Review: The Worrysaurus picture book for reassuring anxious children

In the past few years, one of my favourite picture book authors has been Rachel Bright, the author behind beautiful tales such as The Way Home for Wolf. Her touching, rhyming texts trigger my emotions, and I think her underlying messages can make the stories relevant for both young and old.

And Bright’s latest book is no exception.

The Worrysaurus (Orchard Books, £12.99), which we received to review, is a picture book that tells the story about a likeable Worrysaurus who’s planning a special picnic in the sun, but soon starts worrying about everything that could go wrong, such as the weather changing.

With a rhyming text and charming illustrations by Chris Chatterton, The Worrysaurus is a moving picture book covering the timely topic of feeling anxious. In my view, the innocent story can be used as a starting point for conversations about worries and how fears can sometimes prevent us from enjoying something that could have been a wonderful experience.

I would recommend the book to families with children who might at times be worried or overthinking–even if the children have recently grown out of picture books.

I think the reassuring tale about the cute Worrysaurus could play a part in helping young worriers better understand their feelings and remember the importance of looking at what is the actual situation at this moment in time: Is it raining right now, or is it sunny right now? Should we worry about the potential risk of future rain, or should we enjoy the sunshine?

The Worrysaurus was published on 14 November 2019, and the paperback publishing date is 20 February 2020.

Tags: Children's books, Orchard Books, Picture books, Rachel Bright