
Holdin Pott
This book sweetly and subtly teaches both adults and children that bottling up emotions — “keeping the lid on the pot” too tight for too long — can be harmful to our emotional health. Holdin Pott normalizes and encourages expression and sharing of difficult feelings and emotions. The simple story invites readers to get in touch with their own ways of processing feelings and modeling healthy behaviors for children. Holdin Pott provides a great starting point for reflection and conversations with children around difficult feelings.
kbradley
Review posted February 1, 2023
Holdin Pott is a great book for introducing communicating about feelings to children. The book features bright illustrations and a soothing rhyme that creates a rhythm with a strong and relatable message. It also came with a master copy of an activity to pair with the book where students draw what they are holding in their pot.
jessicamagnani
Review posted January 27, 2023
I love utilizing this in my sessions with clients to explore holding in our emotions. Great resource.
jennynunn
Review posted January 25, 2023
Such a cute way to teach about anger and learning to manage it!
rparac
Review posted January 13, 2023
This book is great for elementary age students to discuss emotions and what happens when we bottle them up. It even talks about the aftermath when you blow up and have those feelings of ashamed, scared, made a mess. As a school counselor, I talk about this with students all the time and now have a colorful book to show them!
alicia deaderick
Review posted January 12, 2023
My students and teachers all loved this book! It's a great way to show the importance of expressing your feelings.
Nstein910
Review posted January 10, 2023
Loved this book to explain anger expression to children.
classykira85
Review posted January 6, 2023
Great for preschoolers to understand how to cope with feelings
hayes2070m
Review posted January 4, 2023
This is a wonderful book to read to students and discuss feelings with children. It will help students learn how to express their feelings.
jriccitelli
Review posted January 4, 2023
Really enjoy this book. I like the literal 'flipping the lid' with the pot. I use this analogy so much with kids, and reading this book with them will be helpful!
Halfdeadmar
Review posted December 27, 2022
It was an okay book. I was hoping for a little more of something. Not sure what. We have read it a few times and are modifying some of the techniques that fit our family.
faithhowe11
Review posted December 1, 2022
The book was creative and an excellent content for an SEL lesson. Students can easily create connections to the book's storyline and personal experiences.
haleynicole14
Review posted November 13, 2022
This one was too serious for my toddler, but would be good for older kids.
sloni26
Review posted November 11, 2022
Everyone experiences difficult feelings. I love that this books speaks about this.
esthermanea
Review posted November 10, 2022
This book is great for younger kids who hold their emotions in, and consequences of doing that!
Megan Buckley
Review posted November 9, 2022
It's a cute story overall. As an adult, I got the message of it but feel that it might be a bit of a challenge for younger kids to grasp the concept/message of the story. I'll be using it for work with my kiddos and having a lot of conversations about emotions and what can happen when we hold our feelings in. I feel like this book will still be a beneficial tool to use and open up the conversation in a fun way for them.
jjwright77
Review posted November 7, 2022
Kids approved!
SelenaHoy
Review posted November 7, 2022
Really cute book for kids (and adults!) about healthy processing of emotions. Love the text, rhymes are very nice, and cute illustrations too. My kid likes it!
Shayneochoa
Review posted October 29, 2022
excellent
Recoveringmom
Review posted October 20, 2022
This book was everything I had hoped for based on others reviews. I absolutely loved reading this with my kids and learning about how we teach our kids to hold in their emotions until they explode but that we can teach ourselves and then that they are alone and we love them and if we let off some stream as needed them we don't have to get to that point. We received an activity page to draw what's in your pot also so I can't wait to make copies so we can all do that together. Thank you so much
jackharden6
Review posted October 19, 2022
This is a wonderful book to help kids with anger!
rmensik
Review posted October 16, 2022
This book is great in showing kids how the feelings in your body are connected to emotions. Not only that, but also letting kids know that it's ok to have negative feelings. Great way to introduce emotions to children.
sarahmweber
Review posted October 12, 2022
My daughter really enjoyed this book about dealing with big feelings.
timhutton
Review posted October 2, 2022
I didn’t get this book so I am not able to accurately review it
edithh.esmeralda
Review posted September 27, 2022
Great book, really helps students put their feelings into pictures.
VictoriaThompson555
Review posted September 10, 2022
I love this book! I read it to my preschool students and they have really connected with it. I'm glad I chose this one to try out.
sek36250
Review posted August 31, 2022
Holdin Pott is a wonderful tool to aid in the conversation about the importance of expressing emotions rather than keeping them bottled up. Books like this one are a gift to the younger generations as parents try to shift the paradigm from "sucking it up" to letting oneself feel it all.
