"My First Emotions" Book Series is Great for Helping Toddlers Understand Feelings

Disclosure: I received a set of My First Emotions books for free from Clever Publishing to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Affiliate links are also used in this post. You can read my full disclosure here. 



I was so excited when Clever Publishing contacted me asking if I would like to receive review copies of their new book series, My First Emotions by Jane Kent. Our 2-year-old is just starting to realize she has feelings, sometimes big feelings, and I believe these books are a great way to begin helping her learn and understand what she is feeling. 

My daughter absolutely adored the animal characters and the bright, cheery colors. She will even page through them on her own and point out the animals and colors.

I enjoy reading them to her and teaching her along the way why Robbie the Tiger is angry or why Tommy the Elephant is feeling sad. I'm hoping she'll be able to pick up on the words for these emotions so she can use them too when she experiences these emotions, and these board books are a great way to start!



The My First Emotions series consists of:

  1. I Feel Happy
  2. I Feel Angry
  3. I Feel Sad
  4. I Feel Loved

All four books are geared for ages 0 to 3 and teach common early emotions that toddlers begin to feel. They are sturdy board books, so perfect for toddlers! They all feature cute animals, with bright and colorful illustrations by Samantha Walshaw. Each book focuses on a different emotion and has a different main animal character, which I will go over in more detail below:

I Feel Happy


"I Feel Happy" features a happy hippo named Rose. Rose feels so happy when her bear friend, Kate, gives her a present that she wants to make Kate feel happy too.

This adorable board book is a great way to introduce your child to the feeling "happy" and to learn how they can make others happy too.

I Feel Angry


In "I Feel Angry," a tiger cub named Robbie, becomes upset when none of his friends will share their toys. He gets so angry he throws a toy teacup on the floor. His bunny friend, Lily, offers him a healthier way to deal with his anger by saying when she's upset, she takes a deep breath and counts to ten. Robbie gives it a try and feels better, and Lily invites him to her tea party.

This cute Tiger book is a great way to give your child the words they need so they express when they are feeling mad or angry. It also shows what often happens when we get upset (throw or break things) and provides a better, more effective option for expressing their feelings (counting to ten).

I Feel Sad


In "I Feel Sad," a blue elephant named Tommy is excited to spend the day with his best friend, but unfortunately, his friend gets sick and can't come over. Tommy's mom lets him know it's okay to feel sad and spends the day with him. Tommy feels better later after having a fun day with his mom and makes his best friend a get well card.

This board book is great for teaching toddlers the feeling sad and that it is okay to feel sad. It also shows that sadness doesn't last forever. After having a fun day with his mom, Tommy went from sad to happy. 

I Feel Loved


"I Feel Loved," features an adorable puppy named Libby. Libby goes to the park with her mom and along the way discovers all the things her mom does for her and feels loved. 

A great board book for showing toddlers what love is and helping them understand what it means to feel loved.