Halloween may be scary, but there is truly nothing spookier than BIG feelings! The Children’s Room can occasionally cross over into the Twilight Zone of temper tantrums, crying children, and flying toys. These big feelings in our youngest patrons may feel like a monster challenge, but a range of emotions is natural for little ones to experience as they grow and develop. And, as every librarian knows, reading books that mirror their experiences can be a wonderful tool to help explore these shifting emotions.
Here are a few picture books published in 2025 about emotions and feelings. Children and their caregivers are sure to enjoy reading these stories together!
I Hate Everything by Sophy Henn
Starting off with a Halloween themed story! We’ve all had those moments where you just feel like you hate EVERYTHING. But, do you really? As the angry ghost in this book is asked, do you even hate flowers, balloons, strawberries, dressing up, and your friends? In this simple yet poignant book, two ghosts explore feelings of hatred until a gentle change in perspective is reached. They realize that there are plenty of things to love.
The Marvelous Now written by Angela DiTerlizzi and Illustrated by Lorena Alvarez Gomez
From the author of The Magical Yet comes another great fantastical creature…the “NOW”! This book offers readers a chance to slow down and appreciate the present moment. Being present can allow us to think clearer and regulate our mind, body, and emotions. Beautiful illustrations will keep readers entranced and the theme will speak to people of all ages. We all can benefit from a moment to connect with the Now!
Penelope Weathervane’s Grumpy Day by James Serafino
We all have grumpy days, but Penelope Weathervane’s cloudy thoughts turn her day into a whole STORM. With thunderstorm clouds and lightning bolts in Penelope’s hair, readers follow the expertly written temper tantrum sequence mirrored as a storm pattern. Penelope is able to feel her feelings, express herself, and also self-regulate to calm down while breathing. This story reminds us that feeling our emotions is important and that all storms, even anger, will eventually pass.
Punch! A Story About Kindness by Michael Hall
Badger is having a bad day and takes his anger out on his friends. We learn through the illustrations that Badger is experiencing grief over the loss of a loved one. His friends know that what he really needed was comfort and love. This book is a wonderful way to explore how there are more meanings to a situation than we can sometimes understand and see, and that we should always be kind to each other because we can’t always see under the surface.
Mao Mao’s Perfectly Imperfect Day by Laan Cham
For Mao Mao, being 100% perfect is everything. When his classmates start praising the noisy, messy, not-perfect Olivia, Mao Mao feels angry and jealous. He channels this emotion into making a big messy piece of art. To Mao Mao’s surprise, this receives celebration from his classmates! He begins to lean into making a mess, being noisy, and simply being a kid who is perfectly imperfect. This story shows the value of self-expression and the emotions behind perfectionism.
What are your favorite books about emotions and feelings for little ones? Let us know in the comments below!
Joannie Lauria is the Youth Services Consultant at the Suffolk Cooperative Library System in New York.