The Colour Monster: Celebrating 10 years of The Colour Monster!

I bought this book for our five-year-old daughter, who had been struggling a little with understanding and expressing her emotions and sometimes keeping things bottled up. What works particularly well with this book is the way it links emotions to colours. Each feeling – happy, sad, angry, calm and scared – is shown as a different coloured version of the Colour Monster, which makes it very easy for children to recognise and talk about how they are feeling. For our daughter this has been genuinely helpful. Being able to point to the colours and the different expressions has helped her explain what mood she is in, and it’s starting to help her deal with those feelings rather than just getting overwhelmed. The illustrations are bright and engaging, and the story is short and simple enough to hold a young child’s attention. It’s also a book that naturally leads into conversations about feelings after you’ve finished reading it. The board book format is sturdy, with thick pages that are easy for younger children to handle. I’ve included a couple of photos so you can see the illustration style and page layout, which are colourful and very clear for children to follow. Overall this is a lovely and genuinely useful book for helping young children understand their emotions, and it’s easy to see why it’s so popular with parents and nurseries. In our case, our daughter sometimes struggled to communicate how she was feeling because the emotions themselves confused her. Being able to relate those feelings to the colours in the book has helped her recognise what she is experiencing and communicate it more clearly instead of just becoming upset or crying.

My toddler is struggling with regulating their emotions so we were recommended this book to assist in their ‘emotion’ journey. We’ve tried different books which have been extremely wordy and he gets bored with them despite loving books. This book is great. It has few words and uses colours to describe feelings. For example ‘this is sadness, it’s gentle like a blue rainy day’ red for anger, yellow for happiness etc. So when I’m feeling happy, I say ‘I’m feeling happy like the yellow colour monster’ which helps him to relate. He’s slowly learning emotions and by relating to the colours and colour monster, it’s made it a lot easier for him to express himself. It’s a small book so easily transported. It’s made a complex topic into a more easily understandable concept.

This book is a good tool for helping young children understand and express their emotions whilst having the fun of reading a book. The illustrations are vibrant and engaging, and the simple language makes complex feelings easy to grasp. My daughter who is 4 can now accurately describe her feelings through colours, which I can understand. The book it’s self is a board book so sturdy and less likely for kids to rip pages etc (great for younger children). It is also small enough to tuck in a bag for travel. There is also a pop out book available which was the one I thought I was buying however that was my error.

Great book on feelings and how you feel

Loved the illustrations in this book, its very colorful and eye catching! Its simple and easy to follow for children and gets the message across about emotions

Great books expected them to be bigger based on the pictures but that was probably my issue. Good quality easy to read and big enough for a child to read alone

I bought this book for my daughter’s second birthday and she adores it. She loves naming the different colours, feelings and completing the little actions along with each, I.e. taking a deep breath, stomping or shouting ‘not fair!’, as we read through the book. It’s really helped her to gain a good understanding of feelings and she does now use the words to describe feelings she and others are experiencing, which is lovely to see. The illustrations are unique and pleasing too. This isn’t the pop up version, but the illustrations are designed to look like painted cardboard cutouts, which is a refreshing and interesting design choice. The monster itself isn’t scary in the slightest either. I particularly like the use of the concepts of ‘colours being mixed up and confused’ and pulling out and labelling each emotion to help the colour monster understand himself and ultimately feel better. All emotions are labelled as being healthy and very normal too, with some comments on how to cope with the tricker emotions. It’s all really good early learning for positive mental wellbeing, which as a psychologist, I definitely have time for.

Great book

The Color Monster has been incredibly helpful for our little guy, who experiences strong emotions. The story does a fantastic job of breaking down complex feelings into simple, relatable concepts, with each emotion represented by a color. It’s a great way to help kids understand and express how they’re feeling. The illustrations are beautiful and engaging, and the colors really capture the mood of each emotion, making it easy for kids to connect with the story. It’s also sparked some meaningful conversations in our home about emotions and how to manage them. This book is a must-have for any parent looking to help their child navigate big feelings in a fun and gentle way. Highly recommend it for young kids, especially those with strong emotions or who are still learning to express themselves!

"El Monstruo de Colores" es un libro maravilloso que aborda de manera simple y encantadora las emociones, ayudando a los más pequeños a identificarlas y comprenderlas. A través de su colorido arte y una narrativa fácil de seguir, el libro guía a los niños en un viaje emocional que es tanto educativo como entretenido. La forma en que las emociones se asocian con colores es una herramienta poderosa que facilita el entendimiento y la conversación sobre lo que sentimos. Sin duda, una lectura esencial para cualquier niño, ¡y un gran recurso para padres y educadores!

An awesome book but packing was so bad. Someone packed it with my lotions and now may be i will have to return it and get new one

Adhd suspected in my 4 year old. He has big emotional rollercoasters. But reading the book everyday, watching someone read it on youtube too has made a considerable change in his behavior not only at home but at kindergarten. Even my 2 year old loves it and it helps her too!!

“The Color Monster” series by Anna Llenas. This enchanting collection of books takes toddlers on an unforgettable journey through the kaleidoscope of feelings, fostering a deeper understanding and connection with their emotional landscape. In each installment, the Color Monster embarks on a new adventure, unraveling the mysteries of joy, sadness, anger, and more. Through whimsical illustrations and relatable storytelling, young readers are invited to explore the nuances of each emotion, learning that feelings come in all shapes and colors. What sets these books apart is their gentle approach to emotional intelligence. Rather than shying away from big emotions, “The Color Monster” embraces them, teaching children that it’s natural and healthy to experience a wide range of feelings. By personifying emotions as colorful creatures, the books offer a tangible way for toddlers to identify and express their own emotions. But the magic of “The Color Monster” doesn’t stop there. With each turn of the page, children learn valuable coping strategies for managing their emotions. Whether it’s taking a deep breath to calm down or seeking comfort from a friend, the books empower young readers to navigate life’s ups and downs with confidence and resilience. As a parent, I appreciate the thoughtful approach to emotional literacy in these books. They provide a springboard for meaningful conversations about feelings, helping children develop the language and skills they need to express themselves in healthy ways. In summary, “The Color Monster” series is a treasure trove of wisdom and wonder, offering children a playful yet profound way to explore their emotions. With its vibrant illustrations, heartfelt storytelling, and empowering messages, it’s a must-have addition to any child’s bookshelf.