What do you think?
Rate this book
Emotional Support Animals: Anonymous Fuzzball Comics + Workbook
Not yet published
Expected 14 Apr 26Emotional Support Animals is a collection of comics and worksheets featuring adorable and irresistible emotional support animals offering words of compassion and wisdom, delivering smiles along with experience, strength, and hope.
What if your therapist was a cardigan-wearing walrus sipping a cup of coffee? Emotional Support Animals answers this question in a series of sweet comics and engaging worksheets. Nicole Georges presents small doses of therapy in the form of humorous illustrations about serious subjects. Picture a pug assuring you that it's not cruel to say no or hold a boundary, or a crocodile reminding you that when you take care of yourself, you have more capacity to give. Inspired by Nicole’s experiences with grief and healing, her Anonymous Fuzzball comics touch on themes of self-worth, boundaries, and balance. Using quirky animals as her subjects, she proves that hard truths are easier to digest in an adorable package.
Affirmations "Just because someone's having a big reaction doesn't mean I did anything wrong." "You're not going to mess up something that's meant for you." "As I love myself more, I demand less of others." "What people say is just information. You don't have to take it personally." "I don't need to achieve anything to be lovable."
What if your therapist was a cardigan-wearing walrus sipping a cup of coffee? Emotional Support Animals answers this question in a series of sweet comics and engaging worksheets. Nicole Georges presents small doses of therapy in the form of humorous illustrations about serious subjects. Picture a pug assuring you that it's not cruel to say no or hold a boundary, or a crocodile reminding you that when you take care of yourself, you have more capacity to give. Inspired by Nicole’s experiences with grief and healing, her Anonymous Fuzzball comics touch on themes of self-worth, boundaries, and balance. Using quirky animals as her subjects, she proves that hard truths are easier to digest in an adorable package.
Affirmations "Just because someone's having a big reaction doesn't mean I did anything wrong." "You're not going to mess up something that's meant for you." "As I love myself more, I demand less of others." "What people say is just information. You don't have to take it personally." "I don't need to achieve anything to be lovable."
160 pages, Paperback
Expected publication April 14, 2026
2 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.
I really love all of the positive affirmations and amazing illustrations in this book. This could be an amazing tool for someone. There are some very helpful worksheets here and great tips for people struggling. Obviously, this book will not be for everyone, but that is true of every single book ever written (without people arguing about their holy books being written for all of mankind). Or, it might be the perfect book for them but just not right at this second. What I do hope, is that you find the help you need. Whether it's in this book, a different one,or somewhere else. You are worth the effort.
I really love all of the positive affirmations and amazing illustrations in this book. This could be an amazing tool for someone. There are some very helpful worksheets here and great tips for people struggling. Obviously, this book will not be for everyone, but that is true of every single book ever written (without people arguing about their holy books being written for all of mankind). Or, it might be the perfect book for them but just not right at this second. What I do hope, is that you find the help you need. Whether it's in this book, a different one,or somewhere else. You are worth the effort.
November 24, 2025
I’m not sure of the best way to present this book. As the author herself said, it was a series of cartoons she wrote to help her get over the death of her dog, her dad, and her love, that all happened in the same year. Any death is hard to get over, but to have three is totally a smack on the side of the head.
So, when going through this book, you are presented with a series of animals that say soft things, probably from a therapy session. There is a bat that says “I don’t want to be good. I want to be whole.” A cat that says “The answer is not more self-criticism. It is more self love.”
With these gentle reminders, the author also includes worksheets to help you get through whatever you are feeling. You can draw what emotion you are feeling, and what you are feeling.
This is not a funny book. Certainly the animals look funny, but they all have messages of help for those who need it. This is more of something to sooth you, when you need to hear words of comfort. I would recommend it as a gift to those who are grieving, more than anything. Death is hard on those left behind, no matter who dies, and society is not set up to support those who go through the mourning process. At least this book was written to help just a bit.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book will be published on the 14th of April 2026.
So, when going through this book, you are presented with a series of animals that say soft things, probably from a therapy session. There is a bat that says “I don’t want to be good. I want to be whole.” A cat that says “The answer is not more self-criticism. It is more self love.”
With these gentle reminders, the author also includes worksheets to help you get through whatever you are feeling. You can draw what emotion you are feeling, and what you are feeling.
This is not a funny book. Certainly the animals look funny, but they all have messages of help for those who need it. This is more of something to sooth you, when you need to hear words of comfort. I would recommend it as a gift to those who are grieving, more than anything. Death is hard on those left behind, no matter who dies, and society is not set up to support those who go through the mourning process. At least this book was written to help just a bit.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book will be published on the 14th of April 2026.
November 25, 2025
Thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC, to be published on April 14th, 2026.
It’s a fun and creative way to address mental health and well-being. Apart from some affirmation words given by cute animals in full-color illustrations, you’ll find some exercises to help you with grounding activities and mindfulness.
It’s a fun and creative way to address mental health and well-being. Apart from some affirmation words given by cute animals in full-color illustrations, you’ll find some exercises to help you with grounding activities and mindfulness.
November 23, 2025
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
This book was such a sweet collection of illustrations, worksheets, and little bits of advice! I feel like this would be such a sweet gift for a friend struggling with mental health or even a coffee table book.
This book was such a sweet collection of illustrations, worksheets, and little bits of advice! I feel like this would be such a sweet gift for a friend struggling with mental health or even a coffee table book.
February 7, 2026
Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of "Emotional Support Animals" by Nicole Georges.