Hberra22
Review posted August 22, 2022
This is a beautifully written book that all parents should read to their children and to themselves. The story not only shows what can happen when emotions are kept bottled up inside, but it also demonstrates how the effects of trauma can be passed down intergenerationally. The illustrations capture the intensity of emotions and I loved how it was shown that adults are also capable of changing how they react to stress and trauma. It is a simple yet profound story that does not negate the reality of daily stress and struggles, but rather speaks to how important it is to realize it is ok to experience negative emotions. A wonderful read that should be in homes and classrooms everywhere.
Madison Myers
Review posted August 17, 2022
Excellent social emotional book!
Jan Diamantine
Review posted August 17, 2022
Sorry so late rating this book. It was great and my daughter is a behavior specialist and she works with kids k-12 and also found it very beneficial.
Janelledwagner
Review posted August 16, 2022
Great book! I can’t wait to use it with my students!
crista.beaty
Review posted August 16, 2022
Great story for younger children about controlling feelings when feeling upset
Charmaine
Review posted August 15, 2022
Excellent read with engaging pictures for children and youth.
PaintedWords
Review posted August 12, 2022
Amazing book to use with children, early elementary on up. Well loved by my autistic teen as well!
mwalker15
Review posted August 12, 2022
Quick read about a little pot that is taught to hold in all his feelings, until the point that they blow! Suggested read for students that already understand various emotions and can identify feelings. Then you can use this book to establish the idea that holding in feelings can have consequences.
Bailey Guido
Review posted August 11, 2022
I loved that this came with an activity page! My son uses the term flip his lid now.
DaphneMalpass
Review posted August 11, 2022
Love this book!
Danielle
Review posted August 3, 2022
Great discussion starter book!
Danellmb
Review posted July 23, 2022
Good book that’s helps kids understand anger
Sopiwnik
Review posted July 10, 2022
This is a wonderful way to start a conversation with kids about how they are feeling. We read this book and all took turns talking about some of our big feelings. The kids were eager to do the accompanying worksheet. Thank you!
cdorrahs
Review posted July 6, 2022
Great book for helping learn emotion regulation.
CRose725
Review posted July 3, 2022
I read this book with my two boys who loved reading along and guessing what would happen to Holdin Pott when he held in all his feelings. We got to talk about how important it is to let your feelings out. Cute book; I recommend it.
kimberleywinther
Review posted June 24, 2022
I have used this book with some of my child clients and have gotten a positive response from them. I love the message of this book and the clear communication of it. Recommend!
aileahd
Review posted June 15, 2022
A cute little book for preschoolers.
Rcollins
Review posted June 14, 2022
I love using this book professionally to teach kids about expressing their emotions!
kroundy
Review posted June 13, 2022
I adored this book. As someone who has experienced this culture of concealing one's emotions for the sake of image or mistake composure and self control in my own family, this book's powerful message resonated with me. With the best of intentions, we adults in the room try to enforce an impossible and unreachable standard of calm for so many kids that often undermines their ability to recognize how they feel and navigate their emotions in a healthy manner. Hopefully books like this will help us transform those expectations into a culture of acceptance, understanding, and recognition of the wide array of emotions we all experience every day.
ashleyjohnsonbend
Review posted June 12, 2022
so accessible - already used it with my kids! wonderful :)
hersey2
Review posted June 11, 2022
This is a cute story and does introduce saying your feelings instead of holding them in. I would have thought that there was going to be more explicit explanation of how to say your feelings even when your afraid or worried about what will happen, but the end leaves it open to talk about what they will do next.
vbeskow
Review posted June 9, 2022
Very cute book with a great meaning to teach young kids!
pmoore
Review posted June 3, 2022
For my students who live in a world with so much going on, this story is perfect. We get to talk about emotional maturity in releasing steam and not exploding and making a mess. Our counselor even stole this for her lessons in other classes. I cannot recommend this book enough!
Sidneyj15
Review posted May 28, 2022
I love that this book teaches my littles that it's okay to feel their feelings! We loved reading this story together.
kelseyturner
Review posted May 25, 2022
My 7 year old daughter and I really enjoyed Holdin Pott. This is her first book on managing big feelings. After reading it, we discussed how she will have big feelings sometimes and that it is okay to ask others for help in managing those feelings, just like in the story. She has asked to read it every night this week!
emibug
Review posted May 20, 2022
Read to my 5 year old and with my 11 year old. Great explanation of emotion.
dougsannes
Review posted May 18, 2022
Great book to read with your child who "holds it in" until they explode.
