There is a specific kind of magic that happens when a child hears a perfectly executed rhyme. Their eyes light up, their feet start tapping, and they begin to anticipate the next word before you’ve even turned the page.
In the world of children’s books, rhyme isn’t just fun—it’s like training wheels for literacy. It helps young readers develop phonetic awareness, predict beats, and find comfort in the rhythm of a story. But as any children’s author will tell you, writing a rhyming picture book takes hard work: it requires precision, patience, and a refusal to settle for “close enough.”
RHyming Book Review: Squirrel draws Big Feelings
Erin Dealey’s Squirrel Has Big Feelings (illustrated by Luciana Navarro Powell) is a vibrant, emotional journey that proves rhyming verse can be both playful and deeply felt. I was lucky enough to get my hands on an advance copy of this darling rhyming children’s book published by Beaming Books and I am thrilled to share it with you all! It will be released on April 6, 2026 but it is available for pre-order now.
The story follows Squirrel, who is dealing with some very large emotions. What makes Dealey’s writing stand out is her use of meter. She doesn’t just rhyme; she maintains a consistent internal rhythm that keeps the reader moving at exactly the right pace.
Dealey uses rhyme to anchor the emotional weight of the story. Take, for example, how she introduces Squirrel’s classmate, Bear Cub, his struggle, and the effect his moods have on the others:
GRRRR!” growled Bear Cub off in the distance.
He was having a ROARful day.
When Bear Cub’s BIG feelings washed over him,
his friends tried to stay far away.
The “ay” sound repeated creates a “resolution.” When a child hears “day,” their brain begins looking for a matching sound. When “away” arrives at the end of the stanza, it provides a sense of completion, making the story feel “right” even if Bear Cub is upset. And the rhythm propels the child to keep listening/reading.
Poetry Comes in All Forms
While we often think of “poetry” as something found in dusty anthologies, the truth is that rhyming children’s books are often a child’s first introduction to the genre. Whether it’s a bouncy meter or gentle flowing couplets, these types of books teach children that language is a toy. It can be stretched, bounced, and paired. By reading rhyming books, we aren’t just telling a story; we are teaching the next generation of poets how to listen to the music of words.
The rhythm of the text feels so effortless and inviting. It’s perfect for a group read-aloud or as a cozy family favorite that opens the door to meaningful conversations about feelings.
“Uh-oh! Sometimes, when Squirrel felt BIG feelings, he couldn’t stop racing around.”
Squirrel feels squirrelly all the time! Porcupine gets the pricklies when things don’t go the way she expects them to. And Bear only knows how to express his feelings ROARfully.
When Squirrel is having a hard time controlling his emotions and his body, his squirrelly behavior causes such a commotion that Porcupine gets all prickly and Bear has a ROARful day. No one is having fun and everyone is overwhelmed. Until Squirrel turns to chalk art to express his big feelings: “With each squiggly line, Squirrel felt better. Art felt like a quiet hug.” After some initial hesitation and insecurity over whether they can make art too, Porcupine and Bear join Squirrel in drawing their hearts out. Turns out, friendship and sharing are coping skills too.
With rhyming text and dynamic, mixed-media illustrations, Squirrel Draws Big Feelings will help readers understand that even when we don’t have the words to express how we feel, we don’t need to
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