Walter Was Worried

Laura Vaccaro Seeger's "Walter Was Worried" is a brilliant concept book that uses typography and illustration to literally spell out characters' emotions on their faces. As a thunderstorm approaches and passes, young readers meet Walter (worried), Priscilla (puzzled), Frederick (frightened), and others, each embodying their feeling through the very letters that form their expressions. This book is a wonderful tool for normalizing a spectrum of emotions, from anxiety and fear to hope and joy. It encourages discussion about how feelings look and feel, and how they can change, making it perfect for children aged 4-8.

Opposite the simple declarative sentence, "Walter was worried" is a portrait of a very worried Walter. But wait! The letters that spell out his feelings form his facial characteristics, as well as his expression. Gradually a simple story unfolds: the sky grows dark, the fog rolls in, lightning lights the sky, and thunder shakes the trees; Priscilla was puzzled, Shirley was shocked, Frederick was frightened... and eventually (when the sun came out) Henry was hopeful, and Elliot ecstatic. This title has Common Core connections.