The Way I Feel

Reviews and Comments

The Way I Feel will take young readers ages 2 to 8 through a picturebook excursion of all the different kinds of feelings, and show that feelings are neither good or bad, they just are. Strong, colorful, and expressive images by Janan Cain perfectly showcase her imaginative text introducing children to the words they need to name their feelings. The Way I Feel is an original, informative, highly entertaining and recommended picturebook for personal, school, and community library collections.

—Children’s Book Watch

 

From scared to shy, bored to jealous, Cain covers the emotional waterfront . . .

—Publishers Weekly

 

The Way I Feel somehow manages to stress the importance of recognizing your feelings, without preaching. The illustrations are just plain funny.

—ForeWord This Week

 

[Janan Cain] has achieved her goal of giving children the language to express their emotions—not only through her choice of words but through the use of provocative colors, mood-enhancing illustrations, and the font and flow of the words, some of which weave, stagger or twirl themselves across the page.

—Contemporary Pediatrics

 

Finally, we have a resource which teaches children to articulate what they feel! . . . As an educator, I give it high marks for its use of standard language, neither outdated nor slang, and for illustrations which portray both gender and ethnic diversity.

—Phyllis Gorman
The Robert Crown Center for Health Education

 

Strikingly illustrated, Janan Cain’s The Way I Feel is a unique picturebook about human feelings, what they are and how they are all part of our human experience and makeup. The strong and expressive images showcase the superbly crafted verse text.

—Midwest Book Review

 

Text is easy to understand, illustrations are engaging and the author has chosen a wide range of emotions that kids can relate to. . . . Moreover, this book provides a fun and non-threatening way for kids to connect with their emotions. . . . A great addition to an elementary library.

—Multnomah ESD Pilot Book Review Program

And here’s what readers say:

“A wonderfully illustrated and descriptive book that will help children learn to recognize and name feelings . . . My son started out grumpy when we began to read last night and by the end of the book he was giggling, happy and having fun making funny faces to match the feelings that were described in the book.”

“Our daughter loved the pictures right away and we appreciated the ideas in the back for discussing feelings and how to handle them.”

“My preschooler son and toddler twins loved the pictures in The Way I Feel when we first received the book, but it became especially valuable after we moved from Seattle to Chicago and our 4-year-old had to leave behind everything that was familiar–his grandparents, his friends, his preschool, his neighborhood. Now we read this book every night and it’s become key to getting feedback about how he’s settling into his new home.”

“One reason the book is so awesome is the last page, which has a note to parents encouraging them to discuss situations that cause certain emotions—and then offers tips on how to talk about dealing with [the emotions].”