If you want a book to laugh out loud but also send a pretty clear message about self regulation you must pick up Petal the Angry Cow by Maureen Fergus and Olga Demidova.

Petal has a hard time regulating her emotions. So much so that she is prone to angry outbursts that get her sent to time out and even lead to consequences like missing field trips. When she meets a swan who says his temper never causes him problems, Petal gets a front row seat to outbursts just like her own and realizes she hasn’t been a very good friend.

All of Maureen Fergus’ books leave us rolling on the floor with laughter! Petal is no exception. We could not stop laughing through this whole story. The outbursts are so outrageous that you can’t help but giggle up a storm so probably not a book to break out at bedtime. Depending on how you feel about words like “dummy” or “stupid” you may want to change them up when you are reading this story, especially when reading to preschoolers and kindergarteners. Maybe use “jerk” or “silly” in their place. 

Children will definitely connect with Petal and be able to draw inferences to their own experiences through Petal and the swan’s actions. It’s a great book to use as a jumping off point to talk about big feelings and strategies to help our bodies calm down when we need them.

Olga Demidova’s illustrations are fantastic! She really captures the angry outbursts perfectly. Readers will be able to tell how all of the animals are feeling in each picture thanks to the expressive eyes she puts on each of the animals.