Picture Book Parenting

Welcome to the 2026 PICTURE BOOK CLUB – WEEK SIX

How to participate in Picture Book Club …

Get the suggested books from your library or bookstore (local or online). See 2026 PICTURE BOOK CLUB: COMPLETE LIST OF BOOKS for the list of books suggested for each week.
Before reading each of the weekly books to your child, READ FIRST “Things to Think About.”
Read one or both books to your child as many times through the week as your child wants to hear them and you have time to read.
Consider doing whatever activities you think are appropriate for the age and maturity of your child from “Making the Story Come Alive.”

WE WELCOME FEEDBACK ABOUT YOUR PARTICIPATION. YOU CAN LEAVE A COMMENT BY USING THE “WHAT DO YOU THINK?” BUTTON AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST.

EVERYONE FEELS SAD SOMETIMES by Dr. Daniela Owen

(a book about feeling sad)

It’s OK to feel sad. Things we do can change how we feel. For example, when we make someone else happy, that happiness can be contagious, and we feel happier too. The ways we think about things can also change how we feel. Thoughts have two sides, like a coin. We can switch our thoughts from negative to more positive ones and start to feel better. And sad feelings are always on the move. They pass along like rainclouds, making room for the sun to soon shine.

Things to Think About

It’s OK to be sad.
Sadness is not forever.
People can be sad some of the time and still find things to be happy about at other times.
Learning to deal with sadness is an important life lesson.
Replacing what is lost immediately (bicycle, pet, favorite toy) can prevent people from learning how to deal with sadness.
When your child has been sad, and you see him doing things to make himself feel better (hug his blanket, cry for a while, get busy with something), you can celebrate that he has found ways to deal with his feelings. Remember this the next time he feels sad or disappointed, and let it help you avoid jumping in and trying to protect him from every sadness.
When your child is sad or disappointed (must wait for something, can’t find something he wants to play with or wear, a friend can’t play, etc.), you can notice what your first reaction is. Do you want to try to talk him into feeling better, get him focused on something else, or give him something he likes to eat? Stop yourself. Instead of your usual response, try letting him know that you are noticing that he is sad or disappointed. Hold him, hug him, or just be with him.

Making the Book Come Alive

Use feeling faces to teach your child to recognize, name, and talk about her feelings. Search the Internet for “feelings faces games.” Either purchase a game, use one available online, or get ideas about how to make a homemade version. Play it with your child. Ask your child what feeling would go with each face. Tell stories about why a person might look (or feel) that way.
Visit a park or some other place where children play. Talk with your child about how other children there might be feeling. If any of them seem sad, talk with your child about how to make them feel better. Ask your child what makes her feel better when she is sad.
The next time your child is sad or disappointed. Let him know that you are noticing that he is sad or disappointed. Hold him, hug him, or just be with him.
Play make-believe with your child. Pretend one of her toys is sad (doll, stuffed animal, superhero, etc.) and act out different ways to comfort the toy. Find ways to act out the comfort that don’t erase the sadness but rather understands and allows the sadness to run its course.

______________________________________________________

MR. ZINGER’S HAT by Cary Fagan

(a story about storytelling)

In MR. ZINGER’S HAT, “Mr. Zinger made up stories.” He suggested there was something inside his hat. He said, “It’s a story. A story trying to get out.” He began to tell Leo a story escaping from his hat. With the help of key questions from Mr. Zinger, Leo began to shape Mr. Zinger’s story into his own clever, imaginative story in which an ordinary ball led to an important friendship. That storytelling experience with Mr. Zinger then led to Leo doing more storytelling with Sophie, a new real friend he had just met.

Things to Think About

There are many good reasons to read stories to your child.
- It can be a “snuggly” time – snuggles are very, very good.
- It teaches words – words are very useful, much better than whining or sulking.
- It is the beginning of learning to read – reading is the basis for all learning.
- It can make your child sleepy – sleep is very, very good.
- It requires paying attention – sticking to your task is necessary for success in life.
- It reduces screen time – allowing your child to learn in other ways.
Reading stories to your child can prepare him to be a good reader himself. Below are some tips for how to read to him to help him become a better reader when he gets to school. (From Child Development, May-June 2012, Volume 83, Number 3, Pages 810-820)
- Point out and talk about the letters on the pages – for example, “Letters go together to make words.” And, “Some words are short (just a few letters) while others are long (many letters).“
- Point out that letters come in different sizes – have her help you pick out the big letters and the small letters.
- Point out that you are going to read from left to right – “First I will read this page, and then the page next to it.”
- Point out that you will read from the top of the page to the bottom of the page.
- Have her help you point to the words as you read them.
- Point out any words included in the pictures (in signs, labels, thought bubbles, or speech bubbles) – “These words tell us what the little boy is having for breakfast. The carton says, ‘Milk.’”

