Common Sense Media Review
By Diondra K. Brown
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Bold, bright story shows the value of expressing emotions.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
BIG FEELINGS follows a large group of diverse friends who want to play together in their neighborhood on Hope Street. The children display open body language and happy expressions as they greet each other in a large lot with bright, overgrown flowers and forgotten belongings that they have big plans for. Before the fun begins, big feelings get in the way. "Goodbye, happy. Hello, sad." When their feelings create a sudden change of plans, the friends use cooperation and communication to work through their feelings and embrace the day in a new way. While all the children experience various feelings throughout the story, they continue to value and help one another.
Is It Any Good?
This beautifully written and illustrated book uses rhythmic tones and rhymes to express the importance of sharing your feelings, and respecting everyone else's. It's a stunningly inclusive story. The depictions of children of different colors, religions, cultures (one girl wears a head scarf, one boy wears a sikh turban), and abilities (one kid uses a wheelchair) creates an engaging and distinctive experience for readers.
Big Feelings has bold and brightly colored illustrations to capture readers' attention and inspire creative thinking about the book's primary message. The story creates a world of hope and fun that's grounded in the expression of emotions.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about unforseen interruptions in Big Feelings. What do the kids do when things don't go according to plan, like when it starts to rain? Is it easy or hard for you to accept when plans change? Why?
Do you talk about your feelings like the characters is Big Feelings? How do you know when you feel happy or sad?
Play a game of Feelings Charades using your favorite feelings from the book.
Draw a feelings chart. If you have a hard copy of the book, look at the inside of the jacket cover for inspiration!
Pay attention to how other people are feeling, this is called empathy. Ask how you can help, that is called compassion. You'll be just as caring as the children in Big Feelings.
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Suzanne Kaufman
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Knopf Books for Young Readers
- Publication date : March 2, 2021
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 4 - 8
- Number of pages : 42
- Available on : Nook, Hardback, Kindle
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
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