This comic compilation of adorable animals in clothing and holding mugs of comfort tea or coffee sitting in group therapy talking about their emotions is a gift. I got sucked in by the adorable cover and title and then further sucked in by the group of animals who sit around sharing positive affirmations and feel good sentiments with the readers. The author/creator Nicole Georges explained that this book was created in part after a very tumultuous time in her life when she found herself in need of therapy and learned about the many ways in which it can make one feel better. Her hard work and the results are wonderfully compiled in this book and it's a must read for young adults and adults!
The illustrations are adorable and the messages are so thoughtful and appropriately sorted in sections by topics such as "Self Love, Self Worth" and "Boundaries." From an illustration of a mole (or is it a vole, I can never differentiate between the two cute, but destructive little furballs) that says, "Every living thing deserves compassion" (19) to a Papillon who says, "Just because someone's having a big reaction doesn't mean I did anything wrong" (52). This book was even better than I thought from the my initial perusal and I tried to pace myself so I could enjoy and embrace the feelings for more than one sitting. After each section, there are workbook pages to help readers work through their feelings on the topic they just read. From breathing practices to drawing conversations between fictional characters to help you think about how you feel and how to address your feelings without succumbing to them, there is so much to take away from this short book. A more modern diary that focuses on thinking, listening, and letting go, not bottling up and moving on.
After reading this book, my only critiques are: 1) I wish the individual comics/creatures and their sentiments were available for purchase as posters for personal and educational use - because I would so buy these for my school!!!; 2) at least in the ARC edition, there was no collaboration with a trained psychologist, psychiatrist, counselor. or therapist, or even supplemental information that perhaps would have given it a little more credence or credibility as a mental health workbook, although that's not what it is claiming to be. Regardless, I highly recommended this title as a must-read for all, a purchase as a gift for someone that you know is struggling, whether with their feelings, their mental health, or just needs a general pick-me-up filled with adorable critters, and as a purchase for all secondary and public libraries.
As a librarian in a public high school setting, I will definitely be purchasing a copy or two for our collection and promoting it to our school social workers, counselors, and psychologists. I also know of a few students that I would like to recommend it to. My only caveat to librarians looking to add it to their collections is that there are workbook pages that ask the reader to work through their feelings via drawing and writing on the workbook pages.
This comic compilation of adorable animals in clothing and holding mugs of comfort tea or coffee sitting in group therapy talking about their emotions is a gift. I got sucked in by the adorable cover and title and then further sucked in by the group of animals who sit around sharing positive affirmations and feel good sentiments with the readers. The author/creator Nicole Georges explained that this book was created in part after a very tumultuous time in her life when she found herself in need of therapy and learned about the many ways in which it can make one feel better. Her hard work and the results are wonderfully compiled in this book and it's a must read for young adults and adults!
The illustrations are adorable and the messages are so thoughtful and appropriately sorted in sections by topics such as "Self Love, Self Worth" and "Boundaries." From an illustration of a mole (or is it a vole, I can never differentiate between the two cute, but destructive little furballs) that says, "Every living thing deserves compassion" (19) to a Papillon who says, "Just because someone's having a big reaction doesn't mean I did anything wrong" (52). This book was even better than I thought from the my initial perusal and I tried to pace myself so I could enjoy and embrace the feelings for more than one sitting. After each section, there are workbook pages to help readers work through their feelings on the topic they just read. From breathing practices to drawing conversations between fictional characters to help you think about how you feel and how to address your feelings without succumbing to them, there is so much to take away from this short book. A more modern diary that focuses on thinking, listening, and letting go, not bottling up and moving on.
After reading this book, my only critiques are: 1) I wish the individual comics/creatures and their sentiments were available for purchase as posters for personal and educational use - because I would so buy these for my school!!!; 2) at least in the ARC edition, there was no collaboration with a trained psychologist, psychiatrist, counselor. or therapist, or even supplemental information that perhaps would have given it a little more credence or credibility as a mental health workbook, although that's not what it is claiming to be. Regardless, I highly recommended this title as a must-read for all, a purchase as a gift for someone that you know is struggling, whether with their feelings, their mental health, or just needs a general pick-me-up filled with adorable critters, and as a purchase for all secondary and public libraries.
As a librarian in a public high school setting, I will definitely be purchasing a copy or two for our collection and promoting it to our school social workers, counselors, and psychologists. I also know of a few students that I would like to recommend it to. My only caveat to librarians looking to add it to their collections is that there are workbook pages that ask the reader to work through their feelings via drawing and writing on the workbook pages.
November 26, 2025
This book works like a full self-care package wrapped in an entertaining format with charming animal illustrations. It turns essential mental health messages into visual affirmations that are easy to take in. What makes it stand out is the blend of calming artwork and interactive worksheets that gently support self-reflection. It’s especially helpful on tough days and offers a soft reminder of why self-kindness matters.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This books was kindly provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher, and this is my honest review.
This book is full of cute, minimalistic art in the form of animals, which give you some encouraging and soothing words for when you might feel you need some support.
I liked the self-help approach the author took. I loved that it is presented as a workbook with useful exercises at the end of each section.
However, I think it would have benefited if it were made more coherent artistically along the entire wording structure, with not just one animal drawing per page and a few words. It felt like flipping through a picture book more than a comic book. And I personally did not enjoy this aspect.
That aside, the message itself is lovely, and I can definitely see this book being helpful for people who need a few gentle words of encouragement.
Overall, a solid 4-star read.
This book is full of cute, minimalistic art in the form of animals, which give you some encouraging and soothing words for when you might feel you need some support.
I liked the self-help approach the author took. I loved that it is presented as a workbook with useful exercises at the end of each section.
