Arts & Entertainment
Pima County Public Library Announces Talk About Emotions While Reading New Picture Books
Talking with your child about anything and everything helps them build oral language skills, which are critical to early literacy.
March 25, 2021
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How many emotions can you identify in yourself? And in your kid(s)?
According to a research conducted by Brené Brown, a Social Work Professor at the University of Houston, shockingly the mean number of emotions that people can identify in themselves and others is three: commonly bad, sad, and glad.(1) However, there are actually 30 core emotions one can feel.(2)
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The findings of Marc Brackett, a professor at Yale University’s Child Study Center and the founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, also demonstrate that people are neither in touch with their emotions nor properly equipped with the tools to regulate them if they are. This is very dangerous because we get our own or our kids’ emotions wrong.
For example, if you’re observing that your kid is yelling that they hate you for not being able to visit a friend, you must understand that the underlying cause is likely disappointment, so you must respond by regulating their disappointment, not by punishing them for their anger.(1)
Thus, Brackett has created a system called RULER (Recognizing, Understanding, Labeling, Expressing and Regulating) to help kids to manage and regulate emotions. The first three - Recognizing, Understanding, and Labeling - help us to accurately identify and decode what we and others are feeling. The two remaining skills - Expressing and Regulating - tell us how we can manage those emotions to achieve desired goals.(3)
There are many excellent picture books you can read together with your kids to recognize, understand and label the emotions of the characters.
In this two-part blog, we’ll recommend the new picture books in Pima County Public Library’s collection with each of them focusing on one emotion. Happy emotion-ing!
Anger
Rita and Ralph's Rotten Day Rita and Ralph's Rotten Day
Deedy, Carmen AgraDeedy, Carmen Agra
Book, 2020Available View detailsView details for Rita and Ralph's Rotten Day, Book, Available Place holdFor LaterAdd Rita and Ralph's Rotten DayBook by Deedy, Carmen Agra to your for later shelfAdd Rita and Ralph's Rotten DayBook by Deedy, Carmen Agra to a different shelf
Have you been angry at your beloved siblings, friends or parents? What do you usually do when you’re angry at someone? Would you do something that you’ll feel sorry for later?
Anxiety
Hugsby Hugsby
Book, 2020Available View detailsView details for Hugsby, Book, Available Place holdFor LaterAdd HugsbyBook by Phumiruk, Dow to your for later shelfAdd HugsbyBook by Phumiruk, Dow to a different shelf
I’m always anxious before Show-and-Tell day. What about you?
Belonging
Goin' Someplace Special Goin' Someplace Special
McKissack, Pat, 1944-McKissack, Pat, 1944-
Book, 2001Available View detailsView details for Goin' Someplace Special, Book, Available Place holdFor LaterAdd Goin' Someplace SpecialBook by McKissack, Pat to your for later shelfAdd Goin' Someplace SpecialBook by McKissack, Pat to a different shelf
Is there a place that you feel you belong? Is there another place that you feel otherwise?
What can you do to help other people feel they belong?
Curiosity
I Wonder I Wonder
Book, 2019Available View detailsView details for I Wonder, Book, Available Place holdFor LaterAdd I WonderBook by Holt, K. A. to your for later shelfAdd I WonderBook by Holt, K. A. to a different shelf
Do you have a lot of questions for this world? Who would you turn to ask?
Empathy
Ten Cents a Pound Ten Cents a Pound
Book, 2018Available View detailsView details for Ten Cents A Pound, Book, Available Place holdFor LaterAdd Ten Cents A PoundBook by Tran-Davies, Nhung N. to your for later shelfAdd Ten Cents A PoundBook by Tran-Davies, Nhung N. to a different shelf
Empathy is such a delicate yet powerful emotion. It’s to feel what others are feeling. When your best friend cries, can you feel the pain/frustration/grief/disappointment…?
Fear
When Father Comes Home When Father Comes Home
Book, 2020Available View detailsView details for When Father Comes Home, Book, Available Place holdFor LaterAdd When Father Comes HomeBook by Jung, Sarah to your for later shelfAdd When Father Comes HomeBook by Jung, Sarah to a different shelf
What would you do when you fear something? What would you do when your mom fear something?
Gratitude
What I Like Most What I Like Most
Book, 2020Available View detailsView details for What I Like Most, Book, Available Place holdFor LaterAdd What I Like MostBook by Murphy, Mary to your for later shelfAdd What I Like MostBook by Murphy, Mary to a different shelf
What would bring you joy?
