This Makes Me Angry

by Courtney Carbone, Hilli Kushnir (Illustrations)

In This Makes Me Angry , a young boy is not having a good day. And between the sopping wet towels in the bathroom and his homework that's been colored all over in crayon, he knows just whom to his little brother, Jack. The boy's day only gets worse when he leaves Jack and goes to school. Thankfully, his principal knows exactly what will help. By drawing events of the day, the boy is able to slow down and reflect on what made him mad--so that when he returns home, his messy, crayon-covered little brother no longer seems so bad. The Dealing with Feelings series of early readers are designed to give voice to what’s brewing inside. Through short, simple text and repetitive observational phrases, the child will learn to name their emotions as they also learn to read.

Genres: Childrens, Emotion, Picture Books, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

Published June 12, 2018

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

As we continue this series about feelings, Neo and I tackled the book about anger. Say what you will about us gingers, but anger is certainly something that we feel. Told from the perspective of a young boy who wakes up on the wrong side of the bed, things go from bad to worse until, like a tea kettle, he explodes and loses his temper. This leads to trouble and some tears before our narrator learns the importance of diffusing the situation. When he is able to find pathways for his anger, things get much better. It is uncanny that the cover is a cartoon rendition of Neo, almost to a T. Many people who saw the cover agree that this book was perfect for Neo and I could not agree more. Ok, maybe I could learn something as well!

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Makes Me Angry by Courtney Carbone, illustrated by Hilli Kushnir. EARLY READER. Rodale Kids, 2018. $14. 9781635650723

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE.

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

A young boy is having a rough day. His little brother is bugging him and he spilled his milk at school. Not knowing what to do with his anger, he yells at his classmates and is sent to the principal. The principal teaches him how to draw a picture in a journal when he is angry and it works at calming him down.

I have found that students tend to enjoy reading about other kids feeling strong emotions, making bad decisions, and then learning how they deal with it. Anger isn’t a bad emotion, but what we do with it can be, making this an important topic for young readers. My only wish for this book is for it to have a few more suggestions on how to deal with anger. One tool is good, but rarely enough.

Reviewer: Jen W.
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not every day can be perfect, but sometimes we just have to make the best of things no matter what. In this book that mirrors the experiences of many youngsters, a young boy gets off to a bad start when his younger sibling, Jack, messes up his homework and bothers him. Things go from bad to worse when he arrives at school, and the pattern continues there. Nothing goes right, and he ends up expressing his anger in inappropriate ways. A trip to the principal's office and the suggestion to express his feelings through drawings helps him gain some perspective, and he eventually simmers down. Part of the Dealing with Feelings series, this book provides youngsters with some healthier ways to express emotions than pitching a fit or crying. Caregivers and teachers may want to consider adding this title to their collection because it doesn't suggest repressing emotions but dealing with them in a more appropriate way.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book to recommend to the youngest readers who are "dealing with feelings," as the series title suggests, as well as their parents. This one tells the story of a little boy who has had everything go wrong in his day. I love how the book doesn't just tell but also shows, via his descriptions of how he is feeling inside: "My insides are boiling, too" (like Mom's tea kettle), or "I feel heat rising inside of me. It's not just the shower." The comparisons make the readers understand exactly how he feels. When he vents his anger in class, the principal gives him a constructive way to deal with it, and he comes to grips with his emotions, apologizes, and recognizes that it was a better day than he thought. A very well-constructed story with colorful illustrations.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Teaching kids about emotions can be tricky. This book handles the emotion of anger very well though, and gave us some very relatable situations which help you to empathize with the main character. Even better, this book helps you to understand that it's normal and even okay to feel angry sometimes.

I would recommend reading this book with your child, so you can talk about it afterwards. It would make for a really nice jumping off point to help them to understand how they already express these emotions.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I try to stay calm.
It does not work.
I yell at them instead.

In these 14 words, aimed at children, Courney Carbone sums up Twitter these days as angry people try to stay calm, and fail to do so. Perhaps we should all talk the advice that is offered up to these potential Level 2 readers.

Use a small notebook to draw how you feel.

I take a deep breath.
I draw everything
I feel in the book
The pictures are
Actually kind of funny.
I am not as angry now.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young boy deals with his anger with a little help from his principal. Offers lower elementary kids a strategy for dealing with their anger- getting a quiet place to process their feelings through drawing.

[Viviane Elbee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This looks like it is a good learn-to-read book for kids who have passed level 1 readers and looking for a more challenging story that they can relate to. And all of us understand what it’s like to have a bad day and be angry!

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

dealing with feelings.

[Talea · Rating 3 out of 5]

My daughter enjoyed reading this little book on her own. It was great for her as she learned a way to cope with her own feeling of anger as she struggles with learning to read.

[Julianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

So helpful! My child actually requested to read this when her feelings got out of control.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

4yo is a huge fan of this series, most especially this one. It is a great conversation starter.

[Brendon Hamacher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great work with discussing and demonstrating emotions and how to handle them. Daughter (3 years) enjoyed it and we read it several times.