When I Feel

Shanera Brown brings real credentials to this picture book — she's a mental health clinician specializing in children and families, not just a well-meaning author. The A-to-Z structure works well here: it gives caregivers and children an organized framework for talking through feelings from brave to worried, with simple coping strategies at each letter. That kind of vocabulary-building for emotions is exactly what early childhood mental health educators recommend. The honest caveat is that the alphabet structure means each emotion gets brief treatment, and the market for emotions-for-kids picture books is genuinely crowded. This one earns its place through the author's clinical grounding and the practical caregiver-conversation focus. Fully family-safe and appropriate for preschool through Grade 3. A solid choice for parents, teachers, and school counselors.