Book cover of The Way I Feel

Book description

Feelings are neither good nor bad, they simply are. Kids need words to name their feelings, just as they need words to name all things in their world. The Way I Feel uses strong, colorful, and expressive images which go along with simple verses to help children connect the word…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

2 authors picked The Way I Feel as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

I am absolutely enamored with the illustrations by Janan Cain in this book. They give me the same whimsical feeling I would get as a child reading A Bad Case of the Stripes. There is a softness in the colors and visual elements that really lends itself to the content of the book. Each emotion is touched on without judgment, just presenting its qualities. It is almost like a dictionary of feelings, which can be helpful for parents starting discussions around emotions. I could also see this book being so helpful for neuro-divergent children in acting out and identifying…

My daughter sometimes struggles with expressing her emotions, and has made a fun game with this book. Rhyming couplets and over-the-top drawings on each page describe a feeling. My daughter likes to read the description of each feeling without saying the feeling, and we have to guess, for example, “____________ is the way I feel when I make a funny face…” Even “negative” feelings like scared, angry, and disappointed are made accessible with light-hearted text and illustrations. This book has been a favorite in our house for years, and has been a great tool for discussing those hard to talk…

If you love The Way I Feel...

Book cover of December on 5C4

December on 5C4 by Adam Strassberg,

Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!

On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…

Want books like The Way I Feel?

Our community of 13,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like The Way I Feel.

Browse books like The Way I Feel

Book cover of Breathe Like a Bear
Book cover of My Three Best Friends and Me, Zulay
Book cover of The First Drawing

Share your top 3 reads of 2026!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

181

readers submitted
so far, will you?

📚 If you like The Way I Feel, you might also like...

Book cover of Child of Vanris

Child of Vanris by Nikki McCormack,

At five years old, Kasiel was found with the pointed ends of his ears cut off. Despite that brutal start, he’s lived twelve peaceful years with the man who took him in. Keeping his hair long over his mutilated ears helps him hide the fact that he is Vanrian, a…

Book cover of Almost Home

Almost Home by Howard Means,

Almost Home is a fictional retelling of the last great tragedy of the Civil War.

In late April 1865, almost 2,000 newly freed Union prisoners of war are packed onto the steamer Sultana, in poor repair and with a listed capacity of 376 passengers. Among them are four Indiana soldiers…

5 book lists we think you will like!