However, I think it would have benefited if it were made more coherent artistically along the entire wording structure, with not just one animal drawing per page and a few words. It felt like flipping through a picture book more than a comic book. And I personally did not enjoy this aspect.
That aside, the message itself is lovely, and I can definitely see this book being helpful for people who need a few gentle words of encouragement.
Overall, a solid 4-star read.
November 30, 2025
I feel like these type of books are truly the best when they come to you at the exact time you need them, and I wish this book would find me again when I do need it
December 10, 2025
Before we begin, I want to state that the process of creating this review, it has been stated in the book that the creator of the book Emotional Support Animals lost their dog, their father and their love. I would like to say sorry for your loss but that doesn't justify me giving a higher score. Thank you for the context but I will be honest and you will catch these honest hands in my review.
That being said, the creator is Nicole J Georges, a writer,illustrator, podcaster and a professor at the CCA (California College of the Arts). She has made many comics and this is just her latest creation as of this date which should be 12/10/2025.
Emotional Support Animals is a written as a Anonymous Fuzzball Comic + Workbook. It's called Anonymous Fuzzball as it's a zine with a named based off her dog taking off the collar and running off into the streets that contains animals speaking about Nicole's advice and wisdom gained during her time coping with her losses and finding new ways of therapy and trauma recovery.
That being said, the front cover is gonna look real familiar to you as all of the animals on the cover and on the back are shown in the exact manner in the pages. Which leads me to the first point I want to speak about.
When we first read the book, we start off with a small comic where a dog person is going through rough emotions and arrives at the counseling support group where other animal humanoids gather around to speak about their problems. These two pages are the only form of comic paneling technique (without actual panels) that is typically expected by the general masses.
We are immediately followed with a user guide in a pencil stencil style that details how to use the book to support someone going through a variety of hard times. Following this is the first chapter of many that offers advice about various topics such as self worth and self love. However, as I said before, the entire format changes from a comic to more like a children's book with each page having an animal with a phrase that they say and then after a few pages, a set of exercises on a page for the user to work on.
I would like to detour to speak about the art. For a comic, both art and story telling are the two key components to create a comic and is usually how I grade/review the comics I am reading. Because this is more of a therapy book with animal illustrations similar to Kate Allen aka thelatestkate's work of animal affirmations books, I have to change my review.
As a lot of the advice is effective and can be applied to wide variety of people and problems and as it's what takes over the storytelling portion, I will give this a 2/2.5. Because the whole first pages exists that serves very little purpose in comparison to the rest of the book, I have to lower the score. As every page matters, these two pages just seem to be made to extend the purpose of the book. While yes, it could show an example of what a group therapy session could be like, the book would stronger had more comics of this be shown throughout the book instead of being a one and done deal.
But where the book tanks is it art. The author can draw animals in various styles but the thing that irks me is that the creator isn't consistent with how the animals are drawn. Going back to the comic portion, the animals are drawn with clothes and yet afterwards, there are pages where the animals are drawn without and hyperrealistically in some. This is in contrast in some pages where some are drawn cartoonishly such as a cat being drawn with an extremely long neck. Some animals have clothes and some don't. And often, a majority of the animals are drawn with the same bean shape for a torso. Even drawing in a cartoonish manner, the author has the ability to draw the character in various shapes and forms such a muscular gorilla or a thin swan wearing a cardigan sweater. And going beyond that, the author should keep some level of consistency between the animals so the reader isn't thrown off by it. It's jarring and doesn't serve a purpose. This matter even extends to the lettering and the pages that have the worksheet guides as some pages have small fonts and some have color while other's don't. Because of these inconsistencies of styles, I will not give the art full marks.
I will give it 1/2.5. The creator can create amazing art of animals but if the creator is to do so, they should stick to a style and be consistent throughout the book while also taking advantage of the style they are choosing. If the animals are cartoonish, be diverse in how they are drawn. If realistic, show details of it's feathers and body parts. Do not try to include both.
Overall, the book itself works but when compared to others such as Kate Allen's work, the very few things that make this book stand out only seem shallow. If the creator is allowed to rework the book, I would ask the creator to focus on what the books unique strengths are and expand on them.
3/5.
That being said, the creator is Nicole J Georges, a writer,illustrator, podcaster and a professor at the CCA (California College of the Arts). She has made many comics and this is just her latest creation as of this date which should be 12/10/2025.
Emotional Support Animals is a written as a Anonymous Fuzzball Comic + Workbook. It's called Anonymous Fuzzball as it's a zine with a named based off her dog taking off the collar and running off into the streets that contains animals speaking about Nicole's advice and wisdom gained during her time coping with her losses and finding new ways of therapy and trauma recovery.
That being said, the front cover is gonna look real familiar to you as all of the animals on the cover and on the back are shown in the exact manner in the pages. Which leads me to the first point I want to speak about.
When we first read the book, we start off with a small comic where a dog person is going through rough emotions and arrives at the counseling support group where other animal humanoids gather around to speak about their problems. These two pages are the only form of comic paneling technique (without actual panels) that is typically expected by the general masses.
We are immediately followed with a user guide in a pencil stencil style that details how to use the book to support someone going through a variety of hard times. Following this is the first chapter of many that offers advice about various topics such as self worth and self love. However, as I said before, the entire format changes from a comic to more like a children's book with each page having an animal with a phrase that they say and then after a few pages, a set of exercises on a page for the user to work on.
I would like to detour to speak about the art. For a comic, both art and story telling are the two key components to create a comic and is usually how I grade/review the comics I am reading. Because this is more of a therapy book with animal illustrations similar to Kate Allen aka thelatestkate's work of animal affirmations books, I have to change my review.