Lara Welford
Review posted May 12, 2022
This was a cute story and seemed to be engaging with the children I read it to. There was a little confusion from the children about the narrative and some thought the book was suggesting holding in anger was a good thing to do. It prompted a discussion and most were able to get the concept after talking through it.
jlhendren
Review posted May 10, 2022
It's a cute book with a deep topic. Kiddos likes the pictures and I liked the fact they were learning while having fun "blowing the lids" (their words).
Deserae21
Review posted May 4, 2022
This book was a fun way for my nephews to see how holding onto feelings can turn out bad.
[email protected]
Review posted May 2, 2022
This was a cute book about holding in emotions until you blow your lid. I really liked that it showed the dad pot supporting the child pot with managing his emotions in a different way than he had been raised (to keep it all in). It did seem to end very abruptly and I thought there was going to be more about how to help little ones manage their feelings. Very cute though!
CHANELC
Review posted April 27, 2022
Cute book
kbenage
Review posted April 22, 2022
Great visualization of the effects of holding in your emotions.
Susan Pinnock
Review posted April 19, 2022
Chandra is a wonderful author. I heard her speak years ago and love how she helps parents or others help kids talk about hard things. this was just another wonderful opportunity for that. Holdin Pott is there for Little pott and is able to help him manage his feelings.
Mandy082
Review posted March 30, 2022
Such a cute book about holding our feelings in and what that feels like. And how we can burst if we don’t get them out.
jsweetland
Review posted March 24, 2022
Really cute book with an awesome message.
Dimplez1513
Review posted March 23, 2022
I am a mental health counselor and love sharing this book with kids about emotions. Super easy to read and the kids ans families love it too! Thank you
Brenda Leach
Review posted March 17, 2022
This is a sweet story that teaches three values: Bottling up our emotions is detrimental, a good self-regulation example from an adult can go a long way for a child, and watching someone else model acceptance can help others be accepting, too.
Jwright89
Review posted March 12, 2022
This book is such a sweet story for children to help them understand stress and big emotions. My kids really enjoyed this.
luv2Junk2021
Review posted March 5, 2022
WOW! What a great book! It was a great book to read with my students and opened up a lot of discussion. Such a great story with great pictures! Love this book! Will read it again with my new students. Thanks for making this available.
dougherty_m
Review posted February 25, 2022
This is a great book to support big emotions and SEL teaching. So grateful for this sweet story to share with my class!
JulianaBrown
Review posted February 25, 2022
Holdin Pott is a sweet book about emotions. The book uses the analogy of pots and steam to help children and adults alike understand the importance acknowledging and understanding your emotions, as well as supporting others. This book could be used to facilitate SEL discussions.
fxd8797
Review posted February 25, 2022
I’ve read this book multiple times to my kids. We really enjoy the pictures/illustrations, there great! I feel this is a perfect example/reference to use about letting things bottle up inside and helping start conversations of how to talk about it.
Julianagel11
Review posted February 24, 2022
Great book for kids understanding the challenge of big emotions.
KendraSchroeder
Review posted February 24, 2022
Holdin Pott is a cute story that teaches what may happen to those who keep in feelings of anger and sadness. I think this would be a good addition in helping teach self-regulation for young children.
hsurugger
Review posted February 23, 2022
My kids love this book! It's a great story about facing your emotions rather than keeping them bottled up.
Clairedavis
Review posted February 23, 2022
Great read for kids, but really for the parents to help them to remember to "let off steam" so they don't blow up!
yoncallalibrary
Review posted February 19, 2022
Heart warming children's story about holding in your emotions and how letting them out can bring you closer to someone who loves you.
astuart
Review posted February 14, 2022
I get the idea of the book but feel like it was a lost opportunity for more skills teaching.
grrbonka
Review posted February 9, 2022
What a wonderful book! I like the descriptive illustrations. This is the perfect book to explain to a child what hiding his emotions can do. A parent can read the book to the child, and then the child can look at the pictures by him/herself to understand what can happen when you don't talk about your feelings.
kmcorban
Review posted February 9, 2022
Really cute book. My 4 year old likes it and asks for it. However the concept is rather abstract for this age group so alot of conversation about the concept is needed. Overall though, its a good starting point to talk about big feelings.
Toby Abraham-Rhine
Review posted February 8, 2022
Wonderful new addition to my counseling books. I chose this to use with my students and can’t wait to share it with them. Self-regulation is a new challenge to so many children, especially in light of the pandemic. The illustrations and story are charming. Thanks for this offering!
hwarner18
Review posted February 8, 2022
I loved this story about feelings and it can do to you if you hold them in! Young kids will love this book to help better their understanding of negative feelings.
Hilary
Review posted February 8, 2022
This is a story about letting out feelings instead of keeping them bottled up inside. It is a good message and works fairly well. Some kids might be drawn to it more than others. My daughter was mildly interested in it. However, the visual of a pot/pressure cooker boiling over is a good one and will give us language to use when situations like this arise.
