Are You Mad at Me?

Colorful, cartoony digital illustrations are lively and endearing; note the enjoyable seek-and-find opportunity at the end.

The bright illustrations, which make great use of Opal's long neck to visualizeher anxiety, offer a chance to find the hidden chameleon throughout the book.

When Opal the ostrich feels anxious, she gets "The Noodles"--her long neck feels as wobbly as cooked spaghetti--and even her loving family's hugs and affirmations can't banish them. Leading up to the Feather Family's annual soiree, Opal's anxieties are focused on her fulfilling a big responsibility: fetching the triple-layer double-custard-beet-and-berry tart that's a mainstay of the celebration. Opal tries to shore herself up with a calming routine--she dons a favorite scarf, gives herself a pep talk, and takes three deep breaths--but every encounter she has en route to Ms. Peanut's Bakery nevertheless sends her into a spiral. Why does Henrietta the leopard speed away without a word? Why does Remington the bat sound so cross? "Are you mad at me?" Opal cries out again and again, only to discover in each scenario that what she has interpreted as other animals' intentional slights are not about her at all. Tyler Feder (Bodies Are Cool) and sister Cody Feder wisely don't try to solve their protagonist's concerns, but by giving anxiety a specific name and reiteratively showing the world to be an essentially benevolent place--portrayed via crisp cartooning in bright pastel colors--they underscore both the bird's bravery and her burgeoning self-knowledge that when the Noodles come, "she would be okay." Ages 5-8. (Sept.)

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

A comforting story about a problem many kids deal with; it reassures them that worries aren't unusual and don't have to feel overwhelming. The authors leave readers with the realistic yet optimistic view that anxiety doesn't disappear altogether but can be confronted through one's own positive outlook and support from family and friends. Colorful, cartoony digital illustrations are lively and endearing; note the enjoyable seek-and-find opportunity at the end. —Kirkus

This gentle bookabout children dealing with anxieties reassures kids that even if they get a case of the Noodles, they will be OK. The bright illustrations, which make great use of Opal's long neck to visualizeher anxiety, offer a chance to find the hidden chameleon throughout the book. —Booklist 

Tyler and Cody Feder collaborate on this sweet and silly picture book that teaches children how to cope with social anxiety. This is an excellent read-aloud to reassure readers that everyone can have a case of The Noodles, and the book has potential for a fun reread to search for Opal's chameleon friend hidden in theillustrations. —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books