Book Title: Wemberly Worried
Illustrator/Photographer/Artist: Kevin Henkes
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Copyright Date: 2000
Genre: Modern fantasy picturebook
Brief Annotation: Wemberly is a young mouse who worries about everything! Although Wemberly’s parents and grandmother try to ease her fears by offering support and reassurance, she still worries constantly. When Wemberly starts school, she worries more than ever before and finds herself faced with an abundance of new fears. She meets a new friend and discovers how fun school can be, especially when she is too busy to worry!
Your Rating (1-5) and why: 4.5—I enjoyed this sweet story about a mouse with anxieties—it was funny and instilled a nice message without being too forward in its moral. It’s a simple story that many children will relate to and find entertaining. The illustrations are also a lot of fun; I especially enjoyed the depictions of Wemberly’s grandmother. She is pictured wearing rollerblades while holding a cane and sporting a shirt that declares: “Go with the flow” in one scene, and in another she’s wearing high-tops and pointing with her cane to a sign that says, “Take it as it comes.”
Readers who will like this book: Children who are feeling anxious or worried about something, particularly starting school; adults looking for a good book to use to help a child overcome his or her fears; primary teachers looking for an appropriate and relatable read aloud for the first day of school.
Question to ask about this book before a read aloud: Have you ever been worried about something? What do you worry about? How do you cope with your feelings?
Optional, but noted as extra effort:
1. Interest Level (age): Kindergarten—grade 2
2. Grade Level Equivalent (grade): 2.1
3. List awards: ALA Notable Children’s Book, IRA/CBC Children’s Choice, IRA/CBC Teachers’ Choice, Parenting Magazine Reading Magic, Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Books, School Library Journal Best Children’s Books
4. Book trailer: None
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