Have you ever been so sad that the world seems gray and droopy? Does being sick or hearing a family argument make you want to cry and cry until it floods? The little rabbit knows how it feels to be sad and just what to do to feel better. Read along, and you too might find that a great big hug is all you need to make the sadness go away.

This friendly picture book helps young children make sense of mixed-up emotions. Happy, and also sad. Excited, but nervous too. Feeling friendly, with a little shyness mixed in. Mixed feelings are natural, but they can be confusing. There are different kinds of happy—the quiet kind and the “noisy, giggly, jump and run” kind. And there are conflicting feelings, like proud and jealous, frustrated and determined. With gentle messaging and charming illustrations, a little girl talks about her many layered feelings, ultimately concluding, “When I have more than one feeling inside me, I don’t have to choose just one. I know that all my feelings are okay at the same time.” A special section for adults presents ideas for helping children explore their emotions, build a vocabulary of feeling words, know what to do if they feel overwhelmed, and more.

A new generation of children love Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, inspired by the classic series Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood! What makes Daniel Tiger feel sad? Find out in this chunky board book that’s part of a new Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood feelings subseries. It’s okay to feel sad sometimes, little by little, you’ll feel better again. Everyone feels sad sometimes, even Daniel Tiger. When he feels sad, he remembers that it’s okay to feel that way. Soon, he’ll feel better! Come along with Daniel as he and his friends learn how to deal with their feelings. This adorable book includes tips for parents and caregivers to help guide little ones through their emotions. Look for the companion titles, I’m Feeling Mad, I’m Feeling Happy, and I’m Feeling Silly! © 2016 The Fred Rogers Company.

A girl, a potato, and a very sad flamingo star in this charming sequel to I’m Bored by New York Times bestselling author and comedian Michael Ian Black and celebrated illustrator Debbie Ridpath Ohi. Everyone feels sad sometimes—even flamingos. Sigh. When Flamingo announces he’s feeling down, the little girl and Potato try to cheer him up, but nothing seems to work. Not even dirt! (Which usually works for Potato.) Flamingo learns that he will not always feel this way. And his friends learn that sometimes being a friend means you don’t have to cheer someone up. You just have to stick by your pal no matter how they feel. Even if they’re a potato.

Uses a story format to introduce young children to the concept of feeling sad. Includes suggestions for activites and notes for parents and teachers. Suggested level: junior.

A sensitive and supportive story to help young children recognize and cope with sadness. “Now when I get sad, I still cry sometimes. I still hide sometimes. But only for a little while. Because now I know ways to feel better.” Sadness can be an overwhelming emotion, especially for young children. But it’s important to know when sadness can be overcome, and when it’s indicative of a greater problem. Sometimes When I’m Sad is an invaluable self-help resource that helps children identify sadness or depression and offers helpful ways to manage it, such as: Talk about it with a parent or a trusted adult or counselor Draw the sadness with crayons Release tension by squishing clay Run and jump around outside Observe nature The word depression is never used in the gentle, child-focused text, but this simple story offers an entrance point for both adults and children to identify and address childhood depression symptoms early. This timely resource is a wonderfully gentle way to take steps toward banishing the stigma around mental illness. A special section at the back of the book provides support for adults, from an explanation of the difference between sadness and depression to helpful tools to manage the illness. Especially useful for counselors, social workers, teachers, parents, and any other adults caring for children who struggle with dark feelings. Sometimes When Collection With quiet, sensitive illustrations, the Sometimes When collection helps young children work through big feelings, such as sadness and anger. The stories are accessible to children and grounded in research from an author with over thirty years of experience as a clinical psychologist. A special section at the back of each book provides more information and activities to help young children work through their feelings.