Review: Angry Me by Sandra V. Feder and Rahele Jomepour Bell

 

ANGRY ME

by Sandra V. Feder

and

Rahele Jomepour Bell

Groundwood Books

Picture Book

32 pages

ages 3 to 6

A young child tells us what makes her angry and how she tries to let the anger come and go. An artful starting point for conversations about strong feelings.

“I get angry,” says a little girl, looking fiercely in the mirror. Sometimes she gets angry when someone is mean and tries to take her toy away, when it feels unfair that there’s not enough time to go swimming, when she’s tired and just wants to go home, or when the kids at school leave her out, hurting her feelings.

When she’s angry, she tries to remember to use her words — even though that doesn’t always work. Sometimes she can’t find the right words, or the words don’t come out the way she intends. But sometimes words do help, and when her anger melts away a new feeling can blossom.

Sandra Feder’s cleverly constructed text presents different situations in which a child might feel angry, creating a nuanced look at anger and its many underlying emotions. Rahele Jomepour Bell’s illustrations show a loveable, angry little girl, brimming with personality, who learns how to express herself as she moves through her feelings.

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MY TIDBITS

Anger can come for various reason, and this read points them out in a way, which young readers will easily identify with.

A little girl is angry, and this is something she often feels for a variety of reasons. One by one, she goes through every day examples, and then, she switches gears to show how she responds. Even these vary greatly, and sometimes, she can't figure out the best way to handle things. But others times, maybe she can turn her anger into something else, after all.

This is a book about being angry. It's geared for ages 3 to 6 and does a great job at melding with this age group. The situations come from every day events, which most readers will be familiar with and sympathize with. Nothing bad really happens, just explaining which moments can cause anger...and that in a very concise and direct way. In other words, there isn't any preaching or heavy wording involved, but keeps it age interesting and appropriate.

The illustrations work with the text, making sure the situations are clear as well as the girl's emotions. They have an artistic flair, while still making everything identifiable. When the emotions switch gears, it's also easy to see. So, kids will be able to flip through this one on their own and know pretty well what is going on.

I was surprised how well this one address anger and still keeps it in a form, which works great as a read-aloud and doesn't feel like an adult preaching to the kids. It also shows that not all solutions are easy to solve, but sometimes, things can be turned around. 

It's a well-done read for the topic and will connect with many listeners.

And here she is...

Portray by Rahele Jomepour Bell

SANDRA V.  FEDER is the author of two picture books and three early chapter books. Angry Me is her sixth book.
 
Bitter and Sweet, illustrated by Kyrsten Brooker, was a PJ Library selection and was chosen by the New York City Board of Education for inclusion in its Mosaic Diversity Program. The Moon Inside, illustrated by Aimée Sicuro, has been translated into multiple languages. Sandra is also the author of the early chapter books Daisy’s Perfect Word, Daisy’s Defining Day and Daisy’s Big Night, illustrated by Susan Mitchell.

Sandra is a graduate of Stanford University and is an MFA candidate in the Writing for Children and Young Adults program at the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She is a black belt in Taekwondo, likes to paint, and has a sweet tooth — particularly for dark chocolate. Sandra lives with her husband in Northern California.