RUDY'S BELLY OF BEES

A girl deals with anxiety about an upcoming athletic event in this picture book.

Rudy, a White girl with brown curls, blue eyes, and rosy cheeks, wakes up feeling like she has a “belly full of bees.” She’s trained for a school relay race, but all she can think of is how she might mess it up. Mom is encouraging, but her comments don’t really help. Her friend Wyatt’s excitement about the race only makes her feel worse. Wyatt tries to say that the race is “no big deal,” which angers Rudy, who yells, “Everybody wants you on their team because you ALWAYS win! You could never, EVER understand!” As a result, she feels guilt on top of her anxiety. Then Coach Christine guides her through breathing exercises, and Rudy starts to get the bees under control enough to realize that Wyatt has anxiety sometimes, too. Schaefer realistically captures the intensity of overwhelming emotion in a child-friendly way. The bees, present in Schaefer’s descriptions and beautifully depicted in Marshall’s illustrations, are a fantastic representation of uncontrollable feelings. The paintings make excellent use of butterflies, as well, to symbolize how Rudy’s anxiety transitions to a more manageable, positive mindset. Rudy’s riotous curls look wonderful, and her classmates show a wide range of skin tones.

A strong tale about working through emotions, with realistic, child-friendly coping tips.