It’s Okay to Feel This Way

Employing the refrain “However I feel today,/ It’s okay to feel this way,” Biviano follows a black-haired, light-skinned child exploring emotions’ impermanence. Each verso page begins “There are days when,” offering a situation or several, and then naming the resulting feeling: “There are days when I have to travel to new places, meet new people, or try new things. My tummy is full of fluttering butterflies. This is when I am feeling nervous.” “But then... there are days when,” the recto page continues, offering a loose opposite: facing “nervous” is “excited.” Bold mixed-media art has a handmade feel that underlines feelings’ personal nature. Some definitions are less effective than others (“Some days, I want to be by myself.... This is when I am feeling lonely”), but this is a solid primer helping the youngest readers to identify and validate their feelings. Ages 4–7. [em](July) [/em]