First Feelings Surprised

First Feelings Surprised invites young readers to explore the emotion of surprise with sensitivity and care. Developed in collaboration with a child psychologist, this book is part of the First Feelings series that focuses on six fundamental emotions. Featuring gender-neutral characters and thoughtful illustrations by Paula Bowles, the book avoids stereotypes and sensory biases to be accessible for all children, including neurodivergent readers. It explains what surprise feels like and suggests coping strategies to help children process this sudden emotion effectively.

Educational Benefits:

• Helps children identify the feeling of surprise and its triggers.
• Supports emotional regulation through suggested coping strategies.
• Encourages empathy by explaining reactions to unexpected events.
• Provides inclusive content suitable for diverse learning needs.

Classroom Ideas:

• Read aloud to initiate conversations about unexpected emotions.
• Create surprise-themed games or activities to reinforce learning.
• Encourage children to share times when they felt surprised and how they reacted.
• Use illustrations to prompt discussions on recognising emotions in others.

Information:

• Ages: Early childhood
• Format: Illustrated picture book
• Illustrator: Paula Bowles