Parker's Big Feelings

December 1, 2023

PreS-Gr 1-From social media to picture books to early readers, Parker Curry continues to be an inspiration. In this latest installment of her early reader series, Parker is having a bad day and working on handling her emotions. She's the new girl at school and misses her best friend and Papi, especially as everything seems to be going wrong. Mom understands and offers a gentle hug, as well as a reminder of what to do when facing those big feelings. Parker writes down her strategies and then acts upon them. She works through her emotions by breathing, exercising, and giving herself some quiet time. Young readers will benefit from Parker's success and, maybe, implement the same strategies. The book is perfect for beginning readers, with appropriate vocabulary, large print, and very few words per page. Cartoonlike, colorful illustrations help to demonstrate the strategies and add interest to the story. An end note for adults to share with children provides information about processing feelings. VERDICT A great choice for fostering social emotional learning and emerging reading skills.-Kate Nafz

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