Zoë looked like an ordinary girl.
Zoë did ordinary girl things.
But Zoë was not an ordinary girl.

Zoë had a secret superpower.

Zoë’s secret superpower was not turning invisible, or running faster than any kid that ever lived, or being able to zap brussel sprouts off her plate when her mother wasn’t looking. Zoë’s superpower was that she was very very good at Emotions.

Zoë carried around a lot of her own Emotions.

“Wow! I did so great on the spelling test! The best EVER. I bet I’m the bestest speller in the whole WORLD”

And…

“Oh, I didn’t get to Rosie on the bus! In fact, I hardly EVER get to sit next to Rosie on the bus. I bet I never, Never, EVER get to sit next to Rosie on the bus again!”

But Zoe alos carried around a lot of other people’s emotions.

“Teacher seems sad today, I wonder what’s the matter? Maybe her dog is sick. Maybe she didn’t get a dessert in her lunch today. Maybe she’s got a stomach ache. Oh! I feel sad now too!”

And…

“The people at this grown-up party are talking so loud and laughing so much! They must be really excited. I feel excited! Maybe I’ll run around in circles giving everyone humongous hugs!”

But most super-powerish of all was Zoë’s Magnetic Emotion Catcher. You, see everywhere Zoë went—to the grocery story, or to swimming lessons, or to her best friend’s birthday party—all the Emotions that people had dropped on the ground jumped up towards Zoë and stuck like magnets to her superhero cape. Some of the Emotions were happy Emotions. But a lot of the emotions were hard emotions – because those were mostly the kind that people left lying around. Poor Zoë, she would get so stuck-up with Emotions she could hardly lift her superhero boots off the ground!

Now, you may not know this, but sometimes even superheroes need someone to come to their rescue. Luckily, Zoë knew Godmother, who also had super powers, and she could call Godmother by sending out her Secret Code Radar Beamer, which lived sort of between her eyes and slightly under her eyebrows, right along the edge of her super hero mask. When her Magnetic Emotion Catcher made her get too heavy, Zoë beamed a message to Godmother.

Godmother lived in some beautiful hidden place Zoë had never seen. But that was okay with Zoë, because Godmother herself was so beautiful all Zoë wanted to do was look it just her. Godmother had long golden hair, and flowing silver robes, and beautiful purple eyes. When she came to Zoë, Zoë did not even have to use words. Godmother just knew what Zoë need help with. Godmother saw right away that Zoë was all stuck down with too many Emotions.

Now, Zoë did not want to lose her Emotion superpower – she liked the good emotions, and she like being able to tell what people were feeling even from far away. But she did not like being stuck to the ground with so many hard emotions. So Godmother showed Zoë a special trick. With a wave of her hands she called down a whole flock of tiny flying dragons. The dragons smiled and flitted around Zoë’s head. They flashed their green and purple scales this way and that. They showed off their bright red wings and gave of tiny firework-shots of orange dragon-flame breath. Zoë liked watching them dance a circus in the sky.

Godmother told Zoë that she could call the dragon cloud down by picturing them in her mind. Then, she showed Zoë how to tie the heavy Emotions to the dragons with the tiny ribbons that dangled down the dragon’s backs. Zoë did not think such tiny dragons could carry such heavy Emotions! But as soon as Godmother had tied the knots, up the dragons flew, carrying away the hard Emotions as though they were birthday balloons.

Where did they go? Godmother never said. But Zoë imagined that maybe they really were birthday balloons, celebrating some grown up superhero party in the sky. (She still didn’t want to go there, though. She liked being a kid super hero right her in her own backyard.)

Of course, one or two of the hard Emotions stayed with Zoë, but these were the ones that belonged to her, not the extras she had picked up from the floor. Godmother promised they would not be too heavy for Zoë to carry. And to prove it, Godmother held Zoë’s hand, and light as a feather, off they both flew–Godmother’s robes rustling in the wind, and Zoë’s cape floating out lightly behind.

The End

So this morning I was going to write some advice down about dealing with the morning get-to-school rush, when my own cleverly orchestrated morning came crashing to a complete stop. Cate wanted to wear a dress that was slit up to her waist (the slit had torn to immodest proportions.) When I said she had to pick something else, it turned into a full blown tempter tantrum complete with “I wish you were not my mother!!!” and “I wish I’d never been born.” This was followed by her older sister waking up and immediately crying because, “There is no peace in this house and I need a peaceful morning to get centered!!!”

Needless to say, my girls are emotional.

Because I’m the proud mother of a couple of psychic-sponges, I’ve amassed a lovely collection of picture books that help children deal with emotions. In fact, I quoted from the first one to help Cate when I dropped her off at school. “Today was a hard day. Tomorrow will be better.”

Hope these books make your today, and your tomorrows, better!

1. Today I Feel Silly: And Other Moods That Make My Day, by Jamie Lee Curtis

A colorful little girl makes her way through the emotional spectrum, including a just-generally-glummy day in which she laments “although I’ve got stuff, I’ve go nothing to do!” Fun rhymes and fantastic illustrations!

2. Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse, by Kevin Henkes

Lilly’s impulsive (mis)behavior leads her to conflict with her favorite teacher, but notes and pictures bring them back in alignment with each other after harsh words are spoken.

3. The Chocolate-Covered-Cookie Tantrum, by Deborah Blumenthal

I love how the clever illustrations really capture the out-of-control feelings a child has during a tantrum. A quiet reconciliation ends this frustrating day for mom and child. This book was Eden’s favorite when she was three. We read it every day.

4. Wemberly Worried, by Kevin Henkes

Wemberly worries about big things, small things, and things in between. She’s REALLY worried about preschool — until a clever teacher and an equally worried pal helps her gain confidence in the day.

5. We Were Going to Have a Baby, But We Had an Angel Instead, by Pat Schewibert

This simple, no-frills book does a nice job of helping children deal with a miscarrige or still birth. It’s especially helpful because it deal with a young child who is seeing his mother cry over the loss. A healing book for a specific emotional situation.

Zoë had a secret superpower.

Zoë’s secret superpower was not turning invisible, or running faster than any kid that ever lived, or being able to zap brussel sprouts off her plate when her mother wasn’t looking. Zoë’s superpower was that she was very very good at Emotions.

Zoë carried around a lot of her own Emotions.

“Wow! I did so great on the spelling test! The best EVER. I bet I’m the bestest speller in the whole WORLD”

And…

“Oh, I didn’t get to Rosie on the bus! In fact, I hardly EVER get to sit next to Rosie on the bus. I bet I never, Never, EVER get to sit next to Rosie on the bus again!”

But Zoe alos carried around a lot of other people’s emotions.

“Teacher seems sad today, I wonder what’s the matter? Maybe her dog is sick. Maybe she didn’t get a dessert in her lunch today. Maybe she’s got a stomach ache. Oh! I feel sad now too!”

And…

“The people at this grown-up party are talking so loud and laughing so much! They must be really excited. I feel excited! Maybe I’ll run around in circles giving everyone humongous hugs!”

But most super-powerish of all was Zoë’s Magnetic Emotion Catcher. You, see everywhere Zoë went—to the grocery story, or to swimming lessons, or to her best friend’s birthday party—all the Emotions that people had dropped on the ground jumped up towards Zoë and stuck like magnets to her superhero cape. Some of the Emotions were happy Emotions. But a lot of the emotions were hard emotions – because those were mostly the kind that people left lying around. Poor Zoë, she would get so stuck-up with Emotions she could hardly lift her superhero boots off the ground!

Now, you may not know this, but sometimes even superheroes need someone to come to their rescue. Luckily, Zoë knew Godmother, who also had super powers, and she could call Godmother by sending out her Secret Code Radar Beamer, which lived sort of between her eyes and slightly under her eyebrows, right along the edge of her super hero mask. When her Magnetic Emotion Catcher made her get too heavy, Zoë beamed a message to Godmother.

Godmother lived in some beautiful hidden place Zoë had never seen. But that was okay with Zoë, because Godmother herself was so beautiful all Zoë wanted to do was look it just her. Godmother had long golden hair, and flowing silver robes, and beautiful purple eyes. When she came to Zoë, Zoë did not even have to use words. Godmother just knew what Zoë need help with. Godmother saw right away that Zoë was all stuck down with too many Emotions.

Now, Zoë did not want to lose her Emotion superpower – she liked the good emotions, and she like being able to tell what people were feeling even from far away. But she did not like being stuck to the ground with so many hard emotions. So Godmother showed Zoë a special trick. With a wave of her hands she called down a whole flock of tiny flying dragons. The dragons smiled and flitted around Zoë’s head. They flashed their green and purple scales this way and that. They showed off their bright red wings and gave of tiny firework-shots of orange dragon-flame breath. Zoë liked watching them dance a circus in the sky.

Godmother told Zoë that she could call the dragon cloud down by picturing them in her mind. Then, she showed Zoë how to tie the heavy Emotions to the dragons with the tiny ribbons that dangled down the dragon’s backs. Zoë did not think such tiny dragons could carry such heavy Emotions! But as soon as Godmother had tied the knots, up the dragons flew, carrying away the hard Emotions as though they were birthday balloons.

Where did they go? Godmother never said. But Zoë imagined that maybe they really were birthday balloons, celebrating some grown up superhero party in the sky. (She still didn’t want to go there, though. She liked being a kid super hero right her in her own backyard.)

Of course, one or two of the hard Emotions stayed with Zoë, but these were the ones that belonged to her, not the extras she had picked up from the floor. Godmother promised they would not be too heavy for Zoë to carry. And to prove it, Godmother held Zoë’s hand, and light as a feather, off they both flew–Godmother’s robes rustling in the wind, and Zoë’s cape floating out lightly behind.

The End