Book Week Early Childhood Shortlist: Don't Worry Felix by Yohan Devezy and Katharine Alice

 

Don’t Worry, Felix follows a little boy, Felix, on his first few days at a new school. For many, a new school can be a very anxious time. This book normalises children’s experiences of anxiety and
empowers children to identify and decrease systems of stress and worry and face their fears. One author is a qualified counsellor, and the other, an occupational therapist, and they have weaved into
the story a ‘special trick’ that the father teaches Felix. This ‘Take 5 breathing technique’ is a simple strategy that can empower children to calm their nervous system through the power of their own breath. The technique can be adjusted to suit each child’s current abilities. (from New Frontier Teaching Notes)

There are so many picture books about starting school, but I'm not sure that this is the right time of year for a display of these, unless Kindergarten orientation days are coming up and parents borrow from your library. If you want examples of books for this see this Pinterest page Starting School or Momotimetoread's Pinterest Starting School Books.

I think I'd be more likely to do a display of mindfulness books, especially ones that feature breathing. The 5 minute breathing technique highlighted in Don't Worry, Felix appears in many picture books. I also thought about a display of books about worries and while we do have many books to help with this, I don't like to put them all out at once, as my young children might discover 'a new worry'.

Wellbeing has been a school feature now for quite some time, but unfortunately every time the teacher responsible for it or the school councillor changes, what the school does in the name of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) may change. My school has used Circle Time, Kimochis, You Can Do It, Zones of Regulation and now as a Round Square school may adopt the Round Square Heroes of Discovery characters. Through all this I have collected Mindfulness and Growth Mindset picture book resources and endeavoured to make sure teachers know of their existence.

'Breathing' picture books for teachers to use with classes:

• My Magic Breath  by Nick Ortner and Alison Taylor

This is the 'best' one for libraries to have because it covers other feelings besides 'worry', but still uses breathing as a means of modulation. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra have added music on this link.

More picture books for mindfulness on Pinterest here.

As to the metaphor of the balloon being a worry that changes in size, you are probably better off having fun doing science with balloons, but if you do want to explore books that feature balloons look here.

The balloon has a metaphoric role in these: