Ruby Finds a Worry (Big Bright Feelings)

by Tom Percival (Author)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

From the creator of Perfectly Norman comes a sensitive and reassuring story about what to do when a worry won't leave you alone.

Meet Ruby--a happy, curious, imaginative girl. But one day, she finds something unexpected: a Worry.

It's not such a big Worry, at first. But every day, it grows a little bigger . . . And a little bigger . . . Until eventually, the Worry is ENORMOUS and is all she can think about.

But when Ruby befriends a young boy, she discovers that everyone has worries, and not only that, there's a great way to get rid of them too . . .

This perceptive and poignant story is the perfect springboard for talking to children about emotional intelligence and sharing hidden anxieties.

The Big Bright Feelings picture books provide kid-friendly entry points into emotional intelligence topics--from being true to yourself, to worrying, to anger management, to making friends. These topics can be difficult to talk about. But these books act as sensitive and reassuring springboards for conversations about mental and emotional health, positive self-image, building self-confidence, and managing feelings.

Read all the books in the Big Bright Feelings series!

  • Perfectly Norman
  • Ruby Finds a Worry
  • Ravi's Roar
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Publishers Weekly

A girl named Ruby, clad in polka-dots and wearing puffy pigtails, loves to visit "wild, faraway places" and swing on a swing. But while in a peaceful, wild garden, she's unexpectedly visited by "a Worry"-- a floating ball of yellow scribbles with anxious eyes and a furrowed brow. In Percival's subtle art, featuring ashy and pale yellow tones, it starts out small, but "then the Worry started to grow." Ruby tries to ignore it, but the Worry is there as she works on art projects and brushes her teeth; at school, it stops "her from doing the things that she loved." Eventually she realizes that others have Worries, too. Percival treats worry like a natural part of life, including the idea that sharing worries with others is a good way to ensure "they never hung around for long." Ages 3-6. (Sept.)

Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"Focuses on the socio-emotional health of children . . . providing a window for discussions about fear and anxiety." - Booklist, on RUBY FINDS A WORRY

"A priceless lesson for any child-or adult-conveyed in a beautifully child-friendly manner . . . A valuable asset to the library of a child who experiences anxiety and a great book to get children talking about their feelings." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Percival treats worry like a natural part of life, including the idea that sharing worries with others is a good way to ensure "they never hung around for long."" —Publishers Weekly

"A captivating tale about happiness, being yourself, and the magic of learning to spread your wings and fly." —Foreword Reviews, starred review, on PERFECTLY NORMAN

"The message of acceptance . . . is presented in a child-appropriate and thoughtful manner." —Booklist on PERFECTLY NORMAN

"An ideal selection for storytimes." —School Library Journal on PERFECTLY NORMAN

"Percival's message is emphasized through the canny use of color as a storytelling mechanism: Norman's world is in greyscale . . . As the wings come out, Norman and everything he's near turns technicolor." —Publishers Weekly on PERFECTLY NORMAN

"The contrast of black-and-white illustrations with splashes of bright color complements the story's theme. . . . A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance." —Kirkus Reviews on PERFECTLY NORMAN

Tom Percival

Tom Percival is the author and illustrator of the Big Bright Feelings picture books -- including Ruby Finds a Worry, Ravi's Roar, Perfectly Norman, and Tilda Tries Again -- in addition to Herman's Letter, Herman's Vacation, and Bubble Trouble. He is also the author of Goat's Coat. He writes and illustrates in his native United Kingdom where he lives in a town called Stroud with his family.
tom-percival.com

Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781547607242
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Publication date
August 03, 2021
Series
Big Bright Feelings
BISAC categories
JUV039060 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Friendship
JUV039050 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Emotions & Feelings
Library of Congress categories
Worry

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