Η χαρά, η ζήλια, ο ενθουσιασμός, ο θυμός, η ευγνωμοσύνη, ο φόβος…
Το βιβλίο της Tina Oziewicz, με τις εικόνες της Aleksandra Zajac, προσκαλεί παιδιά και γονείς να συζητήσουν και να σκεφτούν τι συμβαίνει στον κόσμο των συναισθημάτων (και όχι μόνο).
Με απλές, ξεκάθαρες προτάσεις το βιβλίο παρουσιάζει τα συναισθήματα και τον τρόπο που αυτά ενεργούν ανοίγοντας έναν διάλογο με τον αναγνώστη. Τα συναισθήματα δεν κρίνονται, ούτε κατατάσσονται, ενεργούν και υπάρχουν στον καθένα μας. Ας τα ανα-γνωρίσουμε καλύτερα!
Tina Oziewicz is a Polish author and translator, graduate of Philosophy and English Literature at the University of Wroclaw, Poland. She never planned to become a writer, working as a translator, an academic and a teacher, yet it was in stories written for children that she’s found her voice and her way to ensoul the world, in accordance with her personal philosophy and her Buddhist perspective.
This is a quirky picture book with no story. Every page contains a line or two about “what feelings do when no one's looking.” For instance, 👉 “Anger Explodes”; 👉 “Pride sits tall in a tower at the summit of a crystal mountain”; 👉 “Happiness zips into the air in a soap bubble”. The line-up includes not just feelings but also abstract concepts such as friendship, curiosity, and hospitality.
While the idea of the book, which was originally published in Polish is brilliant, the implementation is a bit complicated, considering its target age group of 3-7 years. Many of the thoughts are brilliant but others are bizarre. The feelings of the feelings (#NotATypo!) are quite surreal at times, and I am not sure how far the younger age group will comprehend the depth of the words. This book will work as a conversation starter in homes or schools, not as an independent reading resource.
The illustrations are intricate but quite plain at least to my eyes. The creatures representing the emotions are really cute, but the sketches are coloured in dull hues. I prefer children’s books to have bright colourful sketches that pop out from the page, thereby increasing the attractiveness of the book in the child’s eyes. This one is very lacklustre in comparison.
I’m getting a feeling that adults will be able to appreciate the content a lot more than kids, which kind of defeats the purpose of having this for children. Still, it might be a good book to provoke discussions in schools or with guardians at home. Children will hopefully be able to understand the deeper sense of each emotion, and possibly even use it as a guide to express their own feelings.
Definitely not a bad picture book, but I expected more.
3.5 stars.
(Note that mine is a minority opinion. So take this review with a pinch of salt and go check out other reviews before you make up your mind about this picture book!)
My thanks to Archipelago, Elsewhere Editions, and NetGalley for the DRC of “What Feelings Do When No One’s Looking”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
A picture book with only a few words (each then very valuable) and with many—wonderful, embracing, surprising, some even a tiny bit unsettling—pictures.
The book is all about feelings. Feelings that have become beings, and their actions are the physical representation of the ethereal emotion, of the things we feel.
I’m sure this book will come handy to more than one parent when trying to explain to a young child the different ways in which we feel and how to live with those feelings.
I’m sure, as well, this book would be cherished by many adults as it reminds us that, much like the little beautiful and scary creatures that inhabit it, our feelings are living things that need our attention so they don't grow uncontrollable and dangerous.
Know what you feel is a principle of life. Without knowing what we feel we are at the mercy of that feeling. Well, here you have a book that may help you see better into yourself. No, this is not some mumbo-jumbo psychology self-help, this is just a lovely little picture book doing us the little service of reminding us that we have a bunch of emotions living within ourselves and that is OKAY.
More in the practicalities of the book, I think most of the feelings are very cleverly depicted, but a few are very on the nose (Trust building bridges comes to mind as an example). Some of my favorite representations are Courage, Fear and Patience. Some other mentions are spot on, hence a bit upsetting, like Insecurity and Shame. A few others are also spot on but in a very fulfilling way, like Calm and Happiness.
All in all a clever, useful and whimsical book. Read it to a child, or with a child, or read it on your own, and enjoy every word and every picture to your emotions' content.
