Ollie and His Superpowers

Gr 1–4—This British import, written by a cognitive therapist, is centered on seven-year-old Ollie, who faces daily bullying from kids at school. After two larger boys take his sneakers (called "trainers"—just one of the many Briticisms throughout), the distraught Ollie confides in an elderly friend, who encourages him to use his superpowers (his emotions) to deal with the problem. Soon enough, Ollie is able to call upon Bravery, Strength, and Calm to help him get his sneakers back—much to the surprise of the bullies. Throughout the book, the emotions are personified as little versions of ourselves that live within us. Nervousness, Shock, Silliness, and Confidence are just a few of the ones readers meet. Helping us control our emotions is the Captain. Meanwhile, our Librarian (bow-tied and bespectacled) works at night to keep our ideas sorted properly. While this book attempts to help children understand and deal with their emotions, it lacks the plot and charm of Pixar's similarly structured Inside Out.