KATIE'S REALLY BAD DAY

Jeffrey offers a picture book about a girl struggling with debilitating test anxiety.

During recess with her second grade class, Katie is happy and worry-free. After returning to the classroom, though, her expression changes to one of terror. The blank sheet of paper on her desk signals a spelling test, and her anxiety about it makes her scribble on her desk after teacher Miss Julie calls out the first word. Now she also feels intense embarrassment because the whole class sees what she’s done. Katie’s teacher gently talks to her about what happened; at home, her parents also try to console her, but she remains distraught. The next day, Miss Julie demonstrates an exercise that can help her and other children manage their anxiety. Jeffrey valuably lists the physical symptoms that the anxious Katie is overcome by, which will help young readers understand her unusual response. The placement of the text within Kilmartin’s full-color, realistically illustrated scenes, however, isn’t seamless; larger blocks sometimes clutter up the visual landscape. Although Katie is the star of the story, the watercolor paintings make her classmates distinctive as well. The images also show the stark contrast between Katie’s gleeful abandon and her fraught consternation. Katie is portrayed with pale skin, and other characters are depicted with a range of skin tones.

An important and well-illustrated consideration of a common problem among kids.