PreS-Gr 2--An anxious brown potato tells his friends--a little girl and a pink flamingo--that he is plagued with worries about the future. Aliens, clowns, volcanoes, pop quizzes, meteors…he is sure that something bad is just around the corner. But instead of reassurance, the wise child admits, "nobody knows what's going to happen," which causes their fine feathered friend to utter, "Um, now I'M worried." The level-headed girl points out that even though bad things have indeed happened to them all, "over time they turned out okay." Not convinced, both the spud and bird wrap themselves in bubble wrap, which turns out to be yet "another bad thing." The child then explains that worrying doesn't help, and that they should both learn to "enjoy the now." Relieved, Potato realizes "Enjoying the now is way better than worrying about the future!" Minimal text and improbable, yet sympathetic characters offer a humorous solution to a serious problem. Worriers of all ages will embrace the catchphrase, "enjoy the now" and learn that when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Large, bold, digitally rendered illustrations appear on oversized pages against a white background. All three characters wear their emotions on their sleeves. Share with Kevin Henkes's Wemberly Worried for a lighthearted look at a common concern. VERDICT A fun, reassuring storytime selection or one-on-one read for overly anxious children.--Barbara Auerbach, Cairo Public Library, NY

Potato, a character that resembles a ball of brown clay with a wobbly mouth and fretful eyes, is worried about the future: "Because what if something BAD happens?" A sensitive girl, who helped Potato to overcome boredom in companion book I'm Bored, comforts and supports her friend. An unruly spread rendered in minty green ink shows Potato's worst-case scenarios unfolding simultaneously (an erupting volcano, an alien chef holding a "Potato Recipes" book, a T. rex in pursuit of a fearful clown). Potato's anxiety is contagious: "Um, now I'M worried," Flamingo says. The girl is pragmatic but gentle as she explains to Potato and Flamingo that life is filled with unexpected events and that many turn out okay in the end. Learning to "enjoy the now" may seem like a simplistic solution to handling life's inevitable stressors, but readers who put it into practice will likely find it empowering. Ages 4-8. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Potato's friends--a flamingo and a young girl--are enjoying playing, but Potato's feeling overwhelmed with worry about the future. "What if something bad happens?" asks Potato, as imagined what-ifs swirl around. Soon, Flamingo's also besieged with worry. The girl acknowledges their feelings, though she also reminds them that unforeseen incidents happened to each of them before (like when Potato fell, or when she broke her arm), but eventually they all were fine. Nonetheless, the pair's anxiety continues, but the girl is patient, ultimately providing potentially helpful, calming advice and perspective--since the future's unknown, "just enjoy the now." Joining the author-and-illustrators' previous titles (I'm Bored, 2012; I'm Sad, 2018), this recognizes a familiar emotion and, with its amusing, sympathetic, and supportive approach, neither downplays nor demeans it. Colorful, animated cartoon illustrations add levity to events (like Flamingo wresting its beak from a peanut-butter jar), and the speech-balloon dialogue lends well to read-alouds. Though it may not totally allay anxiety, this may encourage kids to articulate their concerns while offering some reassurances, including that they're not alone.

Black and Ohi team up once more to encourage children's emotional intelligence in this follow-up to I'm Sad (2018) and I'm Bored (2012).Potato is worried. Potato is anxious about the future and all the terrible things that could possibly happen: alien invasions, volcanic eruptions, dinosaur rampages. Like many who struggle with anxiety, Potato is an expert at catastrophizing, and although Flamingo is initially unconcerned, the spud's fears are contagious. Their human friend encourages them to learn to treasure and enjoy the moment right now. Although "sometimes bad things happen," everything usually turns out OK in the end. Ohi's bright and bold illustrations carry the plot, conveying physical humor and emotional expression (even in the tuber) along with expanding the dialogue-only text, which utilizes different colors and typefaces to identify the speakers. Once again Black does an excellent job of normalizing a difficult emotion and giving children insights on how to cope. The book is not as touching as I'm Sad, but the lighthearted antics of the friends here will likely assist worried readers to break negative thought spirals and perhaps reframe to more mindful settings. As the dedication reads: "For worriers. Take a breath. Right now, in this moment, you are fine. And this moment is all that matters."A great launchpad for sharing about worries and developing vocabulary for thorny feelings. (Picture book. 3-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.