Listening to My Body – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Listening to My Body

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

book2017

85%

WISE Score

4.7

Amazon

A counselor-created workbook that teaches preschoolers to connect physical sensations with emotions—basically therapy homework in picture book form.

Listening to My Body

book

2017

85%

WISE Score

4.7

Amazon

A counselor-created workbook that teaches preschoolers to connect physical sensations with emotions—basically therapy homework in picture book form.

4.7

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4.7

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Screenwise Verdict

This is one of those books that belongs in every preschool and kindergarten classroom, and probably every therapist's office too. It's not going to win awards for storytelling or illustration, but that's not the point—it's a practical, evidence-based tool for teaching emotional regulation.

Gabi Garcia knows her stuff (20 years as a school counselor shows), and it comes through in how accessible and age-appropriate the concepts are. The interactive activities are the real value-add here; they turn abstract ideas about emotions into concrete, repeatable practices.

The main caveat: this is not entertainment. If you're looking for a bedtime story, look elsewhere. But if you're looking for a book that will actually help your kid understand why their tummy hurts when they're nervous or why they feel like running around when they're excited, this delivers. It's therapy homework disguised as a picture book, and that's exactly what some kids need.

Age Fit

Best for ages 3-8, the prime window for building emotional vocabulary and body awareness. Preschoolers will need adult guidance to work through the concepts, while kindergarteners and first-graders can start to internalize the practices. By age 8 or 9, most kids will have either absorbed these skills or need more advanced emotional regulation tools.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

A gentle, affirming approach to emotional regulation that validates children's feelings without judgment. The book models healthy self-awareness and teaches kids that all sensations and emotions are normal. The interactive 'Let's Practice' activities encourage mindful engagement rather than passive consumption. Written by a licensed professional counselor with 20 years of school counseling experience, it's grounded in solid developmental psychology.

Imaginative

The book is more instructional than imaginative—it's a tool for emotional learning rather than a creative story. That said, it does invite children to tune into their own bodies and name their unique sensations, which requires a kind of introspective exploration. The interactive activities add some engagement, but this isn't a book that sparks wild creativity or storytelling. It's doing a different job, and doing it well.

Safe

Exceptionally safe. It's a picture book about body awareness and emotions with no concerning content whatsoever. The entire premise is teaching kids to recognize and name feelings in a healthy way. No violence, no scary content, no surprises. The only reason it's not 100 is that some kids might find certain emotions or sensations uncomfortable to confront, but that's therapeutic discomfort, not unsafe content.

Enriching

This is a genuine social-emotional learning tool that builds foundational skills for emotional regulation—something every kid needs. Teaching children to connect physical sensations with emotions is evidence-based and developmentally crucial. The vocabulary-building aspect (from 'wiggly and squirmy' to 'rested and still') gives kids concrete language for abstract feelings. It's not just enriching; it's practically therapeutic. The interactive activities make the learning stick. High marks for skill-building and personal growth, though it's not particularly entertaining in a traditional sense.

Parent Info

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Why It Might Be Great

Written by a licensed professional counselor who spent 20 years working with kids—this is evidence-based, not just feel-good fluff
Teaches foundational emotional regulation skills that genuinely help kids understand and express their feelings
Interactive 'Let's Practice' activities throughout make it more than just a read-aloud—kids actually do the work
Builds a vocabulary for sensations (wiggly, squirmy, rested, still) that gives kids concrete language for abstract feelings
Amazon rating of 4.7 suggests parents find it actually useful, not just nice to have on the shelf

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What to Watch For

This is a teaching tool, not a story—don't expect narrative or characters. Some kids might find it boring if they're looking for entertainment
Works best with adult guidance and repeated readings to really build the skills
Some kids might resist the introspection or find it uncomfortable to name certain feelings at first

Conversation Starters

"What does your body feel like right now? Are you wiggly or still?"
"When you felt angry today, where did you notice it in your body?"
"What helps your body feel calm and rested?"
"Can you show me what 'squirmy' looks like versus 'peaceful'?"

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