Grief
Mom's Sweater Mom's Sweater
Perkin, Jayde, 1991-Perkin, Jayde, 1991-
Book, 2020Available View detailsView details for Mom's Sweater, Book, Available Place holdFor LaterAdd Mom's SweaterBook by Perkin, Jayde to your for later shelfAdd Mom's SweaterBook by Perkin, Jayde to a different shelf
Have you experienced a loss of your loved ones? The emptiness in your chest, heavy weight of your heart? If not, have you witnessed someone in grief?
Happiness
The Breaking News The Breaking News
Reul, Sarah LynneReul, Sarah Lynne
Book, 2018Available View detailsView details for The Breaking News, Book, Available Place holdFor LaterAdd The Breaking NewsBook by Reul, Sarah Lynne to your for later shelfAdd The Breaking NewsBook by Reul, Sarah Lynne to a different shelf
Things don’t always go like what we want. What would you do if you are not happy? What would you do if your mom is not happy?
Joy
Cat Likes Red Cat Likes Red
Book, 2021Available View detailsView details for Cat Likes Red, Book, Available Place holdFor LaterAdd Cat Likes RedBook by Russo, Christopher to your for later shelfAdd Cat Likes RedBook by Russo, Christopher to a different shelf
“Joy is an inner feeling. Happiness is an outward expression. Joy endures hardship and trials and connects with meaning and purpose. A person pursues happiness but chooses joy.”4 Can you still stay joyful when there’s nothing making you happy?
Judgement
Ginger and Chrysanthemum Ginger and Chrysanthemum
Giang, Kristen MaiGiang, Kristen Mai
Book, 2020Available View detailsView details for Ginger and Chrysanthemum, Book, Available Place holdFor LaterAdd Ginger and ChrysanthemumBook by Giang, Kristen Mai to your for later shelfAdd Ginger and ChrysanthemumBook by Giang, Kristen Mai to a different shelf
When someone is different from you, would you judge them being different or accept and embrace the difference between you two?
Love
The Old Man and the Penguin The Old Man and the Penguin
a True Story of True FriendshipAbery, JulieAbery, Julie
Book, 2020Available View detailsView details for The Old Man and the Penguin, Book, Available Place holdFor LaterAdd The Old Man and the PenguinBook by Abery, Julie to your for later shelfAdd The Old Man and the PenguinBook by Abery, Julie to a different shelf
Who do you love? How do you love them? Who are you loved by? How are you loved?
Loneliness
Scarlet's Tale Scarlet's Tale
Vernick, AudreyVernick, Audrey
Book, 2020Available View detailsView details for Scarlet's Tale, Book, Available Place holdFor LaterAdd Scarlet's TaleBook by Vernick, Audrey to your for later shelfAdd Scarlet's TaleBook by Vernick, Audrey to a different shelf
We’re all different from one another. Well, what if you have a tail? Would you feel lonely being different? What would you do when you feel lonely? What would you do when you see someone feel lonely?
Surprise
Hoo Hoo Who? Hoo Hoo Who?
Book, 2018Available View detailsView details for Hoo Hoo Who?, Book, Available Place holdFor LaterAdd Hoo Hoo Who?Book by Maier, Mary to your for later shelfAdd Hoo Hoo Who?Book by Maier, Mary to a different shelf
Do you like surprises? Do you enjoy being surprised? Would you surprise someone?
Worry
I'm Worried I'm Worried
Book, 2019Available View detailsView details for I'm Worried, Book, Available Place holdFor LaterAdd I'm WorriedBook by Black, Michael Ian to your for later shelfAdd I'm WorriedBook by Black, Michael Ian to a different shelf
Are you worried about the unknown? What would you do when you’re worried? What would yo udo when you see someone worried?
-Xuan, Children's Librarian, Eckstrom-Columbus Library
References
- Brené Brown and Marc Brackett On Emotional Intelligence During A Pandemic
- List of core emotions by Brené Brown
- Permission to Feel: A practical evidence-based approach to managing our emotions
- What's the Difference Between Joy and Happiness?
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The day children are born, their brains are primed for language. Talking with your child about anything and everything helps them build oral language skills, which are critical to early literacy!
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This press release was produced by the Pima County Public Library. The views expressed here are the author’s own.
