The Worries: Sohal Finds a Friend

by Jion Sheibani

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'Funny, sweet and very useful for opening conversations with anxious children' - Guardian

Everyone feels worried sometimes. But what if your worries came to life and started following you around?

Sohal worries about a lot of the dark, mutant sheep, being alone - you name it, he worries about it! So one night he tries drawing his worries to make himself feel better - and somehow they look a lot less worrying once they're scribbled down.

But then imagine Sohal's surprise when he wakes up the next morning to find a set of funny, furry friends at the end of his bed!

His worries have come to life, and it's not long before Hurt, Fail, Anger, Big and Alone have turned his world upside down. Now it's up to Sohal to work out how to keep his worries under control - and have some serious fun while he's at it!

The Truth Pixie meets Inside Out in this hilarious, highly illustrated new series, perfect for helping children gently work through their worries and concentrate on having fun.

144 pages, Paperback

Published January 14, 2021

Reviews

[Hwee Goh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you a worry wart for a child? Or are you a parent who keeps telling your kid that his or her worries aren’t real, and there’s nothing to worry about?

Jion Shebani has turned Worries in Sohal’s life into actual little worry monsters. Meet Hurt, Anger, Fail and Alone. He faces up to them as he faces up to school, and the school bully. He also realises that his new friend Jaz, has her own Worries too! (They reckon her Alone is a relation to his Alone😆)

Just literally, a little like the movie Inside Out, Sohal works out his anxiety with the help of his parents and his new friend. 😉

A cute little, fully illustrated book on anxiety for our 6-8 readers ❤️ and great for getting in touch with our feelings! I think the sooner we learn this, the better 😉😍

📚: Times Distribution

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great story that would be perfect to read with Y1-Y3. Sohal worries a lot (about everything from getting hurt to having no friends) and when his worries come to life, they only get bigger. When he realises he’s not the only one with worries and that talking is important, then things start to change. This is gorgeously illustrated throughout - I’m particularly fond of the illustrations of the worries themselves!

[Alice magical library · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought that Sohal shouldn’t need to hind his worries away and be able to share them with someone that he trusted so that they could help him. I really liked Jaz as she wanted to be Sohals friend and not copy all the other children.
His worry monsters were super cute and everyone has worries. It’s ok to worry but try and talk about what you are worried about so that it doesn’t become to big.

[Philip · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this story with my daughter. It deals with a little boy’s anxieties in a warm and witty way and the illustrations are brilliant fun. A great way to get children to talk about their own worries.

[Aryan Lal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sohal worries about everything like being lonely or not making friends or getting hurt a lot or even failing. One day his worries come alive!!! Can Sohal make friends in his school to make the worries go away?
I learnt from this book not to worry too much.. its not the end of the world!!

[Emma Perkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fantastic book - parents and kids enjoyed!

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good concept, engaging, multicultural. Ticks loads of boxes.

[A · Rating 5 out of 5]

so freakin' cute

[Fern · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inside Out meets Adam Kay in this humorous and heartfelt story about meeting, managing and accepting your worries.