Hi, Worry. Bye, Worry!

Gr 2-5-A whimsical and accessible guidebook for children experiencing anxiety. This primer portrays worry as a giant dinosaur wearing a hat and pearls. It assures readers that worry is a part of everyone’s daily life, but there are simple tools and ­actions that they can use and do to calm worry down. The work provides kid-friendly and doable advice, such as creating a worry jar or a comfort cave, making art by doodling or dancing, or sharing with a trusted adult. The engaging line drawings are often silly with bright colors presenting children of all races, religions, and abilities. The characters’ expressive faces feature big, googly eyes, adding to the book’s reassuring tone. One chapter focuses on the importance of mindfulness and keeping the body healthy—cutting down on sugar and screen time, getting plenty of sleep, and incorporating more movement and activity into daily life. The emphasis on gratitude and seeing the good in everything will especially ring true. The narrative never talks down to kids and rarely uses advanced vocabulary, though a glossary of new terms is included in the back ­matter.