BIG BUBBLE, LITTLE BUBBLE

A picture book about big feelings and how to handle them by mother-daughter writing team Diane and Anna Hullet.

In addition to having feelings in their heads and bodies, this book posits that kids also have feelings in an energy bubble: “Your bubble is an invisible field that surrounds you. It is what’s between you and the world and can hold and protect you.” The bubble changes depending on particular lifestyle choices: Watching too much television or not getting enough sleep can cause the bubble to grow foggy or deflate, while going outside and getting good amounts of rest will make the bubble fill up again. Big feelings like sadness, worry, or anger change the bubble as well, and the book shows kids talking to a trusted grownup, engaging in physical movement, and offers a simple breathing exercise to try. The book concludes with instructions for some playful activities to try. There’s a beautifully diverse range of skin tones and hair textures throughout. Unfortunately, kids who use accessibility devices or wear religious clothing won’t see themselves portrayed here, but that’s a small exception in what is overall a helpful book. McLeod does a fantastic job of bringing abstract feelings and concepts vividly to life in watercolor-style illustrations, and the text is uncomplicated without resorting to oversimplification, while offering sound guidance.

A well-conceived, approachable book for helping kids process big emotions.