ALA Booklist (Sun Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2019)

"How do you feel?" asks the narrator in the opening scene, where 16 children play at the park. Each of the next 10 double-page spreads features a close-up of a child's face, along with a question, such as "Do you feel scared?" On the facing page, an illustration shows what brought on that emotion: the scared boy is running from the swing set where a spider dangles from its silk. The final spread shows the children playing in small groups, and the book ends with 10 labeled portraits reviewing the emotions. At first glance, the book simply gives viewers opportunities to identify feelings based on facial expressions and visual clues. But this picture book also lends itself to thought, logic, and deduction. When kids notice the unfolding narrative in each illustration, many will flip back to the opening scene to relate events within the two. The short text and lucid acrylic paintings in this open-ended picture book invite exploration of the visual narratives along with discussion of emotions. Thoughtfully designed, deceptively simple, and clearly useful.

Kirkus Reviews

Rockwell explores a wide array of emotions.The book's playground setting provides an ideal backdrop for this close look at common emotions children feel every day. Beginning with a wide perspective, Rockwell shows a smattering of kids, all different races, playing on the playground. By looking at the vignettes surrounding the various play structures, readers can begin to guess how each child may be feeling. Rockwell then zooms in to focus on one emotion per spread. "Do you feel happy?" A gleeful tot cuddles a puppy. "Do you feel sad?" A youngster sees a dead bird on the ground. "Do you feel sorry?" An apologetic kid mops up a mess. By highlighting each emotion separately and giving appropriate focus to the face of the child feeling the emotion, with the corresponding circumstantial scene on the opposite page, Rockwell gives space for readers to talk about why the characters are feeling that way. Facial clues such as blushed cheeks, tears, and furrowed brows help readers learn to infer emotions from expressions.Important work for children learning empathy and to validate their own feelings. (Picture book. 2-6)

School Library Journal (Sun Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2019)

PreS-Gr 1 -Rockwell's latest picture book is set in a place that many young children will recognizea parkand in that environment, she depicts children experiencing an array of emotions. The acrylic illustrations show families and children throughout the park, and Rockwell starts by asking the titular question. The left side of each spread is a close-up look at a child's face, expressing emotions such as happiness, sadness, silliness, and frustration, and a question asking readers if they feel each emotion. The right-hand page depicts what is prompting the child to feel each emotion, such as a spider, a butterfly, or spilled juice. Rockwell's book is not plot driven, but the story is set up in a logical way. Happiness is followed by sadness, and calmness is followed by bravery. Each illustration is focused on the child's face while still providing context. This is a strong addition to the compendium of picture books about feelings because of its versatility. The short sentences and clear depictions of facial expressions make this suitable for toddlers who are beginning to understand emotions. Whether it's used for storytime or one-on-one sharing, there is ample opportunity for discussion and reflection. VERDICT Purchase for library collections that need straightforward books about feelings and fodder for units on social emotional learning.-Liz Anderson, DC Public Library