The Little Library of Big Feelings

Explore the topics on this page:

The importance of talking about feelings

Accessing the Little Library of Big Feelings

The importance of talking about feelings

Feelings, or emotions, are experiences that happen inside of us every day. We have lots of different words to explain our different feelings, such as happiness, sadness, anger, excitement, or worry, to name just a few. We all have feelings, some are big and some are small. Young children in particular often have big feelings that can be hard to name, and easily become overwhelming.

Helping young children to make sense of these feelings and work out what to do in order to feel better, is one of the most important things we can do for our children. When they can express their thoughts and feelings in words, it helps them to learn ways of managing these big emotions. Knowing about emotions from a young age helps little ones to grow into happy and emotionally healthy children.

How reading supports emotional development

Reading about feelings, or emotions, with your child, is a great way to help them learn these skills. Books are useful because they can:

help children to identify what they are feeling
give them the words to name these feelings
show them what to do to manage these feelings

There are lots of different books available - some books describe what it is like to experience different feelings, some show children what they can do when they have big feelings, and others explain what happens to a fictional character when they feel a certain way. They each offer a different way of helping children to learn about feeling sad, angry, worried, and many other feelings.

Baby smiling whilst reading a making faces book

Recommended books

Take a look at the recommended reading list below. You can also download the recommended reading list (PDF) if you prefer.

- Feelings by Baby Touch (LadyBird)
  Read along with your little one and explore all kinds of emotions. Look out for a mirror surprise at the end.
- How Does Baby Feel? by Karen Katz
  There are so many feelings that Baby can have. Little ones can lift the flaps to find Baby experiencing a range of emotions.
- The Crayons' Book of Feelings by Drew Daywalt
  Everyone knows the crayons love to colour, but did you know that crayons have feelings too? Sometimes they are happy and sometimes they feel downright blue.
- Making Faces: A First Book of Emotions by Abrams Appleseed
  This bold, beautiful board book introduces five essential expressions: happy, sad, angry, surprised, and silly.
- How am I Feeling? by DK
  The characters Happiness, Anger, Sadness, and Pride are here to teach your little ones how to recognise emotions and name their feelings.
- My First Book of Emotions for Toddlers by Orlena Kerek
  Toddlers can have big emotions that change quickly. Teaching them about their feelings can help them develop self-awareness and emotional intelligence as they grow. This engaging picture book introduces tiny tots to common emotions by explaining what they are, how they feel in the body, and how to manage them in positive ways.
- Big Feelings by Alexandra Penfold
  Follow a group of children through a day in their neighbourhood, as they play together and navigate the BIG feelings that we all experience. What should we do when things don't go to plan? We may feel angry, frustrated or overwhelmed. We may feel hopeful, tired or even inspired. No matter how we're feeling or how different we are, it's never too late to talk things through and learn to see the world from another point of view.
- Tiger Days: A Book of Feelings by M H Clark
  From tiger fierce to snail slow, there are lots of ways to feel and be. A walk through the menagerie of Tiger Days helps young readers see all the feelings they have and the ways those feelings change.
- The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld
  When something terrible happens, Taylor doesn't know where to turn. All the animals are sure they have the answer. The chicken wants to talk it out, but Taylor doesn't feel like chatting. The bear thinks Taylor should get angry, but that's not quite right either. One by one, the animals try to tell Taylor how to process this loss, and one by one they fail. Then the rabbit arrives. All the rabbit does is listen, which is just what Taylor needs.
- Find Your Happy by Emily Coxhead
  Feeling happy is a wonderful thing. But do you ever feel sad or angry, frightened or shy? Everyone does sometimes, but with a little help from Sloth and the people you love, there is always a way to find your happy.
- I'm a Feel-o-saur by Lezlie Evans
  Emotions are inside us all. Some are big and some are small. So many moods we all go through. What kind of Feel-o-saur are you? Whatever mood you're in today, it's all OK!
- Tisha and the Blossom by Wendy Meddour
  We all have busy lives and little Tisha and her family are no exception. With life always moving at such a pace, Tisha must 'hurry up' to get ready for school on time, 'hurry up' to finish her drawings before break time, and 'hurry up' to tidy up before she goes home. But hurrying up all the time can be exhausting. Thankfully, Tisha's Mummy knows a special game to help them all slow down when everything becomes too much.
- The Jar of Happiness by Ailsa Burrows
  Is there a recipe for happiness? Meg certainly thinks so. She collects all the necessary ingredients in a jar, which she uses to cheer up her friends and family when they’re feeling low. But what happens when her special jar mysteriously disappears? Will Meg feel sad forever more, or will she find other ways to be happy?
- Love Makes a Family by Sophie Beer
  Whether you have two mums, two dads, one parent, or one of each, there's one thing that makes a family a family and that's love.
- I feel happy by DK
  Happy teaches small children that the feeling is sometimes loud, and other times it is calm, like having a quiet cuddle. This brightly illustrated board book is a gentle and simple introduction to sometimes overwhelming emotions.
- Robbie Feels Love by Romy Fursland and Jacqueline East
  Robbie the rabbit wants to know what Love looks like. Who will help him see it? This engaging story is designed to be read by parents to their children. It shows how love looks and feels in terms of Robbie's facial expression, his physical sensations, and what he does.
- Ruby's Worry by Tom Percival
  Ruby loves being Ruby. Until, one day, she finds a worry. At first it's not such a big worry, and that's all right, but then it starts to grow. It gets bigger and bigger every day and it makes Ruby sad. How can Ruby get rid of it and feel like herself again?
- Be Brave Little Penguin by Giles Andreae
  Little Penguin Pip-Pip would love to join in with all his friends swimming in the sea, but there's just one problem he's scared of water. Can Pip-Pip overcome his fears and finally take the plunge? This irresistible story shows that sometimes all it takes is a little bit of encouragement, and a whole lot of heart, to finally make that leap!
- Sometimes I am Worried by Campbell Books
  Sometimes I am Worried helps young children to start managing their emotions. They can lift the flaps, slide the tabs and turn the wheel to explore what a worry is, why they might worry and how they can stop their worries from becoming too big.
- I Feel Scared by DK
  Follow the story of the scared little ghost who tries to understand its fears and find ways to make them go away. The vibrant picture book teaches children what fear is, how it feels, and how to manage this unpleasant emotion.
- When I am Sad by Campbell Books
  When I am Sad helps young children to start managing their emotions. They can lift the flaps, slide the tabs and turn the wheel to explore why they feel sad and how to move on from these emotions.
- I Feel Sad by DK
  This adorable book explains why children might get sad, such as a friend going away or a broken toy. It tells us how sadness affects the body, like when we cry. The book also includes ways to cheer yourself up again, so kids can practise whenever something upsets them.
- When Sadness Comes to Call by Eva Eland
  When Sadness arrives, try not to be afraid. Give it a name, listen to it and spend some time together. Maybe all it wants is to know that it’s welcome.
- Robbie Feels Sad by Romy Fursland and Jacqueline East
  Something happens to make Robbie the rabbit feel sad. What will he do? This engaging story is designed to be read by parents to their children. It shows how sadness looks and feels in terms of Robbie's facial expression, his physical sensations, and what he does. It also shows what makes him feel better.
- Sometimes I am Angry by Campbell Books
  Sometimes I am Angry helps young children to start managing their emotions. They can lift the flaps, slide the tabs and turn the wheel to explore what anger is, why they might get angry and how they can calm their anger.
- Tiny Tantrum by Caroline Crowe
  When Tiny has a tantrum you can hear it for miles. Windows rattle, jelly quakes and birds fall out of trees. Can anyone persuade Tiny to eat her vegetables, share her toys and brush her teeth? How about a band of hairy monsters?
- Fergal is Fuming! by Robert Sterling
  A dragon with a short temper is not a good combination, as Fergal's family and friends soon find out. He burns the dinner (literally), reduces the football goal to ashes and absolutely cannot play a nice, quiet board game. It is only when he starts to notice other animals have clever tricks to calm down that Fergal begins to win back his friends, especially when he discovers dragons can cool off in a very handy way.
- Robbie Feels Angry by Romy Fursland and Jacqueline East
  Something happens to make Robbie the rabbit feel angry. What will he do? This engaging story is designed to be read by parents to their children. It shows how anger looks and feels in terms of Robbie's facial expression, his physical sensations, and what he does. It also shows what makes him feel better.

