ELLIE AND HER EMOTIONAL DRAGONS

An elephant receives guidance on her first day of school in Goodrich’s picture book.

Ellie has “tiny dragons that magically appear when she is HAPPY, SAD, SCARED, or MAD.” Dragon Naz “helps…when she is nervous or scared”; Nali “comforts Ellie when she is sad”; Tully “calms Ellie when she is…mad”; and Hani “loves to laugh and dance when Ellie is happy.” Ellie has first-day-of-school jitters and carries the dragons in her backpack. At the bus stop, the pachyderm relaxes when Naz points out that neighbor Jacob will also ride the bus. Later, when Ellie misses her parents, Nali recommends that she draw them a picture while she waits for the other students to arrive. When Ellie witnesses a bully harass another classmate, she feels angry. Tully suggests that she make sure the kid is OK and inform her teacher and take deep breaths instead of confronting Billy. Eventually, her jitters dissipate. Back home, Ellie fills her parents in and thanks the dragons. Featuring relatable scenarios and a thoughtful protagonist, this story will appeal to school-aged readers. Goodrich underscores the importance of assessing emotions, checking in during challenging times, and coping in healthy ways. Van Wagoner’s expressive, delightful illustrations include textures and creative hand-painted accents like colorful paint splatters and splotches. Ellie is purple. Others are friendly looking animals, including Mrs. Hopewell, a giraffe, and Jacob, a zebra.

A fantastically illustrated, imaginative anthropomorphic story.