Friday Finds: 'When Miles Got Mad'

Let's talk feelings for a moment. You know, those big swells of emotion that sometimes inspire your little one to stomp, shout or *eek* hit?

What I loved about CC's preschool was its major focus on the kids using their words instead of doing things like hitting, kicking or biting when they got upset. And that's exactly what the book When Miles Got Mad ($12.95) spotlights.

In the book, from The Mother Company, Miles is playing with his little brother Max, when Max breaks his toy airplane. This, of course, makes Miles very angry, and he yells at little Max. In fact, he gets so mad that instead of his regular reflection in the mirror, he sees a red monster with horns instead.

The red monster tells Miles to try hitting a pillow. No dice. But when Miles starts talking to the monster about why he's mad, slowly but surely his anger gets less and less intense. A great lesson for little kids, who sometimes don't know what to do with all of that emotion.

Not to mention a great vocabulary-builder to boot!

I received a review copy of the book and have been reading it to CC every day since. And she's the one who's been asking to read it over and over again.

I think she likes that the book is honest about kids and their emotions. Yes, kids have them! The feelings are validated, but it's the actions that need to be considered. And CC gets that.

There's a problem, but there's also a solution.

I've been so proud of CC for using her words when she gets upset. She's not afraid to say what she's feeling. And while she doesn't hit, she has turned her back on me, crossed her arms and frowned. But it's books like this one that lets kids know -- through words and adorable illustrations -- that it's OK to get mad, but talking it over will make you feel better in the end.

And isn't that what they really want anyway?