Review: How Do You Feel?

Newborn babies burst from the womb focused on faces. Toddlers begin to read feelings into of facial cues while preschoolers learn to unlock the cause-effect aspects of actions and feelings. (i.e. if I hit my baby brother, he will cry; if I hug my Mum, she will smile.)

How Do You Feel? offers a monkey’s point of view. Short simple sentences keep toddlers’ attention while large simple drawings with clear outlines will engage even younger babes.  

An element of suspense keeps the pages turning: what feeling will be next? Everything from bored to sleepy, happy to sad and angry to guilty is covered.

Finding reasons for feelings requires a little detective work. Children can decide for themselves why this monkey in overalls feels the way he does.

How Do You Feel? is also a wonderful teaching tool for those not so aware of facial cues. One page per feeling allows time and space to absorb the message and meaning attached to each feeling. My favourite page is the final double spread where all feelings are displayed at once. It’s the perfect starting point for children to talk about their own feelings.

How do You Feel? will be a treasured resource for speech pathologists and early childhood educators, but anyone who enjoys bedtime stories with their tiny tots will find it irresistible.

- this review by Jo Burnell

Title: How Do You Feel

Author/Illustrator: Anthony Browne

Publisher: Walker Books, $27.95

Publication Date: 1 Sept 2011

Format: Hard Cover

ISBN: 9781406330175

For ages: 2 +

Type: Picture Book