MelissaButler
Review posted February 8, 2022
It was a simple story that you could use personification with fairly easy. It was easy for the class to connect with their own emotions. The students enjoyed the story and illustrations. They really loved the hugging pots.
Sueone
Review posted February 8, 2022
Great like book to help preschoolers. The kids enjoyed the story, had good decisions about feelings and made their own holding pott pictures.
Heidi.Thomas
Review posted February 8, 2022
This is a sweet book about the importance of not holding in emotions. I love that it normalizes big emotions and states the importance of sharing how you feel.
cnegrete
Review posted February 8, 2022
Absolutely loved this book! Great pictures and so easy for young ones to understand.
toniwallisa
Review posted January 31, 2022
Such a cute book! A great book to read as a family.
Lara Arriola
Review posted January 26, 2022
This book is a great way to open a conversation with youngsters about the appropriate way to handle feelings.
Comreb
Review posted January 7, 2022
I like the lessons that are trying to be taught in the book but didn't care too much for how they were trying to be taught.
kennedyc
Review posted December 18, 2021
This book is a great example for children in starting a discussion on how to express emotions in a healthy way rather than hold them in.
nonirose
Review posted December 14, 2021
Cute story with emotions and how to let them out and allow others to do the same. Not a thick book but beautifully illustrated. This book is meant for children as a teaching tool and yet it's perfect for adults to learn as well.
Kokocat
Review posted December 12, 2021
This book does show how when we hold in our feelings we may blow our top but I didn’t love the book. It has some rhyming which is fun. A bit abstract.
CLucht
Review posted December 10, 2021
I read this to a 4 year old who has been having trouble managing her behaviors, especially since her baby brother was born. When she has lost her temper in class she has thrown things, taken from others, hit at and run from teachers, and used unkind language. At first she was not interested in reading the book with me but was intrigued by the pictures and became involved in Little Pott's dilemma. As she associated her feelings with Little Pott her demeanor softened, she snuggled in, and made comments about Little Pott, saying she felt sorry for Little Pott. What a wonderful way to help children learn that it's okay to become frustrated, but better ways to self-regulate their behaviors.
Jshadwick
Review posted December 8, 2021
Great discussion starter for talking about the importance of telling your feelings, and not bottling them up.
TammyMaher
Review posted December 8, 2021
Holdin Pott is a simple story, showing that everyone feels big, stressful feelings. It portrays characters experiencing these feelings. One has been taught to keep them bottled up & learns that it is better to release big feelings, than hold them in, resulting in destructive reactions. The story also shows when we have a few friends, we can support each other through difficult feelings & experiences.
Natalie Busch
Review posted December 8, 2021
I love Chandra Ghosh's books! This book is great story to illustrate the importance of talking about feelings. I especially like how the book explores all the ways we avoid communicating about our inner world yet the feelings still exist! I recommend this book.
Dawndel
Review posted December 6, 2021
I am a Child and Family Therapist. This book is an incredible tool to support emotional regulation in children. I use it in the therapy room with parents and kids all of the time!
[email protected]
Review posted December 4, 2021
This is a wonderful book and I can use it with my children at Lifeworks NW and I can read it to my future grand children. Yes when I was young we learned how to hold in our feelings. Let’s change this so feelings are okay.
kmccormick12
Review posted December 4, 2021
I love this book!! If you teach "Flipping your Lid" at your school, this book is absolutely amazing! I can't wait to bring it to school and read it to my students. It pairs up so well with "flipping your lid". This is a great choice!!!
mluedtke
Review posted December 4, 2021
The message of sharing big feelings and not bottling up emotions is a good one for children and adults alike. My four year old has been “blowing her lid” a lot lately and this book is timely in its message.
Seacro07
Review posted November 30, 2021
I really thought that this book was a great way to teach children how it is healthy to talk about their feelings. The art is okay but the message is really important for all children to learn.
Sdalisky
Review posted November 25, 2021
Cute book about not letting your emotions build up. For little kids, the metaphors might be a little abstract but can lead to good conversations.
sweety95838
Review posted November 22, 2021
great book about feelings and expressing them
chasteenbrazil
Review posted November 15, 2021
Very good read for the little and I
chandler1979
Review posted November 2, 2021
This book is a great way to introduce children to let go of their feelings and not keep them bottled up inside.
JJDittmer
Review posted November 2, 2021
Loved “Holdin Pot” and the color sheet it came with. Great book!
Stacieq
Review posted October 30, 2021
I love this book. It is adorable and a great way to teach children about their feelings.