It's Sam's day for show and tell, but he doesn't feel so great. In What Am I Feeling? Dr. John and Christi Staub take young readers through some of the body language as well as external and internal signs of several different emotions.

The emotions chart at the back of the books offers parents the opportunity to discuss some other emotions with their children.

The bright and fun pictures (it is dress-up day at school, after all) and short sentences or paragraphs will hold children's attention through this sweet story of friendship and growing up. And let's be honest, even we adults sometimes need a reminder to name an emotion and talk to God about it.

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I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.

Unfortunately kids aren't born with the ability to understand and express each of their emotions in appropriate ways. Discovering emotions and how to deal with them is a natural part of life. What Am I Feeling? Is a wonderful story that takes little minds on a journey into a classroom (on a dress-up day for added fun), to see what happens when Sam interacts with friends who are all experiencing (and expressing) different emotions. What I love is that it's not just about the facial expressions but the behavior as well. Yes, a frown can tell you that someone is sad, but how can you tell by their actions? This story can be read straight through but there is plenty of opportunity for discussion and interaction with your child. The fact that the children are all dressed up as different careers make the story more fun and imaginative for them as well.

I would highly recommend this as a must-read with young kids! It would be a perfect addition to any home or church library. While I would see it as a great read for a Kindergarten classroom, thereis mention of asking God for His help when struggling to deal with tough emotions so it depends on the school district if they would allow it.

*I received a copy of this book from B&H Kids Publishing. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone.

This attractive, hardcover book teaches children how to identify and deal with emotions. Students in a classroom experience anger, sadness, fear, and happiness. They are reminded by parents and teachers that our emotions do not control us--we identify the feeling and ask God to help us deal with it. Secondary messages are that we take responsibility for our actions and care for others. Included is an "emotions chart" (pictures of faces with emotion labels) that could be used to further discuss emotions with your child. My children enjoyed the book, although I doubt it is one they will pull out often. While they can identify with the characters, it's obvious that the book was written around the message, not the message put into a fun or exciting story.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher (B&H Kids) in exchange for my review.

Sam and his friends are all experiencing feelings that threaten to ruin a fun day but they eventually learn to how name the emotions and ask God to help them through their difficult feelings. The phrase "a feeling is just a feeling -- it's not in charge of you" is repeated to Sam and his classmates from different adult figures and is a great take-away message for kids and adults alike. Children deal with all kinds of scary emotions -- from fear, worry, nervousness, anger, etc -- and it is important for them to hear the truth that those emotions do not have to control them. As Christians, the added message in this book, that we can ask God to help us with the hard feelings we experience, is a comfort that I experience often with my own anxiety and want to pass on to my children when they walk through difficult circumstances. Through this book, children can discuss emotional health topics with parents in a safe and constructive way through a sweet story and easy-to-understand language appropriate for preschoolers to school-age kids.

As you journey with Sam through his day at school, each friend shares about an emotion they feel as a result of the normal experiences of their day.

I loved the way the Straubs encourage the child to name the emotion they are feeling and then go to God to help them with the feeling. The book was not shaming or condemning. Rather it acknowledged that we all feel different emotions through our day and reminded us that we don't have to react to others based on those feelings. It was honestly a good reminder to me too.What am I feeling? has stayed on our coffee table since we opened the package a few weeks ago. We've picked it up and read through it several times. My daughter has begun to find names for emotions. And it seems like she's actually better able to label different emotions when she feels a few at the same time.

Though we haven't found a home for it yet, there's a fun emotions chart that comes with the book. My daughter likes to review the emotions and now often tells me what they feel like in her body when she names those emotions.

What I appreciate most about the Straubs approach to feelings in What am I Feeling? is that it's opened a conversation. It has reminded us all that our feelings are not in charge of us. And that we can always reach out to God and ask for his help no matter what we're feeling.

I just asked my daughter what she thought about the book and she said, "it's awesome!" Why is it awesome? "Because it has feelings in it!"

What am I Feeling? has been a helpful and fun way to navigate conversations about those feelings that cause us to feel out of control.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This review is my own, honest opinion.