Happy. (Everybody Feels... series). Jane Bingham. Illustrated by Helen Turner. St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2008. 24 pp., pbk., $8.95. ISBN 978-0-7787-4065-0. Subject Heading: Happiness-Juvenile literature. Kindergarten-grade 2 / Ages 5-7. Review by Harriet Zaidman. *** /4
	Angry. (Everybody Feels... series). Jane Bingham. Illustrated by Helen Turner. St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2008. 24 pp., pbk., $8.95. ISBN 978-0-7787-4064-3. Subject Heading: Anger-Juvenile literature. Kindergarten-grade 2 / Ages 5-7. Review by Harriet Zaidman. *** /4
	Sad. (Everybody Feels... series). Jane Bingham. Illustrated by Helen Turner. St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2008. 24 pp., pbk., $8.95. ISBN 978-0-7787-4066-7. Subject Heading: Sadness-Juvenile lieterature. Kindergarten-grade 2 / Ages 5-7. Review by Harriet Zaidman. *** /4
	Scared. (Everybody Feels... series). Jane Bingham. Illustrated by Helen Turner. St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2008. 24 pp., pbk., $8.95. ISBN 978-0-7787-4067-4. Subject Heading: Fear-Juvenile literature. Kindergarten-grade 2 / Ages 5-7. Review by Harriet Zaidman. *** /4

excerpt:

My name is Maya. The day I started school, I felt really scared.

I didn't have any friends at school.

I didn't know what I was supposed to do.

I just wanted to go home.

When Mom said goodbye, I started to cry.

But my teacher told me not to be scared.

She was very kind to me.

Then we did some painting.

The teacher really liked my picture.

So did everyone! (From Everybody Feels Scared.)

It's not quite as easy as that to quell a young child's fears or to change her/his behaviour, but this series can help a child address emotional issues she or he is facing. The beginning of each of these paperbacks talks about an issue generally, and then specifically named children relate their particular experiences. Large, bright illustrations show children in typical situations – at school and at play. At the end of the book, children are shown how to solve the problem, through talking about the issue, through forgiveness, through trust. As important as it is to deal with negative feelings, it's important to acknowledge the positive ones, and Everybody Feels Happy does just that – celebrating and providing examples of ways to feel good. For teaching purposes, a glossary of bolded words is provided at the back, as is an index, although it's hard to imagine a child looking up references to 'huge' or 'warm.'

     A teacher can use this series to assist students in adjusting to new social situations. Those students who are not yet readers can imagine the text through the expressive illustrations. The reading level is simple enough for new readers to master, and in reading about representational children, they can apply those experiences to their own lives.

Recommended.

Harriet Zaidman is a teacher-librarian in Winnipeg, MB.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

Hosted by the University of Manitoba.

 

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