Book Nook: Bad Day

Featured on Today, FOX, CNN, and other major media, Ruby Roth is a Los Angeles-based artist, author-illustrator, activist, and former teacher whose groundbreaking children's books have received international attention and have been translated into multiple languages. I had a chance to review her fifth picture book, Bad Day . It's her first book on issues of emotions and neuro-diversity.

This book is a very appropriate book for kids, especially with all the publicity on events that are often caused by mismanaging reactions and emotions. All adults have a responsibility to help students manage emotions, and this book does a good job in providing a way for adults to encourage kids to take responsibility for their own emotions, feelings, and reactions - and not just to minimize negative emotions, but to even find strength and positive emotions through their struggles.

You can learn more in this Q&A:

What inspired you to write Bad Day?
It’s an extension of my history, our times, and my other children’s book topics. We live in an era in need of course-correction and repair, and I’m for solving problems by starting with the self. In my previous books, I tackled physical health and the planet—but at their core, those books are also about personal agency, and my motto: love deeply, think critically, and act responsibly. I wanted to address the mind this time, the root of our ability to fix the world.

The physical and emotional challenges I had in childhood ended up being great teachers. Great transformation can come from problems and obstacles. And now, we live in an era in need of course-correction and repair. My motto in my children’s book work is, “Love deeply, think critically, act responsibly” and each book is about different ways we can make the world a more sound, healthy, peaceful place for everyone. Bad Day addresses the mind, it’s about starting with ourselves—the way we think and behave, regardless of what goes on in the outside world. And having that strength to self-monitor and self-regulate benefits the planet at large—from your family relationships to your school community, work life, and your care for the environment and even local and global policies. 

What makes Bad Day different from other feelings books?
Its honesty and relatability. Most of the feelings books I’ve seen employ this baby-talk
tone or a sanitized corporate feel; they “make nice” about feeling bad, which seems patronizing to me, like an attempt to pacify feelings instead of getting to their root. In Bad Day, you see what a meltdown looks and feels like—the experience of being little and utterly frustrated without the tools to work through it. I wanted kids to feel like they’re really seen, but also get the message that they’ll need to be responsible for their own behavior.

Can kids really control their feelings?
In the west, we adhere to a concept of childhood that has us treating kids by standards far below their psychological and physical capacities. Children can process much more than Western culture gives them credit for, and that’s a foundational concept in all my books. Kids who learn mindfulness practices experience the benefits: more self-control and emotion regulation, less stress and anxiety, better focus, and improved interpersonal skills.

How can books be instrumental in helping kids manage and respond to their emotions and frustrations?

A book can be a child’s best friend! Several books I had as a kid were monumental and had a lifelong impact on me, I can still remember their illustrations and the senses I had while reading. Bad Day is a grittier feelings book than any other I’ve seen and I think that makes it more relatable and impactful to kids. They pay attention when something speaks to them. Hennie’s meltdown goes on for a long while, showing what a meltdown really looks and feels like. I wanted kids to see themselves reflected, that it’s normal to have overwhelming feelings—and ultimately know that they are responsible for their inner world and behavior. 

How can adults talk to kids about how they manage bad days?

I’ve always found it best to ask questions that guide them to find their own answers: What’s going on in your life today? Do you remember when you started to feel angry/sad/irritated? What do you think would help? Is there anything you think we should do now to feel better? Help them begin to self-reflect and problem-solve instead of doing all the work for them. Help them get to an idea—do they need a warm bath or a hug to feel consoled? Would writing an apology note to someone make them feel like they did the right thing? Help with ideation. But also leave space if they don’t have answers or don’t want to talk. Sometimes we all just need space and quiet before we can act. But just giving kids things to think about creates an atmosphere of self-responsibility and critical thinking.