As a lot of the advice is effective and can be applied to wide variety of people and problems and as it's what takes over the storytelling portion, I will give this a 2/2.5. Because the whole first pages exists that serves very little purpose in comparison to the rest of the book, I have to lower the score. As every page matters, these two pages just seem to be made to extend the purpose of the book. While yes, it could show an example of what a group therapy session could be like, the book would stronger had more comics of this be shown throughout the book instead of being a one and done deal.
But where the book tanks is it art. The author can draw animals in various styles but the thing that irks me is that the creator isn't consistent with how the animals are drawn. Going back to the comic portion, the animals are drawn with clothes and yet afterwards, there are pages where the animals are drawn without and hyperrealistically in some. This is in contrast in some pages where some are drawn cartoonishly such as a cat being drawn with an extremely long neck. Some animals have clothes and some don't. And often, a majority of the animals are drawn with the same bean shape for a torso. Even drawing in a cartoonish manner, the author has the ability to draw the character in various shapes and forms such a muscular gorilla or a thin swan wearing a cardigan sweater. And going beyond that, the author should keep some level of consistency between the animals so the reader isn't thrown off by it. It's jarring and doesn't serve a purpose. This matter even extends to the lettering and the pages that have the worksheet guides as some pages have small fonts and some have color while other's don't. Because of these inconsistencies of styles, I will not give the art full marks.
I will give it 1/2.5. The creator can create amazing art of animals but if the creator is to do so, they should stick to a style and be consistent throughout the book while also taking advantage of the style they are choosing. If the animals are cartoonish, be diverse in how they are drawn. If realistic, show details of it's feathers and body parts. Do not try to include both.
Overall, the book itself works but when compared to others such as Kate Allen's work, the very few things that make this book stand out only seem shallow. If the creator is allowed to rework the book, I would ask the creator to focus on what the books unique strengths are and expand on them.
3/5.
December 2, 2025
This is an endearing and thoughtful graphic novel and self-reflection journal. It has prompting statements given by beautifully drawn characters who have charm and character. The guiding questions posed are not generic affirmations and as the pages go on, the prompts increase in depth and concept. The characters and reflective thoughts are grouped by category and each chapter ends with hand-drawn corresponding journal pages to guide responses. This creates a new spin on a very popular type of book right now (meditative reflection journals).
The book could be a quick read, however, I read it over time to digest the material. The ideas stuck with me and I found myself thinking them over throughout the days following a reading session. The emotional impact worked really well and especially since it was paired with lovable animals. The play on words for 'emotional support animals' adds to the delightfulness. I
would recommend this to anyone who enjoys daily meditations or reflecting on thoughts or thought processes. Also, anyone who needs encouragement to examine difficult or anxiety-inducing topics such as death and grief. Further, it is a great gift book for anyone because of the lovely illustrations and gentle meditations. I would definitely use the speech bubbles and guided journal pages with my junior students. I would want to work through the book with them so I could help them process the content or guide their thinking.
Thank you NetGalley and Andrew McMeel Publishing for the advanced copy. All my opinions are my own.
The book could be a quick read, however, I read it over time to digest the material. The ideas stuck with me and I found myself thinking them over throughout the days following a reading session. The emotional impact worked really well and especially since it was paired with lovable animals. The play on words for 'emotional support animals' adds to the delightfulness. I
would recommend this to anyone who enjoys daily meditations or reflecting on thoughts or thought processes. Also, anyone who needs encouragement to examine difficult or anxiety-inducing topics such as death and grief. Further, it is a great gift book for anyone because of the lovely illustrations and gentle meditations. I would definitely use the speech bubbles and guided journal pages with my junior students. I would want to work through the book with them so I could help them process the content or guide their thinking.
Thank you NetGalley and Andrew McMeel Publishing for the advanced copy. All my opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
I adored this colorful workbook!
The synopsis asks: What if your therapist was a cardigan-wearing walrus sipping a cup of coffee?
Author Nicole Georges answers that by offering us small doses of therapy in the form of humorous illustrations and worksheets, which can be read all at once, or a day at a time.
The affirmations touch on themes of self-worth, setting boundaries, and having balance, as we move from chair to chair—animal to animal-in our therapy group.
If you learn (accept) even ONE of her truths-you will come away from the book a better person!
Some of my favorites were:
“ I had to stop putting my sense of worth in other peoples hands”
“ I’m only responsible for 50% of any relationship.”
“ listen to understand, not to respond.”
“ before I speak, I try to consider… Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?”
“ Visiting can be an act of service to someone. You don’t have to fix or change them. You can just be present.”
And, there are so many more! (160 pages)
I recommend getting a physical copy so you can use the worksheets, or downloading to a device that allows you to see the comics in color. (I read this one on my IPAD)
AVAILABLE April 14, 2026
Thank You to Andrew McMeel Publishing for the ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus. As always, these are my candid thoughts!
The synopsis asks: What if your therapist was a cardigan-wearing walrus sipping a cup of coffee?
Author Nicole Georges answers that by offering us small doses of therapy in the form of humorous illustrations and worksheets, which can be read all at once, or a day at a time.
The affirmations touch on themes of self-worth, setting boundaries, and having balance, as we move from chair to chair—animal to animal-in our therapy group.
If you learn (accept) even ONE of her truths-you will come away from the book a better person!
Some of my favorites were:
“ I had to stop putting my sense of worth in other peoples hands”
“ I’m only responsible for 50% of any relationship.”
“ listen to understand, not to respond.”
“ before I speak, I try to consider… Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?”
