In November of 1989, a dream I’d conceived became a reality. The ABC Feelings Coloring/Learning book was now in print and I truly believed people would be knocking at my door wanting to buy it for everyone they knew. After all, there was nothing like it in the marketplace. This was a unique concept designed to help children at an early age to learn their feelings and at the same time learn the alphabet. The book was something different, original and oh so necessary. Rather than “a” being associated with an airplane, that first letter could represent the feeling of “accepted.” -- “d’ for disappointed and “i” for important. My product was developed so that as soon as a child could recognize 26 different feelings he/she would be well on the way to realizing an entire spectrum of feelings within them. What a revelation! Give the child a feelings vocabulary and assist that child through the journey to empowerment.


Well the public was far from enamored. In fact, the tone of my cold-calling to stores was predominantly, “don’t call us, we’ll call you.” But would this Capricornian author give in to defeat? Never. My mantra is repeated at appropriate times, “failure is not an option.”


So next came the 60-minute audiotape that was recorded in a large broom closet of an elementary school. Julia and Riley, the two main voices on the ABC Feelings audiotape, were absolutely remarkable in their commitment to this project. I could write an article alone on the stories surrounding Julia’s song, “I Love You No Matter What You Do.” It’s all a child wants to hear and know. In fact, it’s all an adult wants to hear and know.


Several years later, I had the notion that a storybook would be beneficial for the developing reader as well as being an interactive tool for adult and child. The Feelings Storybook was born using the same art but adding colors that all children adore. A short story was created for each feeling word along with a critical thinking question at the bottom of each page. It, along with the narrated audiotape, was well received. To my sheer delight, The Feelings Storybook was awarded The Benjamin Franklin Award. I traveled to Los Angeles to receive it, feeling as though I was holding an Oscar in my hands as I cried through my acceptance speech. “Thank you for recognizing the importance of feelings.”


Frequently, I will read this book at story time in libraries, and I’m told how amazing it is to see the children sit so still, engaged and responsive. I’ve been reading it to my granddaughter since she was two years old. This book, along with her ABC Feelings’ placemat have been excellent teaching tools for her to become connected to the part of her that unfortunately many adults deny or ignore.

It’s not really a big mystery. Just give the child the words to avoid frustration. Cyberspace has a language of it’s own, and if you don’t know it, a variety of emotions can surface. It is no different for a child. Provide the child the words to express themselves with and problems will be minor.


In my opinion, this little book should be a mandatory text for each elementary school teacher. The time is now to teach a child that there is more to feeling than mad, bad, sad and glad.


“My grandson received The Feelings Storybook as a gift. I spent over one hour with him, reading it and answering the questions in the book, which prompted even more. He was rapt. HE noticed the people’s names also began with the same letter. I didn’t. The book works! Congratulations. Nicely done.”

           Laura Lauren, R.N., Author