This friendly picture book helps young children make sense of mixed-up emotions. Happy, and also sad. Excited, but nervous too. Feeling friendly, with a little shyness mixed in. Mixed feelings are natural, but they can be confusing. There are different kinds of happy—the quiet kind and the “noisy, giggly, jump and run” kind. And there are conflicting feelings, like proud and jealous, frustrated and determined. With gentle messaging and charming illustrations, a little girl talks about her many layered feelings, ultimately concluding, “When I have more than one feeling inside me, I don’t have to choose just one. I know that all my feelings are okay at the same time.” A special section for adults presents ideas for helping children explore their emotions, build a vocabulary of feeling words, know what to do if they feel overwhelmed, and more.

Happy and Sad is a journey through one little elephant boys emotions. It addresses the first feelings of sadness and happiness we feel in our youth. Based upon some real-life experiences of my son and I when I was raising him as a single parent, Happy and Sad represents the relationship of any parent, guardian, and child and their ability to handle lifes ups and downs together.

Explores how different things make us feel.

YES! This must-have toddler title sheds light on some concepts with a comical flair that will make readers HAPPY. A towering ice-cream cone makes Baby HAPPY. But when that delectable treat goes splat, it makes Baby SAD. And how quickly HAPPY turns to SAD when a favorite red balloon flies away! Even the littlest listeners will relate to this playful look at a pair of emotions that are part of every baby’s day.

A book about feelings featuring Barney, the purple dinosaur.

Milo the dog, who features in this book, is very like a small child and experiences a roller-coaster ride of emotions.

Introduces readers to the concept of opposites through the pairing of happy and sad. Simple text, straightforward photos, and a photo glossary make this title the perfect primer on a common pair of opposites.

Uses a story format to introduce young children to the concept of feeling sad. Includes suggestions for activites and notes for parents and teachers. Suggested level: junior.

A series of simple questions explore the emotions aroused by a variety of situations.

Author and illustrator Lee Crutchley brings his lively interactive approach to a little-discussed but very common issue: the struggle with depression and anxiety. Through a series of supportive, surprising, and engaging prompts, HOW TO BE HAPPY (OR AT LEAST LESS SAD) helps readers see things in a new light, and rediscover simple pleasures and everyday joy…or at least feel a little less sad. By turns a workbook, trusted friend, creative outlet, security blanket, and secret diary, the pages of this book will offer solace, distraction, engagement, a fresh perspective, and hopeful new beginnings—for readers of all ages and walks of life.