You Are Your Strong

Danielle Dufayet, Author

Jennifer Zivoin, Illustrator

Magination Press, Fiction, Mar. 19, 2019

Suitable for Ages: 4-8

Themes: Emotions, Self-control, Courage, Coping skills

Opening: “When puppy’s woofs turn into whimpers, Worry whispers in my ears.”

Book Synopsis:

A soothing and empowering exploration of children’s emotions that will help them develop self-awareness, self-confidence, peace, and inner calm.

With diverse characters and scenes featuring a range of different family relationships — from parents, to grandparents, to an older sister in the military — this books shows kids that they will have help along the way to be strong and in control.

You Are Your Strong helps kids understand a range of emotions ranging from worry, fear, to sadness and anger. And it highlights the benefit of developing inner strength and confidence in themselves.

Why I like this book:

First of all, the cover really grabs your attention because you feel the strength. The breathtaking illustrations that follow are vibrant, diverse and expressive and compliment the author’s very lyrical text. “If I’m shivering with SCARED about monsters and dark, I find BRAVE by making up a funny story. Or I rat-a-tap-tap my favorite song until Scared slips away.”

You are Your Strong is a perfect to jump-start conversations with children about their big emotions. It is a good book for families to read together, because parents will find themselves relating and sharing their own stories. This is a book for all ages.

This is an excellent educational resource for teachers and parents of Pre-K children. The earlier you help children identify and address emotions, the easier it will be for them to find their own coping skills.

Resource: There is an extensive Note to Parents and Caregivers at the end, with advice for building skills to navigate and cope with big emotions. It’s important for kids to address scary emotions, but it is also important for them to identify their happy emotions.

Danielle Dufayet teaches English and public speaking/self-empowerment classes for kids. This is her first book. She lives in San Jose, California. Visit her website.

Every Friday, authors and KidLit bloggers post a favorite picture book. To see a complete listing of all the Perfect Picture Books (PPB) with resources, please visit author Susanna Leonard Hill’s website.

*Review copy provided by publisher.