📖 Overview
Today I Feel is an alphabet book exploring emotions through watercolor illustrations and simple text. Each page pairs a letter with a feeling word, from A to Z.
The illustrations follow a small boy as he experiences different emotional states and moods throughout his day. The artwork uses a muted color palette and clean lines to depict the character's expressions and body language.
Through its presentation of varied emotions, the book creates space for conversations about feelings and self-awareness. The universal nature of these emotional experiences makes the book accessible to readers of all ages while encouraging emotional literacy and acceptance.
👀 Reviews
Readers appreciate this alphabet book's distinctive artistic style and emotional vocabulary. Parents note it helps children identify and discuss their feelings, with one calling it "a springboard for conversations about emotions."
Positives:
- Watercolor illustrations that capture moods
- Simple yet sophisticated art style
- Teaches emotional awareness
- Works for various ages, from toddlers to adults
- Short enough for bedtime reading
Negatives:
- Some find the emotions too abstract for young children
- Several reviewers mention confusion over the letter J being omitted
- A few note the book ends abruptly
Ratings:
Goodreads: 4.1/5 (1,200+ ratings)
Amazon: 4.7/5 (500+ ratings)
Barnes & Noble: 4.8/5 (50+ ratings)
Multiple reviewers call out specific illustrations as favorites, particularly "Brave" (depicted as a child facing ocean waves) and "Mysterious" (showing a child in a fox mask). Parents of 2-5 year olds report the most satisfaction with the book.
📚 Similar books
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A collection of metaphors helps children identify and understand their emotions through simple illustrations and comparisons to everyday objects and experiences.
The Color Monster by Anna Llenas A monster learns to sort and understand different feelings by associating them with colors in a story that introduces emotional awareness.
How Do You Feel? by Anthony Browne A chimp demonstrates various emotions through facial expressions and body language in direct illustrations that connect feelings to physical manifestations.
The Way I Feel by Janan Cain Children encounter common emotions through rhyming text and expressive characters who experience feelings in relatable situations.
My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss Different colors represent changing moods and feelings through abstract creatures and landscapes in this exploration of emotional states.
The Color Monster by Anna Llenas A monster learns to sort and understand different feelings by associating them with colors in a story that introduces emotional awareness.
How Do You Feel? by Anthony Browne A chimp demonstrates various emotions through facial expressions and body language in direct illustrations that connect feelings to physical manifestations.
The Way I Feel by Janan Cain Children encounter common emotions through rhyming text and expressive characters who experience feelings in relatable situations.
My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss Different colors represent changing moods and feelings through abstract creatures and landscapes in this exploration of emotional states.
🤔 Interesting facts
🎨 This imaginative alphabet book features 26 distinct emotions, each beautifully illustrated in watercolor and matched to a letter of the alphabet.
📚 The book explores complex feelings like "inventive" and "quiet," moving beyond basic emotions typically found in children's books.
🌍 Originally published in Portugal under the title "Hoje Sinto-Me...," the book has been translated into multiple languages and gained international acclaim.
🎯 Madalena Moniz uses a single character throughout the book—a small boy who demonstrates each emotion—creating continuity and allowing young readers to identify with the protagonist.
✨ The illustrations combine realistic elements with whimsical, surreal touches, such as the boy swimming in a teacup for "patient" and floating with balloons for "light."