs kid-friendly images like animals to explain emotions.

I recommend this book for preschool and primary-grade children as a bedtime or classroom read-aloud discussion book.

A pretty good description of how worrying affects a kid/person. The emotion 'worry' is portrayed by a purple meerkat. I think all this is pretty easy for adults to see, & maybe it works good for kids too. It'd be a real good opportunity to open up a discussion/exploration with kids about worrying... I did like the last page that talks more in depth about the emotion 'worry'. The illustrations are good, & appropriately reflect the story.
I received an e-ARC of this book from publisher Flyaway Books via NetGalley for review purposes. This is my own fair/honest review.

"Max and the Purple Worry" by Kitty Black takes readers on an insightful journey through the world of childhood worries. With a unique and clever approach, the author brings the abstract concept of "worry" to life by personifying it as a feline character named Worry. This charming narrative technique allows young readers to better grasp and relate to the emotions they often feel but struggle to understand or express.
When Max has a hard time focusing on his math at school, Worry, a raccoon, suddenly appears and starts peppering Max with questions, furthering Max’s uncertainty about the assignment. Worry only makes things worse, causing Max to question every little thing and fret about getting it all wrong. His stress and worry effect him physically until he acts out and flees the room, winding up in the Principal’s office.

As Max confides in his parents about his fears, he begins to understand the value of effort and perseverance, even if mistakes are made along the way. It’s really about doing your best. This message resonates deeply, encouraging children to embrace their imperfections and fostering a healthy mindset towards learning and personal growth. "Max and the Purple Worry" stands out as a charming and insightful tale that delicately addresses the emotional landscapes of childhood.

The story's strength lies in its ability to resonate with both children and adults alike. Through Max's experiences at school, the book adeptly captures the all-too-familiar worries, stress, and anxiety that can often overwhelm young minds. The thoughtful inclusion of a note at the back of the book offers parents invaluable guidance on how to support their children when they grapple with stress and worry. It's a must-read for families seeking to cultivate emotional intelligence and a growth mindset in their children.

I like the premise of this book but it does not offer enough substance for upper level kids who like picture books. It will be good for a basic message for perfectionists, and will be helpful for younger kids.

Very cute book. Love the purple color for Worry's words. Wonderful transformation. More time could have been spent with "Resilience' because that is a new and big word for many kids or maybe thats for a second book.

Max and the Purple Worry is a creative book with fun illustrations. For Max, math equals worry. Worry causes Max to confuse his numbers, making him feel like math is impossible. Worry teaches Max that his work needs to be perfect, or the world may explode. Max is so sick with worry that he can’t sleep. The next day, Max decides to try. Worry seems to melt away. When worry is no longer there, resilience seems to have replaced him. Max and the Purple Worry teaches kids that trying and doing their best is enough. No one should try to be perfect. This will be an invitation for worry to return. Children will gain confidence and understand that if they try their best, that is always enough.

Max and the Purple Worry is an insightful picture book that delicately tackles the issue of worry and the pressure to be perfect. The story follows Max's struggle with Worry and highlights the importance of Resilience. The author's note at the end adds depth to the book, it's a must-read for parents, teachers and all grown-ups in general to better understand the immense pressure children face. This beautifully illustrated book offers a valuable lesson in embracing imperfection and offering our best.

Thanks to NetGalley for this E Arc.

If you are looking for a book to share with children that are anxious this would be a good option. I believe many children will relate to what Max is dealing with and can use this book as an conversation start on how strategies to use to combat worrying and anxiety.

In the second installment of Kitty Black’s Follow Your Feelings series, a violet-hued lemur physically manifests to voice the worry experienced by a young student. Where other books of this nature portray anxiety as a terrifying beast, Jess Rose’s spherical illustrations soften reality both literally and emotionally. Without jarring angles, the artwork allows readers of any age to look upon an often-overwhelming process of thoughts and emotions as less intimidating, though Max’s struggles are always represented with authenticity. A brilliant conversation starter for those who are learning to put a name to their feelings, Max and the Purple Worry navigates a realistic depiction of anxiety and stands as a reminder of the steps a child can take to help the presence of fear fade.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flyaway Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book
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Well what a different and difficult story to understand I don't know if it's from middle grade or something like that. However, it doesn't really look like as a middle Grade like as a child. Due to it doesn't really goes from children

I really do like it. Nevertheless, I would add some different kinda vocabulary, because it was really difficult to get it. Plus I didn't understand the idea like I thought it was more like understanding the mathematics.

3.0

This is absolutely a story I would read to my class! Max is very relatable and real to the experiences a lot of kids with anxiety struggle with. As an adult with anxiety, I also found it very relatable. It often feels like anxiety is its own living creature! I loved how Max learned that he is stronger than all of his worries without being made to feel bad or silly for having worries in the first place.

The story Max and the Purple Worry written by Kitty Black is a great book to help children navigate the world of anxiety and worry. This story provides children with the understanding that even though something seems difficult in the moment if they simply try their best and ask for help when needed that everything will turn out ok in the end.

As the parent of a child who is starting to get into these issues in school I think this was a valuable story to share with my little human to help her understand that the world is not demanding perfection from her and that it is ok to make mistakes - and also to not know how to do something. This story uses humour and brightly coloured pictures to draw children into the story.

I think this is really important in a children's story - that they can learn a life lesson without feeling like they are learning something. Both my children questioned why Max wouldn't feel comfortable asking questions about the math assignment and I think that this opened up the opportunity to have dialogue with them about how sometimes anxiety can make us believe things that are not true.

I would like to thank the publishers for the ability to share an advance release copy of this story with my children. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was such a cute little book about facing test anxiety/insecurity. The drawings were lovely and everything was vibrant and colorful. Would definitely recommend for children

This is a wonderful example of how childhood anxiety can be so devastating to children. I lived this out as a child and unfortunately, anxiety moves with us into adulthood. It was nice to see Max being supported by his parents and seeing him do his best and seeing what the outcome would be. It's so important for children to know that they don't have to be perfect, because no one is perfect. We all have doubts and fears and have to work through them, hopefully with support from those who loves us. This is one I'll buy for my classroom. Well done! Oh, and the artwork is beautiful as well!

I love this book. I think it deals with worry in a nice, cute way. Children worry about many different things everyday. Giving the emotion a name and making them see tgat it is a normal emotion that they can deal with and get over, ask for help. Very good book. I will share this with my students.

This was a heartwarming book that deal with worry and anxiety. It was relatable and inspired you to strive your hardest without becoming a perfectionist. The graphics are also really cute, I enjoy it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flyaway Books for this ARC.