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| Image Retrieved From: Amazon.com: My Magical Feelings (The Magic of Me Series Book 6) eBook : Cummings, Becky, Shojaie, Nejla : Kindle Store Summary: This book is 6 out of 8 in an SEL series by Becky Cummings called The Magic of Me. The Magic of Me series is intended to help young children navigate how to validate their feelings without being ruled by them, make good decisions that help others, validate their dreams, and learn about their own bodies. My Magical Feelings follows different children, with the help of Heart, exploring their feelings in different situations. There is a huge emphasis on all feelings being okay, as Heart says, "don't sort feelings, bad or nice/ Tell your feelings it's okay/ to color life a magical way." Like most books for young children, it follows a simple aa/bb rhyme scheme, with each stanza ending with "I feel ___ and that's okay." At the end of the book, Cummings wrote tips to help children identify and cope with big feelings. The inclusion of multi-ethnic children in the book is helpful for all students to see themselves and their feelings represented, but there is a lack of representation for children with disabilities. My Impressions and How I Would Use this Book: I think this book is super cute for young children experiencing big emotions, though even when I was reading it alone, I found it difficult to keep my tone even for each emotion. I wanted to sound sad or down with "negative" emotions and more enthusiastic with "positive" emotions. I would use this book for SEL instruction by reading it and discussing the book together, then depending on student readiness, have them write or talk about times they've experienced different feelings and how it was okay. However, I would want to read this book within a larger unit and also read them My Magical Choices and My Magical Moods, because while all feelings are okay, not all actions are. I would not want students to have the impression that because being angry is okay, throwing things or hitting is also okay. I would probably only use this book for pre-school through first grade, as it is very elementary. Professional Review: |
A picture book encourages kids to recognize their emotions.
Cummings’ White narrator explains that “feelings…help you explore…like crayons coloring you within.” The narrator describes situations and common emotional responses, reminding readers to recognize and accept their feelings by repeating the phrase “and that’s okay!” For instance, readers can say “I feel sad and that’s okay!” after “hearing names or words that hurt, / getting teased about your shirt. / Saying bye to furry friends. / The final day when summer ends.” Other scenarios include feeling lonely, loved, scared, embarrassed, or joyful (“Eating cones of cold ice cream. / Waking up from a happy dream. / Building castles made of sand. / Giving friends a helping hand”). Ultimately, the narrator stresses that it’s essential to “honor feelings, breathe them deep,” and acknowledge their impermanence. The author accessibly demonstrates the significance of emotional awareness and recognition through kid-friendly, relatable examples. The work will be a valuable and validating resource for youngsters. Shojaie’s friendly, cartoonish illustrations include Black, brown, Asian, and White kids. Most scenes mirror descriptions in the text, as when an “embarrassed” kid cries after falling off a bike, a child feels “loved” playing a game with grandma, and another feels “safe” reading in bed with mom. Some spreads feature creative elements, such as a youngster holding hands with an anthropomorphic heart. The last page shows kids with different facial expressions clutching vivid hearts against a rainbow sky. An insightful and heartening reminder to accept emotions and respect feelings. ISBN: 978-1-951597-17-7 Author: Cummings, Becky Word count: 261 |
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