“ Visiting can be an act of service to someone. You don’t have to fix or change them. You can just be present.”
And, there are so many more! (160 pages)
I recommend getting a physical copy so you can use the worksheets, or downloading to a device that allows you to see the comics in color. (I read this one on my IPAD)
AVAILABLE April 14, 2026
Thank You to Andrew McMeel Publishing for the ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus. As always, these are my candid thoughts!
November 21, 2025
⭐ Wellness | Positivity | Support
Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Emotional Support Animals is a gentle, comforting illustrated book designed to be opened to any page on any day, offering a message of support from one of its hand-drawn animal companions. Each animal comes with a short, encouraging note meant to ground, soothe, or uplift the reader in that moment.
All of the artwork, and even the lettering, is fully hand-drawn, giving the book a warm, personal, and heartfelt touch that matches the cozy style of the cover. The illustrations are soft, expressive, and welcoming, making each page feel like a small pocket of calm.
Sprinkled throughout the book are self-reflection prompts, light mindfulness exercises, and brief meditation guides. These additions make the experience feel more interactive and meaningful, turning simple affirmations into thoughtful moments of care.
Overall, Emotional Support Animals is a charming, comforting companion for anyone seeking a little emotional grounding. Its mix of tender illustrations, handwritten text, and reflective prompts makes it a soothing daily pick-me-up for readers of all ages.
Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Emotional Support Animals is a gentle, comforting illustrated book designed to be opened to any page on any day, offering a message of support from one of its hand-drawn animal companions. Each animal comes with a short, encouraging note meant to ground, soothe, or uplift the reader in that moment.
All of the artwork, and even the lettering, is fully hand-drawn, giving the book a warm, personal, and heartfelt touch that matches the cozy style of the cover. The illustrations are soft, expressive, and welcoming, making each page feel like a small pocket of calm.
Sprinkled throughout the book are self-reflection prompts, light mindfulness exercises, and brief meditation guides. These additions make the experience feel more interactive and meaningful, turning simple affirmations into thoughtful moments of care.
Overall, Emotional Support Animals is a charming, comforting companion for anyone seeking a little emotional grounding. Its mix of tender illustrations, handwritten text, and reflective prompts makes it a soothing daily pick-me-up for readers of all ages.
December 6, 2025
How special and wonderful is this one? The title is what originally caught my attention, so I gave it a closer look.
Everyday we must face numerous decisions, meet different people, and run into situations, that require us to react. This isn't always easy and having an emotional support animal can help to make these things easier. This books present help in various ways and made me smile and appreciate the wisdom presented in such a lovely way.
I'm not the biggest fan of the classical self-help genre, but if you present it in a way that makes in interesting and different, I'm on board.
This book is for everyone, that needs a reminder, that we often overcomplicate things or blame ourselves. We're also not alone with feeling this way. This is a book that is perfect as a gift for yourself or others. Hanging some of the picture and phrases on my wall is something that I can also imagine doing as a daily reminder.
This book is unique and different. And I appreciate that. We need more of that.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Everyday we must face numerous decisions, meet different people, and run into situations, that require us to react. This isn't always easy and having an emotional support animal can help to make these things easier. This books present help in various ways and made me smile and appreciate the wisdom presented in such a lovely way.
I'm not the biggest fan of the classical self-help genre, but if you present it in a way that makes in interesting and different, I'm on board.
This book is for everyone, that needs a reminder, that we often overcomplicate things or blame ourselves. We're also not alone with feeling this way. This is a book that is perfect as a gift for yourself or others. Hanging some of the picture and phrases on my wall is something that I can also imagine doing as a daily reminder.
This book is unique and different. And I appreciate that. We need more of that.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Who wouldn’t want their daily affirmations from cute animals?
Emotional Support Animals is a quite accurate name, as there are cute animals and I feel they offered me a great deal of emotional support. This book serves as a good mindfulness exercise to start off and end the day, to disconnect from screens and reflect on yourself, while accompanied by cute drawings of animals! You can choose to read whole sections are one or just meditate daily on a single page’s affirmation. I love the hand drawn art style of this book, it really feels like it has been personally made for the reader. The little worksheets throughout are great exercises and really allow the reader to do as much or as little as they feel in the moment.
This book was equal parts enjoyable and beneficial, building healthier mental health practices and strengthening one’s sense of self. I would recommend this for anyone looking for more self-reflection exercises that feel easy instead of like adding work to your day. This book releases April 14!
Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of this book!
Emotional Support Animals is a quite accurate name, as there are cute animals and I feel they offered me a great deal of emotional support. This book serves as a good mindfulness exercise to start off and end the day, to disconnect from screens and reflect on yourself, while accompanied by cute drawings of animals! You can choose to read whole sections are one or just meditate daily on a single page’s affirmation. I love the hand drawn art style of this book, it really feels like it has been personally made for the reader. The little worksheets throughout are great exercises and really allow the reader to do as much or as little as they feel in the moment.
This book was equal parts enjoyable and beneficial, building healthier mental health practices and strengthening one’s sense of self. I would recommend this for anyone looking for more self-reflection exercises that feel easy instead of like adding work to your day. This book releases April 14!
Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of this book!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to netgalley for an early copy in exchange for a honest review.
Emotional Support Animals is a combination of mental health workbook and affirmations from anthropomorphic animals (and one plant). This is not necessarily a book that someone should read through, but as covered at the beginning of the book, something that should be taken as something to start your day and many of the worksheets would be great to use when having a particularly hard time.
Nothing covered in the book was something that the average reader wouldn’t have read or heard elsewhere as, but I do appreciate this as a series of grounding reminders.
