Chilla Gorilla and Lanky the Lemur Journey to the Heart is a bright and fun story which introduces children to the concept of meditation in an easily accessible way. Follow Lanky as he tackles big emotions like anger, frustration, and fear, with guidance from Chilla.

I loved the way this book helped explain the link between thoughts and feelings, and validated and normalised difficult feelings. The messaging around mindfulness and meditation is simple and repeated throughout the book to help children to learn, as they follow Lanky through relatable situations. I thought the story did a great job of normalising energy, and ‘needing to get the sillies out’, whilst presenting strategies for calm and managing difficult feelings. The illustrations were vibrant and engaging, and really supported children to understand Lanky and Chilla’s feelings at any given moment!

This would be a great book for children and grownups to share. The example exercises at the back can be used by children to apply the skill to their daily life. I couldn’t link to the QR code, but once it is available I think the tracks would be a great way of experimenting with these skills in daily life.

Thank you 4U2B Books & Media, and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

This is a great children's book for anxiety .and anger management. I may recommend this to my 30 year old son, because it has great suggestions and advise. The illustrations are bright and colorful!. This book presents great solutions for anxiety, fear and frustrations. I highly recommend it.

Chilla Gorilla and Lanky Lemur Journey to the Heart is an excellent story that teaches young children about emotions and feelings and how to respond to both.

Chilla Gorilla teaches his friend Lanky Lemur about the emotions and feelings Lanky is having and gives him tools to manage what he’s experiencing.

I appreciated that the story showed emotions and feelings of all kinds (restless, anger, fear, etc.) and explained it was ok to feel these things while also offering coping mechanisms to process those emotions and feelings. The illustrations are beautiful and very colorful and will hold the attention of young children. I definitely recommend this book for young children.

Thank you NetGalley and 4U2B Books & Media for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Publishing May 28, 2024

What a cute book- The art and characters are adorable. It is a great book for kids to help process their big feelings and a reminder when those emotions start to brew, to use the tools to help process them. I have a feeling this will be a favorite of my daughter’s given the photos and the fun story with a great message.

This was a cute story .I loved the illustrations .I would recommend this for kindergarten age .Lessons are learned in this story and how friends can help each other .

This was a cute story. My 7 year old loved reading about the events Lanky and Chilla experienced. It was great at showcasing different emotions and the causes behind them. Great illustrations as well. Simple story for young readers as well. Relatable and cute. Loved the affirmation repeated throughout.

I adored the bond between Chilla Gorilla and Lanky Lemur. The way Chilla Gorilla helps Lemur understand his feelings inspired me as a parent. My daughter struggles to deal with her feelings all the time. I plan to read this book with my daughter. I feel that my daughter will enjoy the vibrant and Hawaiian style of the illustrations. Children may resonate with Lemur and feel like they are experiencing each moment with him and Chilla. I hope this book brings parents and their children together and teaches them new ways to manage emotions.

I received an advanced review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I absolutely loved this book! I feel like this is great for kids of any age but perfect for my 4 year old. Learning how to find calm and peace within yourself when things get hard is a life skill. The illustrations were wonderful and the story was quick and easy to read. The words flowed in a nice rhythm which makes it great for reading over and over again.

I feel as though in today’s world there is not enough teaching of coping with life skills. This dear and beautifully illustrated book tackles that in a friendly and sweet way. Emotions can be difficult for little ones to handle and this book is just perfect. It should be in every elementary library.

What a fun story about one friend teaching the other to stop, relax and listen to your heart. Even though they go on a journey and encounter some disturbances Chilla reminds Lanky over and over again To place a hand over his heart and state “Always remember, feelings come and go, yet in your heart is a calm place where peace and love can grow.”
Great and fun illustrations as well throughout their adventures. Very cute characters.

Thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC.

This is such a cute book! I love books that help children explore their feelings. Sometimes feelings are confusing and it’s nice to show kids in a fun way how to work those out.

Beautifully illustrated, this is a great intro to meditation for children. Too many emotions can be unsettling and the two friends repeat a sweet mantra that reminds them that emotions are temporary and should not make us mean or ruin our day. We can remind ourselves that it's ok to feel but we can also deal with each emotion the correct way. At the end, there are some tips on how to relax. I love the watercolor and art style.
Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this e-arc.

An alternative title, by me: Big Feelings for Little Kids by Cute Animals.
The artwork in this book is exquisite. The text is absolute perfection, the combination of both is perfect. The cuddly animals navigating the world of feelings and emotions – this might be just the best book for kiddies to start a talk about various feelings at home.

What a cute message for young kids with big feelings!This story would be very relatable to kids and help teach regulation skills when we need to breathe and calm! Would be great for parents and teachers alike! Plus, the illustrations are great!

This book is amazing! It teaches children about feelings and emotions, has really beautiful drawings and has lots of details to see. I highly recommend this book to parents, schools and everyone else who can read this book with children.

A chilled and slightly hippie-ish gorilla gets to calm down a lemur friend in this brief jungle-based adventure. The smaller critter is all over the place, and needs to relax, but the gorilla can teach it to do more than that – to engage with its heart, so that the bigger emotions such as anger and frustration and suchlike get looked at and reduced to the more manageable and the more socially acceptable. I mean you could see this as the gorilla imposing his ideas too much on the lemur – a lemur who he forces to struggle to reach a mango that is well within his grasp – but we're supposed to be all on board with the typical mindful, meditative calmness and serenity. Whether we are or not does little to alter the fact this is fine, to an extent – a three and a half star extent, probably.

Cute! The setup to the discussion about feelings is a little clunky, but the overall message is so helpful and clear! It is very direct, but also very approachable for children. It is not a very unique story, and it is clear the message is supposed to be more important than the story; but it's a great way to teach about feelings and self-awareness.

Chilla and Lanky have even taught me a thing or two about meditation, feelings, and friendship. The illustrations are fun and upbeat, the story moves into a friendship that shows support and kindness. This is a book that I would hope to see in all schools and libraries to enhance lessons on the importance of friendship, kindness, self-care, and support. I will be ordering this for my permanent collection at home as well. You will fall in love with the characters in this book! Chilla is a very calm gorilla; he embodies the word chill that is part of his name in every way. Lanky is a nervous little lemur but very willing and ready to learn the peaceful ways of his mentor and friend Chilla. Their adventures teach methods of self-awareness and calming techniques that can be used to be present in the moment by naming your feelings and dealing with them in a calm manner.

Some days aren't easy and it can be hard to stay calm. Lanky Lemur is having a hard day, so it's lucky for him that his friend Chilla Gorilla is there to help him find his peace, calm down, and experience safety and joy.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

This book is great for Social/Emotional learning with kids. It’s wonderful to help teach about big feelings. The characters are really cute and the story was a great read!