With the popularity of Inside Out and now Inside Out 2, we wanted to highlight some children’s books that made us feel! Below you will find a list of books that inspire joy, sadness, anger, disgust, fear, envy, anxiety, nostalgia, embarrassment, and ennui. Descriptions are provided by the publishers.
JOY
This Joy! by Shelley Johannes
In this poetic and buoyant story from author-illustrator Shelley Johannes, a young child tries to measure the size of her joy and the depth of her gratitude as she embraces the beauty of the day. Reveling in simple wonders with unbridled enthusiasm, This Joy! celebrates living with arms wide open—because today is a gift! – Abrams Books for Young Readers
A Piglet named Mercy by Kate DiCamillo
Mr. Watson and Mrs. Watson live ordinary lives. Sometimes their lives feel a bit too ordinary. Sometimes they wish something different would happen. And one day it does, when someone unpredictable finds her way to their front door. In a delightful origin story for the star of the Mercy Watson series, a tiny piglet brings love (and chaos) to Deckawoo Drive — and the Watsons’ lives will never be the same. – Candlewick Press
Hug Machine by Scott Campbell
Watch out world, here he comes! The Hug Machine! Whether you are big, or small, or square, or long, or spikey, or soft, no one can resist his unbelievable hugs! HUG ACCOMPLISHED! This endearing story encourages a warm, caring, and buoyantly affectionate approach to life. Everyone deserves a hug—and this book! – Little Simon
SADNESS
Fluffy McWhiskers: Cuteness Explosion by Stephen W Martin
Meet Fluffy—an adorable kitten. So adorable, in fact, that anyone who sees her will spontaneously explode into balls of sparkles and fireworks. KABOOM! Poof. Poor Fluffy doesn’t want anyone to get hurt, but everything she tries, even a bad haircut, just makes her cuter! So Fluffy runs away someplace no one can find her. Find out if there’s any hope for Fluffy in this funny and subversive story about self-acceptance and finding friendship in unlikely places. – Margaret K. McElderry Books
You’ll Find Me by Amanda Rawson Hill
Loss becomes remembrance in this book that offers tender ways to pay tribute to, and meaningfully incorporate, a loved one’s lost presence into present and future life experiences. Be it departed friends, family, pets, and more, memories can carry us beyond the precious moments we have together to keep the ones we loved before in mind forever.
Throughout the book the omnipresent narrator encourages thoughtful reflection on the empty spaces left by the loss. The gentle scenes portrayed inspire recovery from sadness and honor those who are absent. This lyrical heartful story provides consent and gently encourage readers to move to a place of peace and acceptance despite the absence. – Magination Press
Outside, Inside by LeUyen Pham
From Caldecott honoree LeUyen Pham, Outside, Inside is a moving picture book that captures the unforgettable moment during the pandemic when people all over the world came together. It celebrates the essential workers, frontline workers, and communities that worked with each other to protect our loved ones. – Roaring Book Press
ANGER
I Want My Hat Back! by Jon Klassen
The bear’s hat is gone, and he wants it back. Patiently and politely, he asks the animals he comes across, one by one, whether they have seen it. Each animal says no, some more elaborately than others. But just as the bear begins to despond, a deer comes by and asks a simple question that sparks the bear’s memory and renews his search with a vengeance. Told completely in dialogue, this delicious take on the classic repetitive tale plays out in sly illustrations laced with visual humor — and winks at the reader with a wry irreverence that will have kids of all ages thrilled to be in on the joke. – Candlewick Press
The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
Poor Duncan just wants to color. But when he opens his box of crayons, he finds only letters, all saying the same thing: His crayons have had enough! They quit! Blue crayon needs a break from coloring all those bodies of water. Black crayon wants to be used for more than just outlining. And Orange and Yellow are no longer speaking—each believes he is the true color of the sun. What can Duncan possibly do to appease all of the crayons and get them back to doing what they do best? – Philomel Books
Beneath by Cory Doerrfeld
Finn is in a horrible mood and doesn’t want to talk about it. After some persuading, though, they agree to go for a hike with Grandpa. Throughout their forest walk, they see many different things: big, strong trees with networks of roots growing underneath, still water with schools of fish swimming below, and an expectant bird with eggs nestled under her. It’s when the pair pass fellow hikers that Finn realizes that people, just like the elements of nature, are more than they appear. Grandpa explains that sometimes beneath a person who seems like they won’t understand what you’re feeling, is someone feeling the exact same way. – Little, Brown and Company
DISGUST
People Don’t Bite People by Lisa Wheeler
Lisa Wheeler and Caldecott Honor–winning illustrator Molly Idle remind overeager little biters that biting is for food in this hysterical read-aloud picture book. Learning good behavior has never been so fun! – Atheneum
Dandy by Ame Dyckman
When Daddy spots a solitary weed in his lawn, he’s appalled (along with all of his neighborhood friends). But his daughter Sweetie has fallen in love with the beautiful flower, even going so far as to name it Charlotte. Racing against time and the mockery of his friends, Daddy has to find a way to get rid of the errant dandelion without breaking his little girl’s heart. – Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
I Really Like Slop by Mo Willems
Gerald is careful. Piggie is not.
Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can.
Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to.
Gerald and Piggie are best friends.
In I Really Like Slop!, Piggie invites Gerald to try her favorite food . . . slop. But Gerald is not so sure he’s going to like it. At all. – Hyperion Books for Children
FEAR
Dude! by Aaron Reynolds
Dude! You have to read this book.
It’s totally about this platypus and this beaver who are friends. They want to go surfing but dude, there’s this shark who’s in the ocean, too.
But don’t worry. This shark approaches and you’ll never guess what happens. – Roaring Brook Press
Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds
Jasper Rabbit loves carrots—especially Crackenhopper Field carrots.
He eats them on the way to school.
He eats them going to Little League.
He eats them walking home.
Until the day the carrots start following him…or are they?
Celebrated artist Peter Brown’s stylish illustrations pair perfectly with Aaron Reynold’s text in this hilarious picture book that shows it’s all fun and games…until you get too greedy. – Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
That is not a Good Idea! by Mo Willems
Inspired by the evil villains and innocent damsels of silent movies, Willems tells the tale of a hungry fox who invites a plump goose to dinner. As with the beloved Pigeon books, kids will be calling out the signature refrain and begging for repeated readings. The funny details in the full-color illustrations by three-time Caldecott Honoree Mo Willems will bring nonstop laughter to story time. – Balzar + Bray
ENVY
My New Friend is so fun by Mo Willems
Gerald is careful. Piggie is not.
Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can.
Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to.
Gerald and Piggie are best friends.
In My New Friend Is So Fun! Piggie has found a new friend! But is Gerald ready to share? – Hyperion Books for Children
Wilfred by Ryan T Higgins
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a humongous and hairy giant named Wilfred. Whenever people saw him, they ran away, which made life very lonely for Wilfred. That is, until he found himself in a rather unusual town where one brave little boy saw something special in the timid giant. So begins a story of friendship and sacrifice that will remind readers just how important one voice – no matter how small – can be. – Dial Books
His Royal Highness, King Baby: a Terrible True Story by Sally Lloyd-Jones
Once upon a time there was a happy family: A mom, a dad, a gerbil, and the most beautifulest, cleverest, ever so kindest Princess. . . .
On one horrible day, a new ruler is born into a young princess’s family — a ruler she dubs His Royal Highness, King Baby. This small interloper is so smelly. He is so noisy. And all the talk in the Land is about him (“Such a nice burp!” “Oh, what a lovely poo-poo!”), nonstop, ALL THE TIME! Has there ever been such an era of wicked rule? With whimsy and sympathy, Sally Lloyd-Jones tells a satisfying tale of usurped attention — and rapprochement — that every big brother or sister will relate to, while illustrator David Roberts captures all the hilarious details of a child’s active imagination. – Candlewick
ANXIETY
What if I’m not a cat? by Kari-Lynn Winters
A sweet, playful story about identity – and what it means to belong.
Why, of course Donkey’s a cat. He spends all his time with the other cats on the farm. He licks his fur and pounces, just like they do. He even cuddles with them at nap time. Though, he must admit, sometimes he does feel … a little off. So, when Farmer says to him, “Donkey, you’re acting like a cat!” it gets him thinking. What if he’s not a cat? And if not, then what is he? Will going off on his own help Donkey figure out what he is and where he belongs? – Kids Can Press
Bathe the Cat by Alice B McGinty
Cats + water: What could go wrong? This riotous romp of a picture book follows a frantic family as they try to get some chores done—with no help from the family cat, who keeps scrambling the list of chores to hilarious effect. Get ready for a rollicking read-aloud with a truly purrfect ending.
It’s cleaning day, but the family cat will do anything to avoid getting a bath. So instead of mopping the floor or feeding the fish, the family is soon busy rocking the rug, vacuuming the lawn, and sweeping the dishes. Bouncy rhyme carries the story headlong into the growing hilarity, until finally Dad restores some kind of order—but will the cat avoid getting his whiskers wet? – Chronicle Books
Lila Greer, Teacher of the Year by Andrea Beaty
Lila Greer is full of worries. Even the smallest things—from cabbages to cardboard—fill her with dread and what-ifs. So when her family makes a big change—moving to a new town—the worry and what-ifs only grow. What if things go wrong? What if no one likes her?