The artwork is a wonderful mix of more realistic illustration of what I’m assuming are pets the author knows, and some more generic cute animals. They are all full of charm and life and paired well with their affirmations.
I think this gift would be a good gift for someone who may be going through a challenging time in life, or as something to pair with the start of therapy to build on the skills they’re learning and focusing on elsewhere or to help kick start those conversations.
Emotional Support Animals is a combination of mental health workbook and affirmations from anthropomorphic animals (and one plant). This is not necessarily a book that someone should read through, but as covered at the beginning of the book, something that should be taken as something to start your day and many of the worksheets would be great to use when having a particularly hard time.
Nothing covered in the book was something that the average reader wouldn’t have read or heard elsewhere as, but I do appreciate this as a series of grounding reminders.
The artwork is a wonderful mix of more realistic illustration of what I’m assuming are pets the author knows, and some more generic cute animals. They are all full of charm and life and paired well with their affirmations.
I think this gift would be a good gift for someone who may be going through a challenging time in life, or as something to pair with the start of therapy to build on the skills they’re learning and focusing on elsewhere or to help kick start those conversations.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I want to thank NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for a honest review!
This is a charming little book! I believe lots of people will find it not only cute, but very useful in their journey of self-healing. I really appreciated the idea of yourself as an animal to get the courage to share your worries/trauma/thoughts, as you can still trick yourself to believe your not actually the one showing vulnerability! This, alongside a animal therapist, can help people start speaking up slowly but surely, and one day...maybe they'll have the courage to do all of this as themselves. :)
The book is well structured, almost chapter-like, with very useful worksheets and words of affirmation, encouragement and healing. Some of my favourites are: on pages 13,17,58,73,90 and 114.
The only issue I had with Emotional Support Animals was that some sections where shorter than others.
I highly recommend this workbook for anyone thinking to give it a go. :)
This is a charming little book! I believe lots of people will find it not only cute, but very useful in their journey of self-healing. I really appreciated the idea of yourself as an animal to get the courage to share your worries/trauma/thoughts, as you can still trick yourself to believe your not actually the one showing vulnerability! This, alongside a animal therapist, can help people start speaking up slowly but surely, and one day...maybe they'll have the courage to do all of this as themselves. :)
The book is well structured, almost chapter-like, with very useful worksheets and words of affirmation, encouragement and healing. Some of my favourites are: on pages 13,17,58,73,90 and 114.
The only issue I had with Emotional Support Animals was that some sections where shorter than others.
I highly recommend this workbook for anyone thinking to give it a go. :)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
"You can restart your day at any time."
At one point or another, everyone struggles. It's just life. While we can't always choose what happens to us, we can decide how we handle it. Emotional Support Animals offers a list of helpful affirmations that can help someone with setting boundaries, sitting with grief, and more.
I was relatively surprised by what was offered. I was expecting Instagram-level thoughts, but these affirmations were nice. Self-help books rarely resonate with me, but I believe the format helped. Each affirmation is given by a different animal, all of whom are crafted with care. I also appreciate that the worksheets are hand-drawn. It makes it much more encouraging to get involved, as the author also isn't perfect. It's an extra good reminder that perfect isn't obtainable.
As others have said, this is a great book to keep at your bedside. It would be great to open every morning. You could read one, sit with it for a few moments, then go on with your day.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy!
At one point or another, everyone struggles. It's just life. While we can't always choose what happens to us, we can decide how we handle it. Emotional Support Animals offers a list of helpful affirmations that can help someone with setting boundaries, sitting with grief, and more.
I was relatively surprised by what was offered. I was expecting Instagram-level thoughts, but these affirmations were nice. Self-help books rarely resonate with me, but I believe the format helped. Each affirmation is given by a different animal, all of whom are crafted with care. I also appreciate that the worksheets are hand-drawn. It makes it much more encouraging to get involved, as the author also isn't perfect. It's an extra good reminder that perfect isn't obtainable.
As others have said, this is a great book to keep at your bedside. It would be great to open every morning. You could read one, sit with it for a few moments, then go on with your day.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy!
November 25, 2025
4.5/5
Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for an arc. All opinions are my own.
This is a very sweet collection of cute animals sharing bits of wisdom, and useful worksheets. The art is very cozy and a lot of the quotes are straightforward, but worth hearing again. My favorite section was definitely the last one which discussed activism and working to help others while still taking care of yourself.
All of the worksheets are great for slowing down and taking some time to be introspective. I loved how most of them included a portion where you draw a person/character saying something you need to hear today, it was really cathartic. I have found that these more structured worksheets aren't a great fit for me to do daily as I prefer a more fluid method. However, I do think they're a great introduction to journaling, and they can be a useful check in for me to use intermittently.
Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for an arc. All opinions are my own.
This is a very sweet collection of cute animals sharing bits of wisdom, and useful worksheets. The art is very cozy and a lot of the quotes are straightforward, but worth hearing again. My favorite section was definitely the last one which discussed activism and working to help others while still taking care of yourself.
All of the worksheets are great for slowing down and taking some time to be introspective. I loved how most of them included a portion where you draw a person/character saying something you need to hear today, it was really cathartic. I have found that these more structured worksheets aren't a great fit for me to do daily as I prefer a more fluid method. However, I do think they're a great introduction to journaling, and they can be a useful check in for me to use intermittently.
November 29, 2025
This book is something special. I can’t wait until it releases so I can buy a physical copy to keep on my nightstand. It’s definitely one of those books where you could benefit from reading just a page a day.
There’s so much help and guidance and advice in this book. So many of it tugged at my heart strings and made me really reflect on my life and situations I’ve been through and surpassed.
