WORRIES BIG AND SMALL

What do you fret about?

Young children have many questions; here are some answers to help alleviate fears and embarrassment. This book tackles a slew of “what ifs,” with topics ranging from bodies and medical issues, schoolyard woes, and the dark to mortality, bullying, and climate change. Each spread features two or three questions; answers vary in length from a paragraph to an entire spread. Some scenarios are fairly general (“What if I’m feeling sad?”), while others are more specific (“What if my friend says my puppy stickers are babyish?”), but the latter types can easily be applied to other situations. These scenarios were originally released as separate volumes, aimed at various age groups (Worries Big and Small When You Are 5; Worries Big and Small When You Are 6), so there’s some overlap among questions: “What if I have to see the dentist?” is followed, many pages later, by “What if it hurts when I see the dentist?” Still, the responses are different enough that readers will find value in all the entries. Throughout, the text consistently makes a number of reassuring assertions: Everyone worries, monsters aren’t real, focusing on facts helps to focus the mind, and talking about feelings helps us cope with them. The writing is conscientious and the advice rooted in sound mental health practices. The accompanying cartoon illustrations depict racially diverse characters.

Big help for little worriers.