Book Review: The Way I Feel
- Kayelene Kerr Child Safety Expert
- Apr 22, 2025
- 2 min read
Children experience big emotions every day. Anger, excitement, frustration, pride, jealousy, often all within the same hour. Yet for many children, these feelings can be confusing, overwhelming and difficult to put into words.
The Way I Feel offers a simple but powerful solution. Through rhythm, colour and expressive illustrations, it helps children recognise what they are feeling and, importantly, gives them the language to describe it. This might seem small, but it is a critical step in helping children make sense of their inner world.
One of the most important messages in this book is that feelings are not something to be judged. They are not 'good' or 'bad', they simply are. This shifts the focus away from trying to stop or fix emotions, and instead supports children to notice, name and begin to understand them.
When children can name what they feel, they are better able to communicate it. Instead of behaviour being the only way emotions are expressed, words begin to take its place. This reduces frustration, builds connection and helps trusted adults respond in more supportive and effective ways.
For adults, the book is a reminder that emotional literacy is not something children automatically develop. It needs to be taught, modelled and reinforced over time. The way we respond to children’s feelings, whether we dismiss them, minimise them or validate them, shapes how safe they feel to express themselves.
Books like this create a shared language. They make it easier to have conversations about feelings in everyday moments. They also support children to understand that emotions come and go, and that they can be managed with support and practice.
Child safety is not only about physical protection, it's also about emotional safety—helping children feel seen, heard and understood. And sometimes, that starts with something as simple as helping a child say, this is the way I feel.
The Way I Feel
About Kayelene Kerr & eSafeKids
eSafeKids is a social enterprise founded by Kayelene Kerr. Kayelene is recognised as one of Australia’s most experienced specialist providers of Protective Behaviours, Body Safety, Cyber Safety, Digital Wellness and Pornography Literacy education workshops. Kayelene has featured on Australian and international television broadcasts, radio programs and in print media.
eSafeKids books can support educators teaching protective behaviours and child abuse prevention education that aligns with the Western Australian Curriculum, Australian Curriculum, Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and National Quality Framework: National Quality Standards (NQS).