This book honestly got me so emotional at times. Every page is just something you need to hear (or read) and I related to so much of it in my life right now.
Also want to mention that the artwork is STUNNING and so incredibly beautiful and breathtaking! Obsessed with every single character design!
Loved the parts where you stop for a break or to fill out some workbook pages to make sense of your feelings and emotions.
Overall loved this book so much! Thank you NetGalley for letting me read it in exchange for my honest review!
There’s so much help and guidance and advice in this book. So many of it tugged at my heart strings and made me really reflect on my life and situations I’ve been through and surpassed.
This book honestly got me so emotional at times. Every page is just something you need to hear (or read) and I related to so much of it in my life right now.
Also want to mention that the artwork is STUNNING and so incredibly beautiful and breathtaking! Obsessed with every single character design!
Loved the parts where you stop for a break or to fill out some workbook pages to make sense of your feelings and emotions.
Overall loved this book so much! Thank you NetGalley for letting me read it in exchange for my honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Emotional Support Animals is like a gentle therapy session hosted by a lineup of cute animals who somehow manage to be both hilarious and emotionally accurate. The book mixes short comics with simple worksheets and exercises, so you’re not just reading affirmations, you’re actually doing small tasks that help the message land.
What I loved most is how it captures real feelings and real problems without getting heavy or preachy. The adorable animal format makes the hard truths easier to digest, and honestly more comforting than many classic self-help books that can feel too serious or intense. It’s light in style, but not shallow in content.
It works surprisingly well for all ages: kids can connect to the animals and the simplicity, and adults will recognize the emotional depth underneath the humor.
If you want something supportive, interactive, and genuinely calming (without the “life coach energy”), this one hits.
What I loved most is how it captures real feelings and real problems without getting heavy or preachy. The adorable animal format makes the hard truths easier to digest, and honestly more comforting than many classic self-help books that can feel too serious or intense. It’s light in style, but not shallow in content.
It works surprisingly well for all ages: kids can connect to the animals and the simplicity, and adults will recognize the emotional depth underneath the humor.
If you want something supportive, interactive, and genuinely calming (without the “life coach energy”), this one hits.
December 2, 2025
Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley and for this ARC.
Adorable - I loved the art style. There was handwritten words throughout this, but the handwriting was very legible and added a nice charm to it. You can tell the author has done a fair bit of therapy in her time, and wants to help guide others through this book.
Some of my favourite animal drawings were the platypus, walrus, the long-necked cat, Dalmatian and antelope, I could see these animals making for really cute cards/stickers. Definitely a book that I can see making a great gift for some of the people in my life.
This is a book with is obviously intended to be a physical copy over an ebook. It is difficult to tell with this ebook version, but online it does not look like there would be quite enough room to easily draw an animal to respond (as the instructions indicated)
Adorable - I loved the art style. There was handwritten words throughout this, but the handwriting was very legible and added a nice charm to it. You can tell the author has done a fair bit of therapy in her time, and wants to help guide others through this book.
Some of my favourite animal drawings were the platypus, walrus, the long-necked cat, Dalmatian and antelope, I could see these animals making for really cute cards/stickers. Definitely a book that I can see making a great gift for some of the people in my life.
This is a book with is obviously intended to be a physical copy over an ebook. It is difficult to tell with this ebook version, but online it does not look like there would be quite enough room to easily draw an animal to respond (as the instructions indicated)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book is ideal for creative young adults looking for compassionate self care advice from cute animals wearing clothes. The author creatively captured the essence of therapy in a way that feels like a group hug from close friends. Readers will likely experience the book differently; could be motivational, aspirational or educational. It’s not for everyone, but it’s simple and original enough that anyone can understand the ideas. I personally wasn’t sure what to do with the workbook aspect, which I skipped. I’m sure these would be helpful for artistic and crafty readers. The book will serve a valuable mental wellness resource and should be on the list for anyone who works in a school. I received this book via NetGalley from Andrew’s McMeal Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book is such a breath of fresh air.
I wouldn't call it just a set of positive affirmations, because it's definitely much more than that.
The thoughts in this book are put together effectively and provide a necessary dose of self-care and self-love.
The illustration style fits so well into this, and I love the combination of quirky, colourful animals helping you with different emotional topics. And while they all look comical, the things they have to say are very serious and worth thinking about.
I also love the exercises and worksheets provided, and I do plan to go through some of them myself.
Definitely a book you need to keep close and read a bit of each day.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for granting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I wouldn't call it just a set of positive affirmations, because it's definitely much more than that.
The thoughts in this book are put together effectively and provide a necessary dose of self-care and self-love.
The illustration style fits so well into this, and I love the combination of quirky, colourful animals helping you with different emotional topics. And while they all look comical, the things they have to say are very serious and worth thinking about.
I also love the exercises and worksheets provided, and I do plan to go through some of them myself.
Definitely a book you need to keep close and read a bit of each day.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for granting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 3, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the advanced copy for review, and thank you to author Nicole Georges for writing and illustrating this beautiful book!
Emotional Support Animals is a cozy and comforting book full of wisdom, charming illustrations, and worksheets to do your own journaling and drawing to process your emotions. My favourite messages were: "When I go into a situation asking 'what am I going to get?' I'll always be let down. When I go in asking 'what do I have to give?' I do better"...."I don't process my feelings with people I don't trust"...and "Acceptance is giving up the hope of a better past"...
This book would make a wonderful gift to anyone who could use some warm fuzzies.
