Board Book Review: My First Emotions Series

These books found their way to us at just the right time! Maren is starting to really express her emotions in new ways, and while she may not have the language yet to talk about it, identifying it through our reading is a definite step in the right direction. I think the most useful one for us with her might end up being I Feel Angry, because she has started to hit when she’s frustrated or upset. So that’s fun.

Each book has a short, simple plot. They start by setting up a situation where the title emotion is elicited. The character then starts to show the signs of that feeling while others navigate around it and then, in the case of the angry and sad emotions, are shown ways to identify the emotion and respond to help alleviate it. In the case of the other, happier emotions, we see examples of ways that make them feel those things and how the character can reciprocate or pass along the feeling to others. I think this is a useful and different way to show emotions than many of the emotion books we have because rather than simply a face to go with a word, we are getting an actual scenario to really ground the kid in a recognizable, real life moment.

Also, I have to say… these covers are super adorable and inspired my husband to dress Maren in something that would match them for the photo!