When I Feel Angry (Way I Feel Books)
PreSchool-Grade 2-Through simple language, a young rabbit relates the things that make her angry and the positive ways in which she can deal with her emotions. The situations are realistic and will strike a familiar chord with most children-being ridiculed on the playground, having to stop a favorite activity to do a chore, not being able to get a drawing right, losing a ball game. Although the narrator may want to lash out, she knows that "feeling like I want to is not the same as doing it." She describes several ways to react that won't hurt anyone, such as removing herself from the situation, engaging in physical activity, or talking things over with an adult. While the text reads at times like a loosely veiled lesson ("I can take deep breaths and blow the air out, hard, to send the anger out of me"), the message hits home. Featuring a cast of animals dressed as people, Cote's vibrant paintings skillfully convey the feelings of the characters and add significantly to the child appeal. Outdoor and indoor scenes alike are filled with eye-catching textures, colorful patterns, and interesting details. Use this with Molly Bang's When Sophie Gets Angry (Scholastic, 1999), which packs much more of an emotional punch, to create a balanced approach to the topic.Joy Fleishhacker, formerly at School Library JournalCopyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.