Copyright Date:
2024
Edition Date:
2024
Release Date:
10/01/24
Pages:
1 volume (unpaged)
ISBN:
1-525-31026-7
ISBN 13:
978-1-525-31026-3
Dewey:
E
Dimensions:
24 cm.
Language:
English
Reviews:
Starred Review ALA Booklist
(Fri Dec 06 00:00:00 CST 2024)
Starred Review A girl and her dad are in a fight, and, folks, this kid is PISSED. She's so mad that she gags on her food, storms away from the dinner table, and SLAMs her bedroom door. It's a rage that can only be contained by a double gatefold, which is also necessary to hold all the massive, battle-scarred letters of "SOOO MAD!" and really show the emotional distance between daughter and dad, positioned at either end. From there, the girl tries every coping strategy: counting (but she can't even count straight), doing furious cartwheels (and frowning from every angle), drawing (pictures of enraged animals), and jumping rope (while sobbing). When she tries to just breathe, she breathes fire, crying, "IT IS HARD TO NOT BE MAD!" Hao's angry protagonist is delightfully unleashed on the page, her fury punctuated by a single tooth inside her wide, shouting mouth, two eyebrows that in anger become one, and a jagged ponytail that might as well be spikes. Of course, we don't know why she's mad, but that's hardly the point. It's powerful just to see this girl given the space to express her anger. The rounds of coping attempts are instructive, to boot, and best of all, after she collapses in exhaustion, her reunion with Dad uggled together with a snack the perfect reminder. An absolute SEL winner.
A one-of-a-kind, lift-the-flap picture book about some very big feelings.
When a girl gets SO MAD at her dad, she starts to storm around and slam doors, but soon realizes she doesnt really like being mad. She tries everything she can think of to be less mad. Counting. Taking deep breaths. Drawing some pictures. But it is so hard to NOT be mad! A long day of being mad really wears the girl out, though, and that makes her sad. And, strangely enough, when the girl is sad, her dad is pretty good at making her feel better!
Author-illustrator Janie Hao uses a unique interactive approach to explore the topic of anger in this engaging picture book. The lift-the-flap format allows the spreads to expand, making them big enough to contain the full size and many shapes of the girls feelings. Hao uses bold images such as lightning bolts, squiggly lines and spirals; large, emphatic thick type; and the girls expressive body and face to make the energy and depth of her feelings jump off the pages. The universally relatable topic is approached in a simple, yet impactful, way, and the child-centered narrative is sure to make this a favorite read-aloud. This book supports emotional intelligence in young children by validating their feelings, offers specific strategies for how to identify and manage anger in healthy ways, and portrays a positive parent-child relationship.