Toby, the octopus, is apprehensive about riding his bike. He wants to ride it and play with his friends, but he is afraid. He is scared of falling, and that his friends might laugh at him when he does. This fear keeps him from learning to ride his bike and having fun with his friends. Toby’s fear shows by his tentacles getting all knotted up, and him not feeling well. His mom reminds him of his “can do” attitude, and together they work on building up his confidence so he can ride his bike and go on adventures with his friends.

Toby, Toby, Worry Free, written by Lucinda Grapenthin and illustrated by Kevin Gosselin, is a heartwarming picture book to help children work through fears and understand that it is okay to be scared sometimes. This well-written book helps children learn how to overcome their fears and anxiety. While reading this, the descriptions of Toby and his tentacles getting tangled up and tingling reminded me of my own children who have anxiety. I would have loved to have had this book to help them through some of these moments when they were little.

The “can do” approach is so simple that children quickly understand the concept. While more challenging to put into practice, the idea is easy to explain. Toby is portrayed in a relatable manner, both in the story and in the illustrations. This children’s book has a page for parents and caregivers at the end. It discusses the PAUSE approach to helping children with challenging behaviors, and it helps adults understand the strong emotions children experience but cannot express themselves.

Toby, Toby, Worry Free is a profoundly thoughtful children’s book that teaches kids how to deal with strong emotions and work through fears. It is also an excellent resource for parents and caregivers to better understand how to work with kids who cannot express themselves well.

Pages: 32 | ASIN : B09HCT1RVK