Picture Book Review: Allie All Along

Synopsis: “‘Allie’s crayon broke.
I blinked.
She was suddenly . . .
furious, fuming, frustrated . . .’
Have you ever felt mad enough to stomp, smash, and crash? Allie has! Meet one angry little girl and see how she calms down, bit by bit—with the help of her understanding big brother.

Poor Allie! She’s in a rage, throwing a tantrum, and having a fit! Her emotions have built and built and now they just burst. Is there a sweet little girl hiding somewhere under all the angry layers? And can her big brother find a way to make things all right again? In the tradition of When Sophie Gets Angry—Really, Really Angry and Sometimes I’m Bombaloo, Allie All Along explores simple ways kids can center themselves in the face of overwhelming emotions. The illustrations’ varying hues and vibrant colors capture the powerful feelings that young children can’t always express in words.

Review: Wow! What can you say about a book that perfectly describes what it feels like when you’re so, so angry! It’s chock full of amazing synonyms and what’s more amazing coping mechanisms for kids to use when they feel these intense, strong and sometimes explainable feelings. I was just recently in a meeting where we were discussing how you hear more and more often that kids are having trouble managing their emotions, finding coping mechanisms for feelings and really understanding what and how to deal with emotions on a daily basis. I also loved how the illustrations take Allie’s anger and strip it away, bit by bit, color by color until her brother finally finds Allie hiding in there all along. This is the perfect book to share with kids of all ages! Pair it with My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss for a great discussion on overwhelming and perfectly acceptable emotions to manage.

Twitter Booktalk (280ish characters or less): Understanding and managing strong emotions is a skill that most kids don’t know, but read Allie All Along and you’ll find amazing coping mechanisms and a wonderful visualization of anger and understanding!

Title: Allie All Along
Author: Sarah Lynne Reul
Illustrator: Sarah Lynne Reul
Publisher: Sterling Publishing
Publication Date: August 7, 2018
Page Number: 40 pgs.