I'm Worried (I'm...)

PreS-Gr 2--An anxious brown potato tells his friends--a little girl and a pink flamingo--that he is plagued with worries about the future. Aliens, clowns, volcanoes, pop quizzes, meteors...he is sure that something bad is just around the corner. But instead of reassurance, the wise child admits, "nobody knows what's going to happen," which causes their fine feathered friend to utter, "Um, now I'M worried." The level-headed girl points out that even though bad things have indeed happened to them all, "over time they turned out okay." Not convinced, both the spud and bird wrap themselves in bubble wrap, which turns out to be yet "another bad thing." The child then explains that worrying doesn't help, and that they should both learn to "enjoy the now." Relieved, Potato realizes "Enjoying the now is way better than worrying about the future!" Minimal text and improbable, yet sympathetic characters offer a humorous solution to a serious problem. Worriers of all ages will embrace the catchphrase, "enjoy the now" and learn that when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Large, bold, digitally rendered illustrations appear on oversized pages against a white background. All three characters wear their emotions on their sleeves. Share with Kevin Henkes's Wemberly Worried for a lighthearted look at a common concern. VERDICT A fun, reassuring storytime selection or one-on-one read for overly anxious children.--Barbara Auerbach, Cairo Public Library, NY

Potato, a character that resembles a ball of brown clay with a wobbly mouth and fretful eyes, is worried about the future: "Because what if something BAD happens?" A sensitive girl, who helped Potato to overcome boredom in companion book I'm Bored, comforts and supports her friend. An unruly spread rendered in minty green ink shows Potato's worst-case scenarios unfolding simultaneously (an erupting volcano, an alien chef holding a "Potato Recipes" book, a T. rex in pursuit of a fearful clown). Potato's anxiety is contagious: "Um, now I'M worried," Flamingo says. The girl is pragmatic but gentle as she explains to Potato and Flamingo that life is filled with unexpected events and that many turn out okay in the end. Learning to "enjoy the now" may seem like a simplistic solution to handling life's inevitable stressors, but readers who put it into practice will likely find it empowering. Ages 4-8. (June)