When I Miss You

The Way I Feel

by Kathy Parkinson (Illustrator), Cornelia Maude Spelman

Young children often experience anxiety when they are separated from their mothers or fathers. A young guinea pig expresses her distress when her mother and father go away. "Missing you is a heavy, achy feeling. I don't like missing you. I want you right now!" Eventually the little guinea pig realizes that sometimes she and her parents can't be together. When that happens, she knows that others can help. "They can snuggle with me or we can play. It helps me to be warm and close to someone. They remind me that you'll be back."

Genres: Childrens, Picture Books, Emotion, Parenting, Divorce

24 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Nycole · Rating 5 out of 5]

07/01 - 4.5/5

[Guangmin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the book because it’s more simple and easier for children to understand the whole book and it’s a good chance to talk about their feeling-emotion development when they are missing someone. The book narrative something about a child separates from his father and he is being anxiety. Then his families assist him to build trust between his dad and him.
When reading the book aloud, I will emphasize something that is positive for smooth children’s emotion and help them to realize parents sometimes have to be absent in their life for a short period. Assist them to believe their parents will be back for them surely. I think young children cannot wait to talk about their feeling/ separation with their parents and share to peers their negative/positive emotion, especially when they received gifts from their parents.
It’s supportive for young children to recognize separation is acceptable since their parents will return to them after a short period. To aim children to establish safety and security with their parents is one of our missions as teachers.

[Leslie Reyes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. It is about separation anxiety that can be developed when children go to school. I think this book is appropriate for children because it helps them understand that it is okay to feel sad. It helps children understand that even though they are sad, that their caregivers/loved ones come back to pick them up at the end of the day. The illustrations in he book were also well detailed.

[Lannette Boateng · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and think it is a great way to encourage students to enjoy their day because the person they miss will always come back for them. My favorite part is when it taught the students how they could independently cope with missing a loved one. That is great for me as a teacher because if I teach my students those tools, they will enjoy the school day and not be as sad.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is typical for young children, pre-k age, to experience some separation anxiety when they begin school for the first time. This book walks the reader through those feelings and encourages the reader to not feel sad but focus on different things to occupy their time until they see their parent again.

[Stephanie Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really important topics, covered in a cute and easily digestible story. My toddler loved it and appreciated reading about a topic that is really close and tangible for him at this stage of his life.

[Ruth McEnaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable

My son enjoyed reading this book to me. He thought it was good to read that people will return after being away and he found it reassuring. He really liked the pictures and the word choice.

[Debra Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pre-Schooler’s Thoughts

We know, as parents, we hate to leave our children, with anyone, to go to work, school or even a night out.
But, what do they “feel”? We know sometimes they cry or just watch as we go. I wonder, how does that feel?

[Mayra Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book to ready to anyone especially children who are having a hard time adjusting to being apart from a loved one. This book shows children great ways how to self-soothe when they feel alone. I really enjoy this book and I feel like children would love it too.

[Denise Menger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Separating from caregivers, calming down when upset

Ages 1-5

[Melissa Alvarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book because I felt that all young children can relate to it. Also, it gives parents a chance to see how children feel when they are not there.

[Antonia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this one! And it has such a sweet ending.

[Elizabeth Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

great illustrations, so fun, enjoyable.

[Maritina Mela · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4.75/5

Review coming soon

[Luisa Malicki · Rating 2 out of 5]

estava na estante da escola e li com minhas amigas, não tem muito oq falar mas achei muito bonitinho

[Aide Acuna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Main chracters: The young hamster
Setting: At home, at school
Point of View: Hamster

Plot: The young hamster becomes very anxious when his parents leave to work. When his dad leaves, he always misses him and gets very upset. When his mother leaves he also becomes upset. He soon realizes that even though he misses them, they always come back when they are done working or so on. When he begins going to school, he notices that his parents miss him too. In the end he notices that everyone will always miss everyone, but in the end there is no need to worry because they aren't leaving forever.

Main Ideas:I believe many young kids will feel comforted when having this book read to them. They can learn to not be upset because everyone misses someone.

Recommend: To preschoolers because it is tough learning to be away from your parents, but in the end everyone need to learn to miss them but still be happy. Young students should learn not to be afraid of being without their parents because they will soon meet again.

Satisfying statement: Everyone misses someone. They will come back.

[Carla Vazquez · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is good to read with preschool or kindergarden students. In the book a hamster describes how he feels when he misses one of his family members. He describes what he does to cope with their departure. He then realizes that at the end they always come back. With this book children see that even though someone they love goes a away for a while because they need to go do something. They realize that they are not leaving them because they will be back.

[Yiovana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is also based on separation. It is about a Guinea that does not want to be away from his parents and how he misses them all the time. In the process he learns how to cope with the situation and how his parents will return. Children can relate and understand as well how in the end of the day their parents will always come back. A good story to ease children's worries about separating from their parents. I really like the concept and the solution. For children ages 3-5,

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very helpful social text to provide guidance and support to young children dealing with the anxiety of separation from a parent or loved one. The text acknowledges children's feelings, names ways others can help children feeling separation anxiety, names ways children can help themselves when missing someone, and positively reinforces the idea of reunion.

[Suzanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been collecting all these Cornelia Spelman books about feelings for the library. They are good for guidance class or other classroom discussions with younger students about dealing with feelings appropriately (or even identifying feelings).

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a good way to work with separation anxiety in younger children. There are some suggestions for what a child can do when separating from a parent in the story and also a page for parents/teachers. A useful tool.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this series. I found this book on a list for foster children though, and it's not appropriate because it's not certain that kids will see the people they miss again. But the "sad" book in this series is similar and foster kid friendly.

[D Nine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Learning that those we love have to be away sometimes. "When I miss you, I know you'll be back."

[Michelle Farella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great to read to children with working parents. Or children with separation anxiety.

[Kaysen Skalnik]

This book has been special to me since I was a child, so as a reader I of course loved it. It took on a whole new meaning to me now as an adult and future teacher, because I am able to see the bigger picture that I could not see as a child. I still find comfort in this book even now when I am homesick or when I miss someone. This book helped me so much as a child who suffered from separation anxiety when I went to school.

I can definitely see myself reading this to a class on the first day of school if I were to teach kindergarten. I might also recommend it to parents to read to their kindergartener the night before their first day. My favorite part of the whole book is the note at the beginning to parents and teachers. The note explains the concept of separation anxiety in children, and how important it is to deal with it in the healthiest way for the sake of the child suffering from it. Ignoring separation anxiety or expecting a child to "get over it" will only make it worse, and reading this book again as a future teacher has served as a reminder to me to remain patient with my students when it comes to their emotions.

[Peggy]

Great for toddlers! Helps identify feelings when parents have to leave a child in care and let toddlers know you will come back.