Ruby Finds a Worry

By Tom Percival

Part of the Big Bright Feelings series

A young girl struggles with a growing worry that affects her daily life until she finds a way to overcome it.

6.0/7 Bookroo experts·4.5/5 Goodreads · 3,095 ratings

32 pages· 429 words· Est. 4 min read-aloud

$17.99Save 6%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Ruby, a curious and imaginative girl, discovers a small worry that grows until it becomes all-consuming. As it looms larger, Ruby wonders if she'll ever feel happy again. When she meets a boy with his own worries, Ruby learns that sharing her feelings might be the key to shrinking her worry. This heartfelt tale explores the power of opening up and the universal nature of anxiety, offering young readers a gentle guide to emotional intelligence and the importance of communication.

From the publisher

From the creator of Perfectly Norman comes a sensitive and reassuring story about what to do when a worry won’t leave you alone. Meet Ruby–a happy, curious, imaginative girl. But one day, she finds something unexpected: a Worry. It’s not such a big Worry, at first. But every day, it grows a little bigger . . . And a little bigger . . . Until eventually, the Worry is ENORMOUS and is all she can think about. But when Ruby befriends a young boy, she discovers that everyone has worries, and not only that, there’s a great way to get rid of them too . . . This perceptive and poignant story is the perfect springboard for talking to children about emotional intelligence and sharing hidden anxieties.

At a glance

Format
Pages: 32
Words: 429
Reading age: 3–6
Audience: Picture
Lexile: ~440L

Themes & topics

Books about feelings and emotions Books about anxiety Books about friendship Books about social themes Books about worrying

What readers & critics say

Reviews

6.0

out of 7

6.0

“My favorite part in this very cute story is that little Ruby looks outside herself and sees someone else who is unhappy. When she asks him about his sadness she gets an opportunity to talk about her worry which helps her to find happiness again.”

Mom of Boys

Trusted reviewer

6.0

“This story captures in a sincere way a child's first experience with a worry. I love how it presents the worry in a physical way because this will help children understand what it means to worry. The book offers an insightful tale into how a worry grows, starts to detract from joy, and can best be addressed.”

The Goodfather

Trusted reviewer

6.0

“I LOVE this book for its simplicity in demonstrating the power of voicing a worry, helping kids learn about and increase their emotional regulation. The portrayal of the Worry and adjoining illustrations perfectly convey the relatable feeling we've all encountered. My only wish would be for the story to keep going a little longer and flesh out productive ways to talk about worries (like the importance of listening to another's worry, which this book touches on, whether or not you should try to "fix" their worry, etc.). As a fellow worrier myself, my worries don't diminish simply by talking about them, like this book suggests, but talking about them is a great first step and introduction for little ones.”

B is for Bookworm

Trusted reviewer

For readers who can't stop at one