A gorgeously illustrated, sparingly written story about the often complicated feelings brought on by anxiousness, perfect for helping young readers identify this complex emotion.

The little girl in this picture book would love to dance, sing, and play with her friends, but she is struggling with anxious feelings that get in the way. Sometimes she feels scared and sometimes she feels shy. Sometimes the world seems too loud, too fast, and everything is so overwhelming she could just scream. There is no easy fix for feeling anxious, but by the end of this story she learns to ask for help and finds small ways to feel better.

Written from a child’s perspective, Anxious pairs evocative art with simple text to illustrate some of the ways anxiousness can be experienced, providing an empathetic and compassionate framework for helping readers understand this feeling.

A note to readers adds context and explains in more detail what anxiousness can look like, provides suggestions for coping skills, and resources for professional help.