Today I Feel Silly and Other Moods That Make My Day (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "Today I feel silly..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Jamie Lee Curtis has starred in many movies, but she says that the children's books she has written mean more to her than any of her films. She and artist Laura Cornell have previously collaborated on two bestselling books: Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born and When I Was Little: A Four-Year-Old's Memoir of Her Youth. This time, we follow a little girl with curly red hair through 13 different moods, beginning with silly: "Today I feel silly. / Mom says it's the heat. I put rouge on the cat / and gloves on my feet." Of course, silly soon turns to grumpy and mean... to excited... to confused, and so on. Recognizing one's own mood swings is a developmental milestone, one that some adults haven't yet mastered! Cornell's watercolor illustrations--wildly expressive and energetic--effectively capture the volatility of our redheaded star. Whether she is happy or mad or dancing a solo in jazz, she is always "full of pizzazz," and this book is, too. A clever mood wheel on the last page allows young readers to change the little girl's expression--both her eyes and mouth. This is silly fun with a smart lesson for children from ages 4 to 8. --Marcie Bovetz --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly

Fans of Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born and When I Was Little may be disappointed in this third offering from the talented duo, which looks at the wide range of human emotions. A dynamic girl describes a different "feeling" per day?13 in all?and the ways in which each manifests itself ("Today I feel silly./ Mom says it's the heat./ I put rouge on the cat/ and gloves on my feet"). Curtis relays her upbeat message ("Moods are just something that happen each day./ Whatever I'm feeling inside is okay!") in verse that is largely sprightly, but doesn't always reflect the changes in mood that occur during the course of the day the girl describes. For example, "Today I am quiet, my mom understands./ She gave me two ice creams and then we held hands./ We went to the movies and then had a bite./ I cried just a little and then felt all right," suggests a variety of feelings other than simply "quiet." Occasionally rhyming couplets take the facile route ("Today I'm discouraged and frustrated?see?/ I tried Rollerblading and fell on my knee"), and the repetitive, driving rhythm doesn't allow the words to soar the way the illustrations do. The puckish artwork, still vintage Cornell, stars a curly red-headed girl whose near-neon surroundings (hot pink, lime green, fiery orange) change in intensity according to the emotion she expresses. A "mood wheel" (for readers to hone in their feelings) rounds out this amiable enough outing that, despite its missteps, may get readers talking about their own emotional swings. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover
• Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books (August 30, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0694013439
• ISBN-13: 978-0694013432
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (91 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #8,360,665 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect "ice breaker" for conversations about kid's feelings, July 9, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Today I Feel Silly: And Other Moods That Make My Day (Hardcover)

My family had been under quite a bit of stress recently. My husband's job promotion required us to relocate over 300 miles away from extended family; therefore this move was bittersweet. And, shortly after we were adjusting to our new home, our dog was run over by a car and killed instantly in front of our eyes. These two major changes in the lives of two small children, 2 and 4 year-old, stirred up a variety of feelings and moods that we needed to talk about. My husband and I are so greatful that this wonderful book, "Today I Feel Silly..." was suggested to read with our children in the recommended book listing included in the last chapter of "The Pocket Parent". Ms. Curtis explains that everyone has feelings that can change each day, from silly to angry to sad to glad. My kids love the fun verse and the lively illustrations that clearly demonstrate it's OK to have all kinds of feeings. The kids especially enjoy taking turns changing the facial expressions of the charcte! r on the mood-wheel to match how they are feeling at the moment. We identify the good and bad feelings with the correct word as they come up. I was amazed when my 2-year-old made a very unhappy face and blurted out, "I sad Mommy, miss Grandma." This book helps us acknowledge and talk further about our feelings when necessary. The kids ask to read it often. We highly recommend this book as well as "The Pocket Parent" to help address your concerns relating to young children in just the right way.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's a Wonderful Way To Address Children's Feelings., October 3, 1999

By	Marcia Trimble ([e-mail]) (Los Altos Hills, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Today I Feel Silly: And Other Moods That Make My Day (Hardcover)

The illustrations of TODAY I FEEL SILLY AND OTHER MOODS THAT MAKE MY DAY are wonderful for the child who cannot yet read or who is independently spending a lot of time looking at the pictures. The moods jump right out of the pages and allow the child to relate to the feelings he or she might have and learn that they are normal feelings. Another title, THE SMILING STONE, also available from amazon.com, would be appreciated by teachers looking for books that build self-esteem for their theme lesson of feelings and emotions. It differs from "Silly Moods" in that it is about a single emotion but it is similar in that the child can have the feeling, too, as the book ends with the simple verse, "YOUR SMILE casts forever a beam of light". Children will be lucky to have teachers who pick these titles for their lessons and parents and children will have a starter library on this important subject.

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for kindergarten and first grade!, July 7, 2000

By	Sonya (Mississippi-USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Today I Feel Silly: And Other Moods That Make My Day (Hardcover)

This is a book about feelings and emotions. The main character is a little girl. The book follows her daily experiences, along with charting how she feels throughout these events. Feelings such as silly, angry, sad, confused, and excited are mentioned, along with events which trigger these emotions. At the end of the book, there is a page which says, "How do you feel today?" On the page opposite this, you will find an interactive page, in which the child can change the eyes and mouth of the picture to depict his/her feelings at that moment. It is an absolutely wonderful book. The illustrations are OUTSTANDING! They really bring the book to life! You will find yourself reading this book over and over again. It discusses family life and everyday events, which happen on a daily basis. Children can relate to this book because of this. They can use their background knowledge to relate the events in the book to the events in their lives. They can also compare her feelings to their own, and realize that everyone has feelings. This is a wonderful book to share with children and adults of all ages. I would definetely recommend this book to anyone.