Breathe Deep, Little Sheep

February 15, 2021
Small animals deal with anxiety. The book stumbles at the beginning by positioning a feeling as something to be avoided. Rather than inviting readers to acknowledge and sit with whatever they're feeling, the narrator admonishes the puppy cowering under its bed: "Don't be nervous." Rhyming text proceeds to tackle circumstances that may provoke anxiety in children (loud storms, fear of joining in with others) as well as general anxiety responses like a racing heart and being out of breath. Practical steps on how to deal with anxiety are presented, including breathing exercises, mantras, breaking problems down into steps, and more. The book unfolds in a pattern, one double-page spread introducing the anxiety-producing scenario and the next offering the coping strategy: imagining a flowery field during a thunderstorm, joining in the fun sliding on ice, etc. All of the scenarios feature small animals (penguins, a hedgehog, a bunny, and so forth) who are depicted in colorful scenes with minimal details and unencumbered backgrounds, making it easy to focus on the text and the emotions of the characters without distractions. Though the opening merits unpacking, the rest of the book may be a useful tool to help guide younger readers through bouts with anxiety. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10.3-by-20.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at 29.2% of actual size.) Not a stand-alone but a complement to other books on anxiety. (note) (Picture book. 2-4)

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