Emotional Support Animals is a cozy and comforting book full of wisdom, charming illustrations, and worksheets to do your own journaling and drawing to process your emotions. My favourite messages were: "When I go into a situation asking 'what am I going to get?' I'll always be let down. When I go in asking 'what do I have to give?' I do better"...."I don't process my feelings with people I don't trust"...and "Acceptance is giving up the hope of a better past"...
This book would make a wonderful gift to anyone who could use some warm fuzzies.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Everyone knows that therapy is very expensive because it needs to be regular and some of us can barely afford groceries and housing! I was thinking about that as I was reading this book that has very cute and uplifting animal illustrations with positive and uplifting messages, as well as exercises. Because of them you can go back to this book multiple times, to track your mental state and progress, to be mindful of your psychological wellbeing. Sometimes we need to be reminded even of the most obvious things because we usually are our biggest critics and are harsh to our own selves, and this book has these reminders - so much care and kindness went into this work.
Thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange of the honest review.
Thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange of the honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Firstly, thank you to the author and to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.
Secondly, what a precious little book. I cannot wait until it is released and I can have a physical copy in my home. It's also one I will share with colleagues and even clients as it holds such profound messages and creates a space for intentional reflection in a way I haven't seen in a long time. I found myself tearing up more than once flipping through this and plan to return to it again and again.
This art style provoked something unexpectedly raw and real and tethered to my emotions in a way I'm truly grateful for. Highly recommend picking this up and reading a page or two a day to allow some space to feel your feels and hold space for them and yourself.
Secondly, what a precious little book. I cannot wait until it is released and I can have a physical copy in my home. It's also one I will share with colleagues and even clients as it holds such profound messages and creates a space for intentional reflection in a way I haven't seen in a long time. I found myself tearing up more than once flipping through this and plan to return to it again and again.
This art style provoked something unexpectedly raw and real and tethered to my emotions in a way I'm truly grateful for. Highly recommend picking this up and reading a page or two a day to allow some space to feel your feels and hold space for them and yourself.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
5/5 ⭐️
Thank you to Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the eARC! This is an incredibly well written book featuring numerous prompts, tips, areas for drawing or writing, and reflections. All of these response sections were well done and easy to follow while also helping the reader to acknowledge key concepts of self care, finding happiness, and knowing yourself. Additionally, this book is full of beautiful illustrations of animals accompanied by valuable life advice. This book is especially perfect for animal lovers, but provides a calming and reflective experience for all readers. I will be sure to purchase a physical book once it hits the market and encourage others to do the same!
Thank you to Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the eARC! This is an incredibly well written book featuring numerous prompts, tips, areas for drawing or writing, and reflections. All of these response sections were well done and easy to follow while also helping the reader to acknowledge key concepts of self care, finding happiness, and knowing yourself. Additionally, this book is full of beautiful illustrations of animals accompanied by valuable life advice. This book is especially perfect for animal lovers, but provides a calming and reflective experience for all readers. I will be sure to purchase a physical book once it hits the market and encourage others to do the same!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Love the cover and didn't realize this is a workbook, a workbook to look inward. A lot deeper than I was ready to go. I think this is a great book for anyone looking to connect with oneself and be present. A check in on where you currently are physically and mentally. In between these pages to write down and even draw reflections, there are words of affirmation that varying animals are sharing.
This is one to take your time with and work through over days, weeks, or months. Of course, you can work on it in one sitting, but I think taking it slowly, in my opinion, is a good way to soak in the affirmations and the prompts when you have time to focus on just that, time allowed for yourself.
I'd be interested in a physical copy of this to go through at a slower pace.
This is one to take your time with and work through over days, weeks, or months. Of course, you can work on it in one sitting, but I think taking it slowly, in my opinion, is a good way to soak in the affirmations and the prompts when you have time to focus on just that, time allowed for yourself.
I'd be interested in a physical copy of this to go through at a slower pace.
November 25, 2025
ARC provided by Andrews McMeel Publishing and Netgalley
This is a fairly charming selection of small pithy sayings that are packaged along with artwork of animals and worksheets that are supposed to allow you time to centre yourself and support your mental health. It covers a variety of topics including boundaries, self love, grief, and more. It's fairly simplistic, and some of the drawings weren't to my taste, though many were cute. It did accomplish its task of getting me to slow down. I do think that if you have issues with being mindful, the straight forward worksheets could be helpful.
This is a fairly charming selection of small pithy sayings that are packaged along with artwork of animals and worksheets that are supposed to allow you time to centre yourself and support your mental health. It covers a variety of topics including boundaries, self love, grief, and more. It's fairly simplistic, and some of the drawings weren't to my taste, though many were cute. It did accomplish its task of getting me to slow down. I do think that if you have issues with being mindful, the straight forward worksheets could be helpful.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Everyone needs this book. It’s a beautiful reminder to be gentle with yourself. Also, that you’re not alone in feeling how you feel. It’s a comforting read. The art is whimsical and adorable.
I appreciated the little worksheets throughout the book. Gives the reader the chance to practice the topics and to check in with themselves. And they connect with the topics of the Support Animals.
Overall this is a wonderful book and read for anyone who needs a reminder to that you’re not alone in the chaos of the world and what you’re feeling is valid.
Everyone needs this book. It’s a beautiful reminder to be gentle with yourself. Also, that you’re not alone in feeling how you feel. It’s a comforting read. The art is whimsical and adorable.
I appreciated the little worksheets throughout the book. Gives the reader the chance to practice the topics and to check in with themselves. And they connect with the topics of the Support Animals.
Overall this is a wonderful book and read for anyone who needs a reminder to that you’re not alone in the chaos of the world and what you’re feeling is valid.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews