About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is frustrated because they cannot cheer up a sad friend or sibling, or when they are feeling an unexplainable case of the blues themselves. This gentle story follows Puddle, a joyful pig who tries everything from baking berry cobbler to river rafting to lift the spirits of his best friend Toot. Despite his best efforts, Toot remains sad, teaching young readers that sometimes feelings need time to pass on their own. It is an essential choice for ages 3 to 6 because it validates that sadness is a natural part of life and that being a steady, patient friend is the greatest gift one can give. It offers parents a way to discuss empathy without the pressure of fixing every problem.
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
The book deals with melancholy and low-level depression in a metaphorical way. The sadness is treated as a natural weather pattern: it arrives and eventually leaves. It is a secular, realistic, and hopeful approach to emotional regulation.