Stack Of Books from little library of big feelings

Accessing the Little Library of Big Feelings

You can find physical copies of these books in Child and Family Centres and GP waiting rooms across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. When visiting one of these centres, you are welcome to read a book with your child whilst you wait for your appointment. Find a location below.

You can also purchase these books through your local book shop or online retailer.

Child and family centre locations

East Childrens Centre

East Childrens Centre, 21 Durham Rd, Peterborough PE1 5JU

Child and family centre

Granta Medical Practices

Granta Medical Practices, London Road, Sawston, Cambridge CB22 3HU

Child and family centre

Honeyhill Child and Family Centre

Honeyhill Child and Family Centre, 150 Chadburn, Paston, Peterborough PE4 7DH

Child and family centre

Huntingdon Youth Centre

Huntingdon Youth Centre, Sallowbush Road, Huntingdon PE29 7AF

Child and family centre

Littleport Child and Family Centre

Littleport Child and Family Centre, Littleport, Ely CB6 1JT

Child and family centre

Oasis Child and Family Centre

Oasis Child and Family Centre, St Michael's Avenue, Wisbech PE13 3NR

Child and family centre

Orton Child & Family Centre

Orton Child & Family Centre, Orton Malborne, Peterborough PE2 5PW

Child and family centre

Sawston Child and Family Centre

Sawston Child and Family Centre, Sawston Community Hub, Sawston, Cambridge CB22 3BP

Child and family centre

Sawtry Child and Family Zone

Sawtry Child and Family Zone, Green End Road, Sawtry, Huntingdon PE28 5UX

Child and family centre

St Neots Child and Family Centre

St Neots Child and Family Centre, Bushmead Road, Eaton Socon, St Neots, PE19 8JD

Child and family centre

The Fields Child and Family Centre

The Fields Child and Family Centre, Galfrid Road, Cambridge CB5 8ND

Child and family centre

Whittlesey Child and Family Zone

Whittlesey Child and Family Zone, 25 Scaldgate, Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire PE7 1SD

Child and family centre

You can check your local library to see if they have a copy of the book you are interested in. We are working closely with our library colleagues, and more recommended titles are becoming available. You can check to see if they have the book you would like to borrow.

Cambridgeshire libraries Peterborough libraries

Back to top

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

Cambridgeshire

Peterborough

The Little Library of Big Feelings

Explore the topics on this page:

The importance of talking about feelings

How reading supports emotional development

Recommended books

Accessing the Little Library of Big Feelings

Child and family centre locations

Need more information?

Have your say

You must log in to save content

You must log in to save content

The Little Library of Big Feelings

Explore the topics on this page:

The importance of talking about feelings

How reading supports emotional development

Recommended books

My first feelings

What are feelings

Responding to big feelings

Happiness and love

Worry and fear

Sadness

Anger

Accessing the Little Library of Big Feelings

Child and family centre locations

Need more information?

Have your say

You must log in to save content

You must log in to save content