F Is for Feelings

by Goldie Millar, Lisa A. Berger, Hazel Mitchell (Illustrator)

Overview

Young children often need help learning and practicing their “feelings words” so they can express themselves well. When children learn from an early age to share their feelings in clear and healthy ways, they are more likely to grow into adults who feel capable of handling life’s challenges. Friendly and positive, this picture book uses an alphabet-book format to share and reinforce emotional language and the ideas that while some feelings are more comfortable than others, all emotions are natural and important. Charming, colorful illustrations accompany the sweet and simple text. A section in the back provides tips and activities for parents and caregivers to reinforce the themes and lessons of the book.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781575424767
Publisher:	Free Spirit Publishing
Publication date:	07/07/2014
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	116,846
Product dimensions:	11.25(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.14(d)
Lexile:	AD430L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Goldie Millar, Ph.D., is a clinical and school psychologist.

Since earning her Ph.D. in counseling psychology from the University of Toronto in 2003, Goldie has worked with children in hospital, forensic, community, and educational settings. She has a deep interest in children’s mental health, emotional regulation, and evidence-based intervention strategies.

Goldie lives in Ontario with her husband and their two young daughters.

Lisa Berger, Ph.D., is a clinical, counseling, and rehabilitation psychologist who works with adolescents and adults in a private practice.

In 2003, Dr. Berger received her Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Toronto. She has practiced in hospitals, post-secondary institutions, and community-based settings. Lisa’s professional interests include emotional health and wellness, psychological trauma, and emotion-based therapy.

She lives in Ontario with her husband and two daughters.

Editorial Reviews

F Is for Feelings helps adults teach children a language as essential as our ABCs: the language of emotions without which we cannot communicate what is most real and important in our lives, without which we cannot communicate ourselves to others.”—Gabor Maté, M.D., coauthor of Hold On to Your Kids


 “A discussion-starter for caregivers offers help for children struggling to describe their emotions . . . Perfect for classrooms and homes alike.”—Foreword Reviews
 


“Talking with children about their feelings is critically important to their social-emotional development. F Is for Feelings is a great way to get the conversation started. A valuable resource for parents, teachers, and most of all, children.” —Paul Tough, author of How Children Succeed


“F Is for Feelings is fantastic! This book provides a comfortable, familiar structure of the ABCs to consider a wide range of feelings, both positive and not-so-positive, with self-talk examples throughout that may help children become more comfortable with emotions. Research is continually pointing us to the important role of feelings—they deserve a book of their own, and this is a great one!”—Christine Wekerle, Ph.D., associate professor of pediatrics at McMaster University


“Feelings come in all shapes and sizes—and so do children! F is for Feelings is a fabulous resource that highlights diverse feelings and people to help children understand emotions, express their feelings more effectively, and show empathy toward others. F is for fantastic and fundamental—a must-have for parents, professionals, and all caring adults who believe that advocacy happens when children build skills that last a lifetime.”—Brenda S. Miles, Ph.D., author of Imagine a Rainbow: A Child’s Guide for Soothing Pain and the upcoming Stickley Sticks To It: A Frog’s Guide to Getting Things Done


“As a pediatric speech language pathologist, I look for books that I can recommend to parents in my practice. This book is an excellent example of how to help children learn, understand, and use words that match what is happening on the inside. How refreshing to see feelings that go beyond the often overused ‘happy, sad, mad’!—Sandra Lane, M.A., SLP, author of The Moment You Were Born


“What a wonderful book for children and their grown-ups alike! As a mother, and as a clinical psychologist who works primarily with post-secondary students, I am keenly aware of the importance of helping people of all ages to learn to experience and express their full range of emotions. Emotions are, quite simply, our guiding compass. Teaching children about emotions when they are young is a fundamental building block for good decision-making later in life.”—Dr. Sarah Thompson, Clinical Psychologist at Ryerson University’s Centre for Student Development and Counselling


“By learning feeling words and discussing the variety of ways to view evocative situations, youth can expand their emotional understanding . . . A round of applause for Millar and Berger—they have provided a valuable resource for parents, teachers, and therapists working with youth!”—Philip C. Kendall, Ph.D., ABPP, Distinguished University Professor and Laura H. Carnell Professor of Psychology at Temple University

From the Publisher

2014-06-29
An alphabet of emotions, created by two clinical psychologists for parent-child discussions.Intended to provide a starting vocabulary for expressing feelings, the text for each of Mitchell's cartoon-style, utilitarian scenes consists of a cue ("A is for afraid") and a tagline ("I am scared"). In the pictures, a diverse cast of children in everyday settings mostly responds with facial expressions rather than actions to common situations, such as being left with a babysitter or having to wait for a turn on the swings, or they display general moods like sadness and grouchiness. Unsurprisingly, considering the authors' credentials, most of the modeled emotions are related to anger or anxiety. Those of a more positive cast tend to be less easily definable: "D is for determined"; "Q is for quiet." Furthermore, the abecedarian conceit is overstretched with "K is for kind" and "Y is for yelling" (as in, "I'm full of energy, and I feel like being loud!"), which aren't feelings so much as behaviors. The "Letter to Caring Adults" at the beginning as well as closing spreads of advice and bulleted activity lists suggest the main audience for this are adults rather than children themselves.Useful, if not particularly artful. (Informational picture book. 5-8, adult)

Kirkus Reviews