I'm Feeling (a Little Bit) Shy

We have all felt shy on occasions in our lives. In this beautifully written story, I'm Feeling (a Little Bit) Shy, the little girl sometimes finds it very hard to say 'hello'. She struggles going into groups or parties and is very scared of starting a new school.  However, when she shares her feelings with people that she trusts, she learns that everyone feels shy sometimes - even her confident big brother! Her mum explains that shyness is just a feeling that will pass.

This realisation, along with the love and patience of her mum, enables her to begin to find her own way to deal with new situations. She can just watch and listen until she is ready to join in. Nervous butterflies she feels on her first day are not uncommon, they help her pay attention - and notice children who might become wonderful new friends!

The believable characters, busy scenes and carefully placed holes in the pages make this a helpful, heartwarming story that young children can relate to. It's a perfect book to help children cope with feeling shy. In school this would be a perfect book for using when delivering ELSA sessions, for PSHE or to use as the stimulus for a KS1 assembly. This book would need to be shared with children rather than as an individual reader as the text level is higher than the concept it is delivering. It is an amazing book to use to stimulate conversation about a tricky topic.

Picture book / Reviewed by Amanda Shipton, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 3+