When Sadness Is at Your Door -- Eva Eland, Hardcover

A comforting primer in emotional literacy and mindfulness that suggests we approach the feeling of sadness as if it is our guest.

Sadness can be scary and confusing at any age When we feel sad, especially for long periods of time, it can seem as if the sadness is a part of who we are--an overwhelming, invisible, and scary sensation.

In When Sadness Is at Your Door, Eva Eland brilliantly approaches this feeling as if it is a visitor. She gives it a shape and a face, and encourages the reader to give it a name, all of which helps to demystify it and distinguish it from ourselves. She suggests activities to do with it, like sitting quietly, drawing, and going outside for a walk. The beauty of this approach is in the respect the book has for the feeling, and the absence of a narrative that encourages the reader to get over it or indicates that it's bad, both of which are anxiety-producing notions.

Simple illustrations that recall the classic style of Crockett Johnson (Harold and the Purple Crayon) invite readers to add their own impressions.

Eva Eland's debut picture book is a great primer in mindfulness and emotional literacy, perfect for kids navigating these new feelings--and for adult readers tackling the feelings themselves

Author: Eva Eland
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Published: 01/29/2019
Pages: 32
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.70lbs
Size: 9.50h x 8.60w x 0.40d
ISBN: 9780525707189
Audience: Ages 4-8

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 1.9
Point Value: 0.5
Interest Level: Lower Grade
Quiz #/Name: 501300 / When Sadness Is at Your Door


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 11/01/2018 pg. 81
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 12/01/2018
School Library Journal 12/01/2018 pg. 66
Publishers Weekly 12/24/2018
Booklist 01/01/2019 pg. 95
Hornbook Guide to Children 07/01/2019 - Recommended, Satisfactory

About the Author
EVA ELAND Eva Eland is a Dutch author and illustrator who lives in the UK. She earned an MA with distinction in children's book illustration from the prestigious Cambridge School of Art, and has also studied at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy and the School of Visual Arts in New York. When Sadness is at Your Door is her first picture book. Eva grew up in Delft, Netherlands, and now lives in Cambridge, UK with her fiancé.
Visit her @evaeland.com, and follow her on Instagram and Twitter at @evaeland.