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The Children’s Book Review | April 8, 2019
Puffy Gets Angry
Written by Rich Pfeiffer, PhD and Susie Post Roberts
Age Range: 4-7
Paperback: 22 pages
Publisher: Growth Publishing (March 15, 2018)
ISBN-13: 978-1893505988
What to expect: Emotions, Anger Management, and Self-awareness
Endorsed by the National Anger Management Association, Puffy Gets Angry is an enjoyable story that encourages readers to pay close attention to their feelings and teaches them how to remain calm during moments of frustration and anger.
As Puffy leaves for school, his mom, knowing that he has a tendency to get angry, reminds him to stay in touch with his feelings. While he is a patient listener in class, he loves recess time and building sandcastles most of all. When his buddy Freddy fish starts to make a different sandcastle than the one Puffy imagined, Puffy begins to feel annoyed—his body begins to puff and his prickles start to stand out. Unfortunately, this scares off his fish friends. That evening, his reassuring mother reminds him to pay attention to his body and the warning signs. She says: “Everyone feels angry at times…It’s how you react that’s important.” They practice some breathing techniques together. But the next day, when Puffy yells at his friend Flora fish for being too messy, Mrs. Fishburn tells Puffy that he has become a problem-maker with his attitude. Puffy’s mom remains calm and constant with her message of being self-aware and remembering to breathe. With this positive reinforcement and practice, Puffy is able to have a positive outcome at school and Mrs. Fishburn recognizes him as a problem-solver.
Using a puffer fish is a brilliant analogy, capturing a visual experience—and one that is easy to connect to—of the stages of anger. The authors effectively showcase anger management in a clear, concise, and kid-friendly way. The digital illustrations echo the words with context and cheery, bright colors. The final page in the book contains useful information for kids (a description of anger and a brief description of how to manage it, as well as facts about puffer fish) and additional resources for parents and caregivers seeking more solutions on anger management.
Puffy Gets Angry is a picture book with a positive and useful purpose—the overall feel of the book is very reassuring. It would make a great addition to a home or classroom library.
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About the Authors
Rich Pfeiffer, PhD is a clinical psychologist who has specialized in anger management. He is the Co-Director and founder of Growth Central and is widely recognized as an expert in anger management.
Susie Post Roberts is a talented creator of stories and has an abiding interest in helping children’s mental health. She is the mother of four successful adult children.
Dedicated Reviews allow authors and illustrators to gain prompt visibility for their work. This is a sponsored*, non-biased review of “Puffy Gets Angry,” by Rich Pfeiffer, PhD and Susie Post Roberts. Learn more about getting a book review …
