Kevin's Big Book of Emotions

K-Gr 2—This book features poems, flaps, games, and questions. The mediocre verses lack rich language. For the most part, the lift-the-flap feature is effective and some of the games seem like fun, yet they don't enhance the discussion of feelings. The opening spread invites listeners "to find out all the emotions we can feel." Even for toddlers, though, the four referred to—angry, sad, afraid, and happy—do not constitute "all." (A note to adults suggests discussing children's various feelings with them.) The rest of the text is sometimes effective, especially the scenarios in panels, but often awkward. In general, the bright, colorful pages are appealing, but the characteristics used to illustrate specific emotions are questionable. For example, turned-in feet do not always indicate sadness, and Kevin's "bright eyes" ("You can see his happiness") look a lot like the depiction of his eyes when he is sad. Despite some charming illustrations and a few fun features, the book is a secondary purchase.—Maralita L. Freeny, District of Columbia Public Library