I received an electronic ARC from Flyaway Books through NetGalley.
Max is anxious about his math work. He listens to Worry and makes some poor decisions which lead to a trip to the principal's office. His parents and school staff offer support but he has to face Worry and figure out a way to believe in himself. Readers see him listen to Worry that night but begin to push back by the next day. I appreciate the ending where Resilience walks in. Clever illustrations capture the emotions and challenges.
Perfect book to share with elementary students who are struggling with doubts, worry or the need for perfection.

Max and the Purple Worry is an absolute must have for little ones. It is the perfect conversation starter to talk about anxieties and how 'nervous' can feel in our bodies. My 4 year old loved the representation of how she can talk to herself and her pretend emotion animals "I'll call on my bravery cat Mama!" It is a great way of showing the validity of feelings, even if we can't actually see them. Highly recommend for the bookshelf at home or in classroom!

Thank you to Flyaway Books and NetGalley for this ARC!

This was a sweet book that dealt with anxiety and nervousness. I feel most books geared towards children in regards to anxiety have something physical embodying that anxiety, and this book was no exception. I think it's a smart way of showing that the anxiety you experience is real, and even though you don't see it in real life, that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. The illustrations were cute and interesting to look at.

Max and the Purple Worry by Kitty Black is a heartwarming and relatable children's book that deals with the issue of anxiety and worry. The story follows Max, a young boy who is struggling with his math and is joined by a new companion, Worry. Despite his best efforts to shake off Worry, Max finds himself unable to escape its grasp.

Through the story, Kitty Black portrays the internal struggles that many children face when dealing with anxiety and the pressure to be perfect. The book offers a valuable lesson about the importance of simply doing our best and not giving in to the demands of perfection.

One of the best things about this book is how it handles a serious topic with humor and sensitivity, making it accessible to children of all ages. The illustrations by Malgorzata Nowakowska are colorful and engaging, adding to the overall charm of the book.

Overall, Max and the Purple Worry is a must-read for anyone looking for a thoughtful and engaging book about anxiety and the importance of doing our best. It's a valuable addition to any children's library and a great tool for helping children deal with their worries and anxieties.

The amount of pressure kids face these days because of the unrealistic expectations from everyone around them is being reflected in this book and I feel it’s so well done in depicting this.

The little kid is having anxiety about not being able to perform well in mathematics and is losing confidence at the end of the day. The writing is good and the illustration well.

A great reminder on how hard we are on the kids.

Thank you, Flyaway Books, for the advance reading copy.

Such a sweet story a boy and his worry. Love how it helps to set the stage for kids and give them an idea of what to strive for and a way to handle worries.

This is a cute book about…worry. We can all get into our heads about things and this “purple” keeps plaguing the young boy throughout the book u til resilience arrives.

It’s a good conversation starter.

Love an orange haired kid named Max like mine, talking about an important topic - how to handle worry/stress. The fact that worry is 'personified' as a lemur? makes it more relatable and something you can 'see'. The message of trying your best and not having to be a perfectionist is something kids really need today. Ordering a hard copy of this one!

A great book for both families and teachers to support discussion around worries and resilience. Young children will easily relate to Max's worries, and there are plenty of opportunities to explore ways to dampen worries by reaching out and asking for help. I appreciated how Max explained his strategies to the worry, who slowly faded away to be replaced by a softer, kinder resilience. This is a fantastic resource.

**Thank you to NetGalley and Flyaway Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review**

One of the best children's books I've ever read!

There is a lot of societal pressure put on kids these days. We're in competition with each other from the moment we first set foot inside a classroom - whether academically or socially. We're constantly worried about being good enough, fitting in, what others think of us, making the team, getting into college, etc. Worry reminds us of this when he says, "It has to be perfect," and if not," ...people look at you." There is a psychological phenomenon known as "The Spotlight Effect" where we think others are always watching us and we can't dare mess up or someone WILL notice, when in actuality everyone has their own lives and too many other things going on to pay attention to you.

Worry also brings up another problem a lot of us have: asking for help. Max decides he is going to ask for help with his math, and Worry says, "No one does that." So many people are afraid to ask for help because it would be admitting they don't know something they think they should, and dealing with the judgment they believe might come along with it.

Max's anxiety also manifests in physical ways through nervous nail-biting, a turning in his stomach, and trouble sleeping.

What we have to remember is that we can only do our best, and we're not always going to succeed at everything right away or maybe even ever, but at least we can say that we tried and gave it our all. When Max tries in math and asks questions, Worry is replaced by Resilience. We all go through hard times, but it is about how we react and respond when those things happen to us.

I LOVE this book! I cannot praise it enough.

Worry is something that not only adults feel, but kids as well.

Reading this and talking to my daughter about how to constructively and concisely talk about our feelings was really good.

This hit the nail on the head with some things that she’s been experiencing/going through at school as well.

Emotions are a part of life.
Figuring out how to deal with them and talk about them is very vital and will help lead to healthy and fruitful relationships.

LOVE this personification of worry and resilience. As an addition to a social-emotional library, this book will help children visualize their feelings and move past them. I loved the support shown to Max by his classmates and family. I'd recommend this for any classroom, social work, or children's library.