Review: Little Monkey Calms Down by Michael Dahl

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Little Monkey is having a bad day. After a major melt down, he goes to his room and uses some coping techniques to calm down.
For ages 2-4. Board book.
From the Hello Genius series. For the youngest learners, fun, cheerful read-alouds that help guide a child's first steps in learning and growing.
About the Author:
Michael Dahl is the author of more than 200 books for children and young adults. He has won the AEP Distinguished Achievement Award three times for his non-fiction. His “Finnegan Zwake” mystery series was shortlisted twice by the Anthony and Agatha awards. He has also written the “Library of Doom” series and the “Dragonblood” books. He is a featured speaker at conferences around the country on graphic novels and high-interest books for boys.
About the Illustrator:
Oriol Vidal was born in Barcelona, Spain, where he currently resides. For more than ten years, Oriol has worked as an illustrator and storyboard artist with agencies, publishers, and animation companies, developing children’s books, character designs, concept art, and storyboards. He has worked with clients including Intermon Oxfam, BKN Kids AG, Imira Entertainment, and BRB Internacional. In his spare time he enjoys mountain bike riding and painting big pictures, often with traditional mediums, like acrylic on wood.

MY TAKE:
If your kid is prone to temper tantrums, you might want to take a look at this book.

In Little Monkey Calms Down, a little monkey feels horrible after his ice cream falls from his ice cream cone. He reacts by crying but eventually calms himself down by doing things like cuddling his blankie and taking a deep breath.

I tested this book out on my son and he seemed to love it. Several times, he tried to touch the screen like he would do to a real book. I think the bright colors of the book really appealed to him. The illustrations were quite simple, with basically just the monkey and a bright, solid color for a background. It does grab a child's attention, though.

The book mentions some fantastic techniques for kids to deal with negative feelings. Parents, however, may have to explain some of it to younger kids.

Thanks to NetGalley and Picture Window Books for the e-copy.

THE GOOD:

1. The bright colors and illustrations are attractive to children.
2. It helps teach kids how to deal with negative feelings.
3. It's a fun book to read out loud.

THE BAD:

1. The illustrations may seem too simple for some.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

Calm down, Little Monkey.
Cuddle with your blankie.

READ IT IF:

1. You want to teach your child some calming techniques.
2. You're teaching your child to read.
3. Your kid is too young to appreciate books but likes to look at colorful things.

RATING:


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