I LOVED this book and will be pre-ordering one for my son as well as copies for gifts. As someone who has struggled with anxiety since childhood, this book was like a healing balm. It features caring adults who affirm the scariness of the child’s feelings without adding fire to the flame of their fears. It even includes a recipe for the soup that’s used in the story as a sort of tool to calm Kit. I’m thrilled to see this coming from a Christian publisher. It’s so refreshing when mental health struggles are acknowledged and dealt with in ways that don’t ONLY include “just trust God!” 5 shining stars!

We all have to face anxiety and fears. For children that don’t yet understand those feelings this can be scary moments . Sometimes they need that extra help to get through. This book by Chris and Erin Wheeler is a great example. This little adventure is about Kit who has moved with her family to a new home. She decided to explore the neighborhood but along her way lost her prize possession, her little notebook. This is where she writes all her feelings and things down . While looking for her notebook she discovers new friends and new ways to learn to calm the anxiety and the fear she has to face. They can be simple ways like a breathing exercise when she smelled the warm soup. I loved how the book shows children how to find calming ways to handle their fear and their anxiety in things they do everyday. It teaches them to use all of their senses in different ways to handle what they may face. We received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and I am so thankful. This will be a book we buy to add to our shelf. It was great for teaching my 4 year old how to calm down and work through problems. He struggles with anxiety and this story along with brillent, calm illustrations was the perfect way to show him just how to do it. Well written and relatable made all the difference in the world.

It’s Kit’s first day in her new neighborhood. She makes new friends and loses her notebook. She is so anxious about this. Mrs. G helps her cope with this feeling by having her help make soup and then eat it. Definitely an icebreaker to have a conversation about anxiety with a child. The delicious soup recipe is included. Great illustrations. Highly recommend this story especially if your little one experiences anxiety as we all do at one time or another. This is my honest review of this ARC.

The illustrations are so cute!! You root for Kit and helping them get over their anxious thoughts. This would be a great classroom read aloud before a big test. Also, for a home library to read when something big is coming up.

I loved this book. I have not come across too many books about anxiety for kids and this one was great. It showed how she handled things and some good things that happened along the way as well.
The book was very descriptive in the making of the soup and the feelings Kit had. It was great!

This was such a sweet read and one I look forward to purchasing someday and reading to my toddler when she's at the right age to be experiencing anxiety and understanding what the message of the book is trying to get across. I love that the author created these characters to help his own daughter and family through those big emotions we all experience no matter our age, and I could definitely imagine using this story as a way to showcase how we can all take a deep breath and come together to help each other feel better.

Not only was this a charming story about helping a child deal with anxiety, I also liked the “magic soup” recipe! The authors seem familiar with breathing techniques and using the body’s senses to reconnect with reality when feeling anxious. This would be a reassuring book to read aloud to a nervous child … and then feed them a bowl of homemade soup.