Book Review: "God I feel Scared"

Kids have big feelings, but none of their feelings are too big for God. In this picture book from licensed counselor Michelle Nietert and Tama Fortner, young readers will explore what it means to feel scared and discover how to manage their emotions in a healthy way.

Scared is a feeling that can be hard to face, but if we listen to it, we can learn things about ourselves. In God, I Feel Scared, children will discover that it’s okay to be scared and that God is with us in all things, including fear. With simple, accessible text, scared becomes an emotion that kids don’t need to avoid and instead something they can use to better understand themselves and grow closer to God. The bright, emotive art by Nomar Perez will draw kids in, and a note in the back provides tips and techniques parents and caregivers can use to help young children process their feelings in a beneficial way.

God, I Feel Scared teaches kids ages 4 to 8 how to:

• Identify the feeling of fear and recognize things that can make them feel scared
• See signs of fear in others
• Develop techniques to manage fear
• Embrace fear and new experiences without letting it overwhelm them
• Talk to God about their feelings

God, I Feel Scared is perfect for:

• Helping young kids develop positive ways to manage and name their feelings
• Children dealing with changing emotions, new experiences, or anxiety
• Family read-aloud time
• Supporting good communication and mental health habits at an early age

Check out the other picture book in the God, I Feel series—God, I Feel Sad.

My Review

Currently I am a behavior special ed teacher so I can appreciate all books that talk about emotions.   I love that this book will point kids to God.  I think one of the hardest emotions to share and discuss is the feeling of scared.    

Right away the book states that God gives emotions!  Emotions are a part of our soul because our soul is our mind, will, and emotions.   

Next the book starts to discuss when scared feelings come.  I really like that because sometimes scared feelings are worries and sometimes worries are lies.  As a parent this would be a good opportunity to talk about how our mind likes to run with stories and we have to take our mind captive and have it agree with God so we don't start fabricating these vain imaginations or scary situations.  Then it talks about trying new things can be scary, to it being scary if someone is sick, or when you are alone to even tummy aches!   

The book shows good examples of faces that look scared and even what your reaction might be to scared feelings!   Then the book does practice taking a deep breath which is a great coping skill for parents and kids both to practice while reading this book.   

The book ends with a powerful verse that I often recite!   Timothy 1:7 God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of sound mind.   

I look forward to adding more of these emotion books to my library!  Go get yours today!