Life’s Ups and Downs: Emotions and Accomplishments

A playful, illustrated guide to a simple meditation practices for young children experiencing stress, difficulty focusing, and difficult emotions. All you’ll need to practice it is a quiet spot and four ordinary pebbles.

This lighthearted approach to a young child’s changing feelings is told with a rhyming cadence and equally appealing, cartoon-like illustrations. The gentle levity of the style allows children andadults to put words to the feelings that they recognizein themselves.

Renowned poet Maya Angelou’s text urges us to face what frightens us, whether it is real or imaginary. Haitian-American artist Jean Michel Basquiat’s full-color paintings capture just how challenging it is to be brave.

Max’s imaginative adventure begins the night he wears his wolf suit and makes some mischief. When he is sent to his room to cool off, he travels to the land of the Wild Things, where he is crowned king. This beloved Caldecott-winning classic is also available in Spanish. Go on a reading adventure with our Where the Wild Things Are reading adventure pack, available in English and Spanish!

Rich, full-color illustrations in a large format breathe new life into this now classic story. The Little Blue Engine overcomes tough odds to succeed, all because she believes in herself: “I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.” And she does.

What do you do when you’re in a funk and full of the grumblies? Well, you can take that gross, dark day and bake it into something sweet. And like Mrs. Biddlebox, you can eat it to make your tummy full of tasty crumblies to enjoy the starry night before bedtime. Energetic lines and a jaunty rhyme reveal a fresh way to look at bad moods.

Ramona loves kindergarten and her wonderful teacher, Miss Binney. But even the best teacher and the most enthusiastic kindergartner can have a rough day or so. This leads to laughs for readers as they empathize with Ramona, who can be rather a pest and perhaps the first-ever kindergarten dropout.

Jamie’s day goes from a “purple kind of mood/Cold-plum eating…” to a gray and yellow and finally back to plum. The use of colors to describe moods associated with familiar family goings-on is enhanced by stylized illustrations and lively, lyrical language.

Though she promises she won’t interrupt, a little red chicken inserts herself into the fairy tales her father reads to save the fairy tale characters from familiar bad endings. When her father tires of the interruptions, she shares an original story in which the dad is put to bed. Cartoon illustrations depict the likeable characters and humorous actions.

Wilma Rudolph not only overcame polio, she went on to become the first woman to win three Olympic gold medals in Rome in 1960. Semiabstract paintings convey her power and personality in this accessible picture book biography.

“How goes the work?” demands the lazy farmer. The beleaguered worker Duck responds, “Quack…” until, the cow, sheep, and hens hatch a plan to run the lazy man off of the farm. The expressive illustrations and satisfying telling continue to delight as it celebrates its 25^th anniversary. 

A small, ill-tempered insect will not say “Good morning” or “Thank you” to anyone. But, as the day progresses, she becomes a nicer, happier, better-behaved bug. The use of die-cut pages in this vividly illustrated book enhances the sense of movement in a memorable fashion.

What can people learn from dogs? How to BE in the moment from waking to bedtime and through the seasons! Charming collage illustrations and straightforward text encourage readers to smell, taste, feel, and see with canine simplicity. 

Ryan Hart finds ways to make sunshine even when she’s not happy about moving to a smaller house, selling the family car, and the other changes life brings. But her name means “king” and so she must lead. Lead she does in this contemporary, realistic and engaging novel just right for fans of Beverly Cleary’s Ramona Quimby.

A mother and daughter look forward to their special Saturday routine together every single week. But this Saturday, one thing after another goes wrong. The up-and-down journey that reminds them of what’s best about Saturdays: precious time together.

Not everyone aspires to be a champion rock climber like Ashima. Her skill and passion grow with practice and study. The athlete’s story is likely to provide inspiration for all those who aim for greatness in any field. Color illustrations capture the climber’s determination.

It’s hard starting middle school and being an outsider, but training for the cheerleading squad is fun when Christina and her best friend Megan work together. The fun stops when the 6th graders are supposed to try out for the cheerleading squad in front of the entire school! Based on the author’s experience, the ups and downs of friendship and middle school are both heartbreaking and heartwarming in this attractive graphic novel.

Who would have thought that fruits and vegetables could express a cornucopia of emotions? The expressive produce are labeled with the fellings they are showing. Readers of all ages can identify with this clever book and will gain the words to use when presented with stressful situations.

Danbi is thrilled to start her new school in America. But a bit nervous too, for when she walks into the classroom, everything goes quiet. Everyone stares. Danbi wants to join in the dances and the games, but she doesn’t know the rules and just can’t get anything right. With a spark of imagination, she makes up a new game and leads her classmates on a parade to remember.

Learning to soar ‘from the people who came before’ two siblings are told both that their feelings have been experienced by others, and that “nobody can ever cuff/ your brilliant and beautiful mind,” a lesson they pass on in turn. The book reminds children that imagination is a powerful tool in any situation, and López’s warm, colorful art enhances this message. This book is a companion to The Day You Begin (opens in a new window) by the same author/illustrator team.

To start, Judy Moody doesn’t have high hopes for third grade. Judy also has an abundance of individuality and attitude, and when her teacher Mr. Todd assigns a very special class project, she really gets a chance to express herself! Megan McDonald’s spirited text and Peter Reynolds’s wry illustrations combine in a feisty, funny first chapter book for every kid who has ever felt a little out of sorts.