Two Delightful Picture Books with "BIG FEELS"

Sky Pony Press, 2024

 Sue Fliess is an author whose mastery of narrative rhyme is reliable and kid-friendly, as noted in some prior offerings I reviewed HERE, HERE, and HERE. Her latest picture book is a feel-good, universally-appealing take suited to any kid who loses a baby tooth (universal, right?). This crew of tooth-losing-aged diverse kids begin with a celebratory success, and their anticipation of the tooth fairy's arrival. 

With that opening "Hooray!", readers are launched into the joyful fun (and some lively surprises) while preparing for the arrival of the tooth fairy. The truth about any child's loose tooth is that feelings prior to successful extraction can be ambivalent at best, and may include some anxiety or even fear. Thus, the title of this post: "Big Feels". 

This positivity about successful tooth removal and preparations will be a hit with parents and with youngsters awaiting that first experience and even for those who already display gaping grins. The clever premise of this book is that the crew of kiddos first describe what a tooth fairy (a "tiny flying friend") will do, then imagine a genuine dilemma. Just as someone might lose a tooth for the first time, a tooth fairy might be a beginner, a first-timer, and not be very successful at the job. Oh, no! Which way to fly? How to find the right house? Or the right pilliow?\

These little dynamos set out to help. Readers will delight in the  fun illustrations by Simona Sanfelippo, revealing clever, energetic personalities. They plan, they gather materials, they prepare signs, a tooth box, and even welcome signs. The tooth fairy is delighted, of course, leaves the child a new toothbrush and dental floss, with a note of thanks and also a promise to return when needed. 

At that point, the book brings welcome surprises, including pages that offer non-rhyming information paragraphs (suitable for the age) about baby teeth, tooth fairy traditions, origin stories, and other cultural practices. This is followed by some simple HOW-TO directions for little ones to make their own signs and messages for the tooth fairy when their time comes. This upbeat and unique take on losing baby teeth and tooth fairies will be a great addition to families, schools, libraries, and care centers for children of this age. 

Chronicle Books, 2023

As for those "Big Feels", Andy J. Pizza and Sophie Miller created a picture book that allows young children to consider confusing and complicated emotions that are deeply felt but can be challenging to identify and self-regulate. All too often, discussions and book explorations of feelings with young children tend toward labeling or explaining, sorting into "positive or negative", good or bad", "happy or sad". Adults reading this note may already be rolling your eyes about the over-simplification that implies, with losing a baby tooth as a perfect example of complex and confusing emotions for young people. 

These creators took a wonderfully creative approach that avoids such categorizing by inviting readers to don the "invisible thing" spotting glasses that are drawn on the opening end pages. By "wearing" imagined glasses, the illustrations become visible! I was excited about this effective way of making abstract subject matter both visible and open to better understanding. The first double spread illustrates and labels concrete object (even imaginary ones, like a monster) with a very short note that these are familiar characters from many picture books. I would add, from real life, too!

Interior, IMAGINARY THINGS,
Chronicle Books, 2023

One page turn demonstrates that even these recognizable characters experience "invisible things" (emotions). What the creators produced are varied irregular and colorful shapes that represent emotions, unnamed. One still unlabeled, not obvious as single, simple emotions. In fact, the simple side text on that page points out that "life is more than meets the eye." Cleverly (again) the senses are used to sort out some experiences, external and internal, that kids know well but may never have consciously processed. After several spreads of sensory explorations and emotions they may instigate, inner experiences and "senses" are pictured, labeled, and discussed. These pages are  followed by suggestions for ways to manage and cope with feelings (those invisible things). 

Interior, IMAGINARY THINGS
Chronicle Books, 2023

The extensive variety of feelings illustrated, labeled, and applied to little lives offers visual delight and rich content. The amorphous, colorful "blobs" and recognizable shapes use minimalist lines and dots to add emotional expression, even when open to interpretation. The visuals will appeal and encourage frequent return to the pages. Several spreads encourage a sort of "seek and find" fun that demonstrates how many ways emotions are universal. Whether the young people in your lives are pretty mellow or are highly reactive to sensory or internal experiences, this book will likely be a welcome exploration for them and for the older readers who share it with them. "Big Feels" near leave us, and that makes this original and clever presentation of them an appealing and valuable  addition to our lives.