I wish I had this book as a child but I love to read these books now to heal my inner child. This is a great, simply explained book on anxiety with beautiful illustrations. Many of these children's books go into so much detail it can feel a little confusing, but this one gives a short explanation that anyone with anxiety can relate to and understand a simple way to help themselves when they are feeling anxious.
I can't wait to grab a physical copy when it releases in March.

Thank you NetGalley!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Anxious, This book was very simple and short and I would recommend for younger readers. I appreciate reading simple stories about things that children feel but haven’t been discussed as much as they should. This may help anxious kids feel less alone.

In Anxious by Luciana De Luca, the main character simply, yet powerfully, describes what it feels like when you want to do something, but a part of you can't bring yourself to participate. So many students suffer from anxiety and this feeling can be hard to explain. This book reminds children that their feelings are valid and they can handle social situations at their own pace. As a classroom teacher, I see this book as a valuable addition to my classroom library and it is a story I will definitely read to my classes. This book also includes some excellent resources for parents at the end, which sets it apart from other similar picture books.

This book is so beautifully illustrated. This book does a great job explaining anxiety for a younger audience. My daughter loved this book as well. Thank you Netgalley and Annick Press Lmtd for the ARC! We enjoyed this book so much

A great picture book that explores mental health. It expresses a serious topic in a way that is perfect to explain to children, so they can better learn to cope with these complicated emotions

Feelings of anxiety affects many of us, at different points of our lives. While so many of us have experience with anxiety, it can often be challenging to describe what it feels like. This can be especially so for children who struggle with anxiety.

ANXIOUS is a much-needed book for readers, young and not-so-young. Using simple words, the author takes the reader on a journey of how the young girl in the story feels as she experiences the tumult of anxiety. The gorgeous illustrations and use of colours to capture the young girl’s anxious emotions are simply brilliant. Finally, the back matter includes a few pages of helpful hints and resources for children and their parents who deal with anxiety.

For children and adults who experience anxiety, this book will resonate with them, and hopefully help provide children the language to express their feelings.

In this beautifully illustrated book, Luciana De Luca makes accessible the complicated emotions brought on through anxiety through this children’s fiction picture book.

The colors choices match the feelings the little girl experiences, as she tries to understand what is holding her back from playing, singing, and dancing.

There are realistic solutions offered in the text. A Note to Readers at the end provides helpful information to readers and young people experiencing feelings of anxiousness.

Recommended as a read aloud to prompt conversations and also as a text to understand anxiety for young people.

This is so gorgeously illustrated. I love the art style and it certainly enhances my reading experience. I can imagine some might argue the story is way too simple for a topic so complicated. Yes, I agree. But at the same time, this is exactly why this kind of stories are so important to exist for younger readers. Feeling funny/weird/anxious is very normal. Asking for a hug might be too simple a solution, but normalizing the act of it can go a long way. The fact that this book exists makes me so happy:)

A beautifully illustrated book that explains the feelings of anxiety. This is a short but impactful read for children and adults. It displays the complexities of anxiety and what that might feel like to different people.

this was a simple little story for kids to help them understand anxiety, and a little page to help educate parents too!iced the illustrations too!

This book was a short and sweet delight. The whimsical, gorgeous illustrations evoke the innocence of childhood and the insidiousness and unfairness of anxiety and anxious thoughts. As a parent, I appreciated the helpful resources at the end. I would recommend this for any young child who has anxiety and even adults whose inner child could use a reminder that they are not alone.

Luciana de Luca has written a classic SEL book. This book, Anxious, is timely and I love how simple the illustrations and text are; enough so that any age group will be able to understand the central message.

The book follows a little unnamed narrator who takes us through her thoughts. She descends into a spell of anxiety but soon finds that if she asks for help, adults can help her work through it via certain strategies meant to slow things down and calm her.

I love how the illustrator did not overdo the illustrations, but that they chose to draw out exactly what the narrator is going through with clear, concise imagery that is perfect for the PreK-2nd grade group.

The author also demonstrated their insight into the anxious child by keeping the text short and to the point. I also love how at the end of the book, they spoke directly to the children, letting them know that everyone has some moments of anxiety and giving him more strategies to help them cope. Luca also gives adults ways to help their child/students to manage their times of anxiety. Well written book all around.

I look forward to adding this book to my read aloud bin.

I wish this book was around when I was a kid because it really spoke to my younger self. I think it can be hard to talk about feelings and emotions and mental health with children, but it is very important to start the conversations at a young age so that children don't get consumed by their heavy thoughts. I will definitely recommend this to be circulated at my library.

Gentle and beautifully illustrated picture book about anxiety told in a way young readers can really relate to. The physicality and movement within the illustrations does an excellent job of conveying the feelings of anxiety. I think it will be a great resource for kids to identify and talk through their feelings. Thank you so much for the chance to read early.

As an adult who struggles with anxiety and sees how prevalent it has become in our schools, I am grateful for this resource to use with my students! I am an elementary special education teacher and support children through all kinds of big emotions. This book does a nice job explaining what anxiousness can feel like in kid-friendly language, the author’s notes to readers and parents provide helpful strategies to reduce anxious thoughts and feelings, and the artwork is also beautiful! This will be a great addition to my SEL library!

Thank you NetGalley and Annick Press Ltd. for providing me with this beautiful ARC!

Wow! The illustrations are absolutely stunning! Kind of falls into the sad-beige-millennial trope, no neons or vivids, but very beautiful and warm.

I really love that there are tips and resources for readers in the back, it can be such a help to have information accessible when facing anxiety.

This is a very quick book, just 18 pages. I think there could have been some expansion on grounding techniques instead of focusing on just one (kind of two). Overall, I think it's a great way to let kids, and all readers, get familiar with the symptoms and experiences of those with anxiety- especially themselves.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a copy in return for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc! I read this with my daughter as she struggles personally with anxiety.
She is 7 years old and felt the book explained feelings of anxiety really well. The illustrations (read on kindle) were well done and supported the store and feelings expressed throughout. This was a wonderful children’s book for discussion(s) on anxiety

This is such a great representation of experiencing anxiety. As someone who struggles with anxiety, I would have loved to have this book to go have when i was younger to feel understood!

I absolutely enjoyed this little book that perfectly describes what anxiety feels like. This and books like it will be a great resource for people suffering with feelings of anxiety. Thank you for this. I will be buying when it comes out.

This is such a sweet and simple book about a complicated emotional experience that so many experience! The minimal words give space for readers to insert their own experience of anxiety into a story with beautiful illustrations.