I’ve been slowly listening to this super thought-provoking book about surrendering to your feelings instead of distracting yourself (hello nightly cocktails, hello wayyyy too many podcasts filling every moment of silence). The premise is that if you take time to sit in your feelings, you will live your life with more clarity and resonance. It’s got me thinking about how we teach our kids about their feelings, especially anger and frustration.

I’m still grappling with how and when to encourage my kids to express their big feelings. I’d love to raise them in an accepting, patient, judgment-free home, but listening to a thirty-minute tantrum is exceptionally depleting after a long day at work (or, anytime, really). So, at a loss and already overloaded on parenting books, I searched for the best picture books for kids about feelings. Here are our current favorites, all four-year-old approved.