Your child can benefit when he has chances to not only listen to stories, but to also “tell” stories. A child usually can begin telling stories by 2-years-old.
- It can spark his imagination – smart and successful people have great imaginations.
- He can create experiences he may not experience in his real life.
- He can think about how people feel and act and imagine what happens when they act certain ways.
Children telling their own stories:
- Gives them experience pretending.
- Teaches them things they might not otherwise pay attention to – how to safely cross the street, deal with bullies, care for animals.
- Helps them release feelings that otherwise would be confusing and upsetting to them (anger toward a brother or sister, fear of the dark, worry about going to school).
- Can give them an opportunity to be proud of their very own story.
- Allows them to see what happens when people act in different ways with each other – bossy, nice, helpful, mean (especially from ages 3- to 5-years-old).
- Allows them to imagine different ways that people feel – mad, sad, scared, happy – and what they do about it.
- Allows them to think about different occupations and what they are like.
- Requires them to think about things in order (what happens first, second, third) – helping them develop logical thinking.
In most stories first one thing happens then other things happen. Listening to or making up stories can help your child understand cause and effect, which is part of understanding rules and their consequences.

Making the Story Come Alive

Using a story you have read to your child or a story he has made up himself, have him draw, paint, sculpt, dance, sing, or act out things in the story.
Have your child start a story and take turns letting others add to the story. You can do this just the two of you, around the dinner table, or with several playmates.
Have your child and one other person (adult or child) tell a story about the same subject and see how the stories are alike and different.

Welcome to the 2026 PICTURE BOOK CLUB – WEEK SIX

How to participate in Picture Book Club …

Get the suggested books from your library or bookstore (local or online). See 2026 PICTURE BOOK CLUB: COMPLETE LIST OF BOOKS for the list of books suggested for each week.

Before reading each of the weekly books to your child, READ FIRST “Things to Think About.”

Read one or both books to your child as many times through the week as your child wants to hear them and you have time to read.

Consider doing whatever activities you think are appropriate for the age and maturity of your child from “Making the Story Come Alive.”

EVERYONE FEELS SAD SOMETIMES by Dr. Daniela Owen

(a book about feeling sad)

Things to Think About

It’s OK to be sad.

Sadness is not forever.

People can be sad some of the time and still find things to be happy about at other times.

Learning to deal with sadness is an important life lesson.

Replacing what is lost immediately (bicycle, pet, favorite toy) can prevent people from learning how to deal with sadness.

Making the Book Come Alive

Visit a park or some other place where children play. Talk with your child about how other children there might be feeling. If any of them seem sad, talk with your child about how to make them feel better. Ask your child what makes her feel better when she is sad.

The next time your child is sad or disappointed. Let him know that you are noticing that he is sad or disappointed. Hold him, hug him, or just be with him.

Play make-believe with your child. Pretend one of her toys is sad (doll, stuffed animal, superhero, etc.) and act out different ways to comfort the toy. Find ways to act out the comfort that don’t erase the sadness but rather understands and allows the sadness to run its course.

MR. ZINGER’S HAT by Cary Fagan

(a story about storytelling)

Things to Think About

There are many good reasons to read stories to your child.

It can be a “snuggly” time – snuggles are very, very good.

It teaches words – words are very useful, much better than whining or sulking.

It is the beginning of learning to read – reading is the basis for all learning.

It can make your child sleepy – sleep is very, very good.

It requires paying attention – sticking to your task is necessary for success in life.

It reduces screen time – allowing your child to learn in other ways.

Reading stories to your child can prepare him to be a good reader himself. Below are some tips for how to read to him to help him become a better reader when he gets to school. (From Child Development, May-June 2012, Volume 83, Number 3, Pages 810-820)

Point out and talk about the letters on the pages – for example, “Letters go together to make words.” And, “Some words are short (just a few letters) while others are long (many letters).“

Point out that letters come in different sizes – have her help you pick out the big letters and the small letters.

Point out that you are going to read from left to right – “First I will read this page, and then the page next to it.”

Point out that you will read from the top of the page to the bottom of the page.

Have her help you point to the words as you read them.

Point out any words included in the pictures (in signs, labels, thought bubbles, or speech bubbles) – “These words tell us what the little boy is having for breakfast. The carton says, ‘Milk.’”

Your child can benefit when he has chances to not only listen to stories, but to also “tell” stories. A child usually can begin telling stories by 2-years-old.

It can spark his imagination – smart and successful people have great imaginations.

He can create experiences he may not experience in his real life.

He can think about how people feel and act and imagine what happens when they act certain ways.

Children telling their own stories:

Gives them experience pretending.

Teaches them things they might not otherwise pay attention to – how to safely cross the street, deal with bullies, care for animals.

Helps them release feelings that otherwise would be confusing and upsetting to them (anger toward a brother or sister, fear of the dark, worry about going to school).

Can give them an opportunity to be proud of their very own story.

Allows them to see what happens when people act in different ways with each other – bossy, nice, helpful, mean (especially from ages 3- to 5-years-old).

Allows them to imagine different ways that people feel – mad, sad, scared, happy – and what they do about it.

Allows them to think about different occupations and what they are like.

Requires them to think about things in order (what happens first, second, third) – helping them develop logical thinking.

In most stories first one thing happens then other things happen. Listening to or making up stories can help your child understand cause and effect, which is part of understanding rules and their consequences.

Making the Story Come Alive

Using a story you have read to your child or a story he has made up himself, have him draw, paint, sculpt, dance, sing, or act out things in the story.

Have your child start a story and take turns letting others add to the story. You can do this just the two of you, around the dinner table, or with several playmates.

Have your child and one other person (adult or child) tell a story about the same subject and see how the stories are alike and different.

Past 2026 PICTURE BOOK CLUB postings:

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