"Nemiers žonglē, nostalģija ošņā šalli, laime lidinās vēja pūstā vēja burbulī". Šī oriģinālā un tai pašā laikā ļoti vienkāršā grāmata iedvesmo padomāt un pasapņot par to, ko vēl dara manas jūtas... Un ko es par savām jūtām rakstītu, ja šī būtu mana grāmata? Ko darītu mana laime? Ko darītu mans nemiers? Ko darītu mana nostalģija? Droši vien ierakstītu kasešu magnetafonā kādu foršu dziesmu, kas skan radio viļņos!
..ko tik tās jūtas nedara. pirmo reizi grāmatai izskrēju cauri grāmatnīcā, taču tagad to izbaudīju kā ikdienas rotaļas ar meitu. pasakaina grāmata. iespējams, viena no labākajām bērnu grāmatām.
What Feelings Do When No One’s Looking is thoughtful and adorable in such a quiet, subtle way. The words and pictures help explain many of the feelings we see and feel in a day. Some oh-so perfectly.
“Bliss sits in a nice chair with a cup of tea in its paws.”
OR
“Compassion helps snails cross sidewalks.”
But you have to see the illustrations too! They go hand and hand with the words. Cute creatures in all shapes and sizes bring the feelings to life. And amazingly with very little color on the page. The clean style and layout allows the emotions on the page and in your heart to shine.
Feelings are hard to explain—especially to little ones. This book does that and more!
Šī ir vienkārši brīnišķīga grāmata. Ir gana daudz lielu cilvēku, kas ne tikai nesaprot, bet neatpazīst savas emocijas, kur nu vēl zina, ko ar tām iesākt. Un ko tās dara, vai kādas tās ir. Un šeit viss ir tik skaidri un gaiši uzrakstīts un uzzīmēts. Protams, katram sava nostaļģija - vienam tā ošņā šalli, citam - pārcilā pie jūras salasītus akmentiņus. Viena kompleksi būvē būrus, cita - trin asmentiņus. Bet arī mana aizrautība skrien pie draugiem ar tikko atklātu grāmatu. Šajā gadījumā, protams, ar šo. Lasiet vieni, lasiet kopā ar citiem, bet esiet draugos ar savām emocijām!
Θα σας πρότεινα να αγοράσετε αυτό το σύντομο βιβλίο και να το διαβάζετε κάθε βράδυ πριν κοιμηθείτε, σαν φάρμακο, σαν βιταμίνη, σαν βάλσαμο. Θα με θυμηθείτε.
Czy czytałam ją dla samej siebie, bo nie mam dzieci? Tak. Czy popłakałam się na niej? Również tak. To jedna z najpiękniejszych książek dla dzieci, jakie czytałam. Co ona robi z uczuciami to nie mam słów. Wspaniała!
What Feelings Do When No One's Looking is an excellent book that introduces children to the language of emotions through a cast of delightful characters and enchanting Illustrations. It's a great book for parents to read and discuss with their children to help them learn to identify and express how they are feeling.
I received a drc from the publisher via Netgalley. Publication set for 7/19/22.
What Feelings Do A review of the Elsewhere Editions hardcover (July 19, 2022) translated by Jennifer Croft from the original Polish language Co robią uczucia? [What Do Feelings Do?] (September, 2020).
This was a totally charming illustrated children's book with minimal text about "feelings" such as anger, happiness, friendship, trust, etc. Not all of them are really "feelings" as such. The drawings are the most delightful aspect as they feature a sort of hedgehogy, moomin-like, wild thing-like creatures living out the thoughts expressed by the text.
A sample 2-page spread from the book. Image sourced from Elsewhere Editions.
I chanced upon this wonderful book as I was looking through the publications of translator Jennifer Croft, best known for her translations of Polish novelist Olga Tokarczuk and for her own novels Homesick (2019) and The Extinction of Irena Rey (2024).
What Feelings Do when No One's Looking is a book about feelings. This was so, so wonderful to read. It basically personifies all our feelings such as happiness, anxiety, freedom and so many more, and personifies them. One of my favourites is "Hospitality bakes a cake".
The illustrations will remind you of Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are but they deserve a lot of appreciation. I love that the characters are in monotone and there are hints of colour added somewhere in the whole illustration. It's pleasing to the eyes, your attention is not divided by different elements or colours clashing.
I would recommend this book to everyone, children or adults, because it is a beautiful read. A definite must read for children because it explains emotions and feeling in such a simplified and unique manner. Thanks to NetGalley and Elsewhere Editions for the ARC!