Manny's Mood Clouds

One of the hardest parts of coping with mental illness in your family is figuring out how to talk to your children about it, especially when it's one of the children who's having mental health problems. Lourdes Ubidia has written a book that's both honest about how scary and painful it is, and gentle enough to be a good resource for children. She writes from the perspective of a young boy whose brother has a mood disorder. This perspective allows readers to explore the needs of every family member, including those with a mental illness and those without, with respect and caring for everyone involved. "Mood clouds" are an accessible way to help a child begin to understand their different feelings and mood episodes. As a child grows, their family could easily transition from that to more adult language for the same experience. This is a great introductory lesson in how to include someone with mental illness as a full and loved member of the family.

Emphasizing connection and care, this book shines a thoughtful light on children with mood disorders.

This is a great resource to start a conversation with elementary kids about mental health and mood disorders. Elijah's brother Manny lives with a mood disorder that causes him to live with extreme and changing moods. Elijah explains these various moods in terms of clouds that follow Manny around, clarifying that while we all experience various moods, Manny's can be difficult to manage and can cause behavior issues. The tone is very matter of fact and accepting and there is a realistic portrayal of how treatment can help manage moods and provide coping tools, but doesn't just magically make the mood disorder go away. The skills guide for kids and resources for adults are both helpful. This would be a great addition to school libraries.

An excellent addition to parenting and mental health collections as well as a useful resources for classrooms and families to help siblings and children understand their own and other's challenges.

The pictures are super... lots of bright colours on a basic white background. The information is age appropriate and well written, and the basically cheerful approach will very much appeal. Highly recommended.

Ubidia's text is inviting and accessible, presenting and explaining the topics of emotions and mood disorders in a sensitive, educational way. The bright and colorful cartoon-style illustrations help convey the story and back matter includes further resources and information for caregivers, as well as suggestions for activities to help with certain moods.