SOMETIMES

Feelings, high and low, big and small, make us who we are.

Two siblings, each with pale skin and dark hair, experience a roller-coaster ride of emotions as they go through their day. At the beach, one sibling is afraid of jumping between rocks until they decide to be brave and give it a try. When the pair fly a kite into the woods, it gets snagged on a tree, disappointing one sibling and prompting the other to offer comfort. Doing a funny dance to combat boredom, being kind to one another during times of sadness or loneliness, managing one’s anger—these siblings find ways to help each other through experiences that will feel familiar to little ones. In the end, being together and feeling loved are the right antidotes. Stansbie’s gentle, humorous, and insightful rhymes and near-perfect meter provide concise, genuine descriptions of what these emotions feel and look like for children. Paganelli’s bright, eye-catching illustrations cleverly layer in a simple narrative that encourages deeper conversations between children and their grown-ups. The bold palette and attention to detail invite readers to look again and again to find the family pup on most spreads along with many other tiny elements. A guide at the end offers suggestions on coping with emotional ups and downs in healthy, communicative ways. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A lovely way to help readers unpack their emotions, good and bad.