Friends and Feelings

Selected for The Children’s Book Council’s September 2024 “Hot Off The Press” Reading List

“I appreciate how the author approached feelings that may appear when a child first enters a new space and meets new people. I love seeing the various emotions that Jack encounters and the way he decides to cope with those feelings. This book not only lets you see how Jack handles his emotions but provides various ways to cope with different feelings and then explains why someone might feel that way. I love that this book provides children with words for the feelings that they may encounter and other scenarios in which those feelings may arise. Final Verdict: Friends and Feelings is part of a book series that teaches children to explore various emotions in ways that are appropriate for children 3 and up. This book is great to read with children as they go to school or with a group of children during the first week of class. This book allows for conversations about feelings and lets children offer examples of what helps them through different situations.” —Adrien Guerra, YA Books Central

Radka Piro is a bookworm, a passionate traveler, and a creative storyteller. After studying foreign languages, she set out to explore the distant corners of the world and discover her true purpose. Now, she is a successful writer and editor, based in the Czech Republic.

Katia Gaigalova was born in 1992 in St. Petersburg, Russia, and currently lives and works in Berlin, Germany. In 2015 she got a degree in ethnography and folk arts. Drawing used to be just a hobby for her, but little by little, it became an important part of her life. She attended classes in academic drawing, design, and computer graphics to learn more about illustration and has created her own style. She has been working as a freelance illustrator since 2018, bringing pages of children’s magazines and books to life with her drawings. In her free time, she enjoys photography, long walks, and exploring new places. Modern graphics, animation, and music are her main source of inspiration, as well as beautiful children’s books.