TIME TO LEAVE, LAVERNE!

Laverne loves participating in a range of activities, but when it’s time to stop? Watch out!

When Laverne visits the library, she’s “a cushion-sharing, hand-raising, crisscross-applesauce ray of sunshine!” But when Mom says that they need to go, Laverne transforms into a “cushion-flying, body-flailing, bolts-of-lightning THUNDERSTORM”—a pattern that holds true at restaurants, the grocery store, and the park. Mom and Dad try to encourage coping mechanisms, but while they sometimes work at home, Laverne’s emotions overwhelm her in public. It’s not until Laverne finds her own technique with the help of her stuffies that she’s able to control her outbursts. Button’s charmingly playful turns of phrases highlight Laverne’s varied emotions. The youngster’s dark, stormy feelings are on full display in Kang’s expressive, watercolorlike art, which varies between full spreads and panels; blue-black clouds, rain, and heavy lightning fill the pages, reflecting Laverne’s rage. While Mom and Dad model supportive behavior, the actual techniques aren’t explored in depth, just hinted at (deep breathing, artistic expression, movement). Instead, like the book’s protagonist, young readers will feel empowered to embrace autonomy and seek their own solutions. Black-haired, tan-skinned Laverne and her family present East Asian; their community is racially diverse.

An engaging tale of emotional regulation.