At first, Lila feels right to be worried. In her new home, everything is strange. The new kids, the new smells. Lila feels alone and invisible. But there’s one person who sees her: Lila’s teacher, Ms. Kern. Through some creativity, blackboard erasers, and—most of all—kindness, Ms. Kern finds a way to make Lila feel welcome and open to new experiences. A lesson that will resonate with Lila long after second grade. – Abrams Books for Young Readers
NOSTALGIA
This is the Rope by Jacqueline Woodson
The story of one family’s journey north during the Great Migration starts with a little girl in South Carolina who finds a rope under a tree one summer. She has no idea the rope will become part of her family’s history. But for three generations, that rope is passed down, used for everything from jump rope games to tying suitcases onto a car for the big move north to New York City, and even for a family reunion where that first little girl is now a grandmother. – Nancy Paulsen Books
I had a Favorite Dress by Boni Ashburn
This is a lively, energetic story about adjusting when you need to and being creative when you have to. As the year passes, the narrator’s favorite dress goes through a series of creative changes, from dress to shirt to tank top to scarf and so on, until all that’s left of it is a good memory. Assisted by her patient and crafty mama, the narrator finds that when disaster strikes her favorite things, she doesn’t need to make mountains out of molehills—she “makes molehills out of mountains” instead!
Structured around the days of the week, the story is also illustrated to show the passing of the seasons, a perfect complement to the themes of growing older and keeping hold (and letting go) of special mementos. The collaged mixed-media full-color illustrations of watercolors, graphite, colored pencil, and needle and thread give this unique and charming story its bounce and flounce. Breezy in style, the artwork smartly stitches each scene of alteration as the not-so-little girl sashays through the days of the week and the seasons.
This modernized version of a traditional folk tale will delight new audiences of parents and children who will learn that everything old can really become new again. – Abrams Books for Young Readers
In Every Life by Marla Frazee
In every life, there is love and loss, hope and joy, wonder and mystery. With glowing art and spare, powerful text, Caldecott Honor–winning creator Marla Frazee celebrates the moments, feelings, and experiences, both big and small, that make up a life. – Beach Lane Books
EMBARRASSMENT
Zorro gets an outfit by Carter Goodrich
Mister Bud and Zorro get along just great. They wake up together, have walk time together, and take naps together. But something is about to interrupt their schedule: Zorro has to wear a fancy outfit.
Zorro is embarassed, mortified, aghast. Mr. Bud tries to cheer him up, but nothing works. Everyone makes fun of Zorro, and he refuses to participate in chew-on-a-stick time. Mister Bud doesn’t know what to do.
But when another dog—a very cool dog—shows up in an outfit and does amazing tricks and beats all the other dogs in a race, Zorro discovers that wearing clothes might not be so bad after all.
Everything is back on schedule. – Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Something’s Wrong! : a bear, a hare, and some underwear by Jory John
Oh-no. Jeff the bear has definitely forgotten something.
He ate his breakfast, he watered his plant, he combed his fur…what could it be? Why does he feel so oddly off?? He asks his friend Anders the rabbit what could possibly be wrong. It couldn’t have anything to do with the fact that he’s wearing underwear…over his fur…could it? – Farrar, Straus and Giroux
President Taft is Stuck in the Bath by Mac Barnett
George Washington crossed the Delaware in the dead of night. Abraham Lincoln saved the Union. And President William Howard Taft, a man of great stature . . . well, he got stuck in a bathtub. Now how did he get unstuck? – Candlewick
ENNUI
There’s Nothing to Do! by Dev Petty
Frog is bored. He can’t find ANYTHING to do—even when his animal friends make good suggestions, like sleeping all day, licking between his toes, or hopping around and then staring off into space. Will he find a fun and exciting way to spend his day? Featuring the beloved characters from I Don’t Want to Be a Frog and I Don’t Want to Be Big, this new story is sure to bring a smile to every kid who’s ever said “There’s nothing to do!” – Dragonfly Books
The Boring Book by Shinsuke Yoshitake
The Boring Book is a humorous picture book that follows the story of one particularly bored boy.
As the story progresses, our protagonist discovers there’s actually more to boredom than what meets the eye—more questions, more theories, and heaps of humor.
This exploration of boredom from acclaimed author-illustrator Shinsuke Yoshitake playfully—and hilariously—unpacks the ways in which a seemingly stagnant state is actually a portal into a dynamic, life-enriching experience. – Chronicle Books
Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings
Arfy is a homeless mutt who lives in a box in an alley. Arfy writes to every person on Butternut Street about what a great pet he’d make. His letters to prospective owners share that he’s house broken! He has his own squeaky bone! He can learn to live with cats! But, no one wants him. Won’t anyone open their heart–and home–to a lonesome dog? Readers will be happily surprised to learn just who steps up to adopt Arfy.
Troy Cummings’s hilarious and touching story is a perfect gift for a child wanting a dog, and for pet adoption advocates. It also showcases many different styles of letter writing, making it appealing to parents and teachers looking to teach the lost art of written communication. – Dragonfly Books
Looking for more books on emotions? Check out Vega, our online catalog, give us a call at 563-326-7832, or comment below!
Alice Walker published The Color Purple in 1982, and the novel won a Pulitzer Prize in 1983. The story begins in 1909 in rural Georgia and follows the traumatic life of Celie, a fourteen-year-old black girl who is forced to marry an older man after suffering years of abuse by her father. Celie’s life unfolds for the reader as she continues to suffer hardships, alongside several other powerful black female voices. Eventually Celie triumphs, finding a place for herself where she can just be.
