Check Out My Newest Guest Post By Author Raven Howell Plus Check Out Her New Book 'A Day With The Dragons' PLUS A Giveaway! #ADayWithTheDragons ~

This post is sponsored by Raven Howell. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal views

(How Picture Books Can Teach Conflict Resolution Without Adults Solving It For Them)

Picture Books: Magical Doorways to Teach Conflict Resolution

By Raven Howell

I’m so angry!

For the youngest children, getting mad or breaking down in tears of sadness are related to huge feelings they’re processing for the first times in their lives. Grief, when the beloved family cat dies or becoming angry when their little fingers just can’t figure out how to put on their winter boots, are real experiences.

Even as an adult, you know that there are times you want to simply express the emotion. That could be anything from yelling up into the night sky or sobbing into a pillow. But we also know how to use words or talk things over to resolve conflicts. The older we get, the more versed we are in the complicated emotion of love and understanding within relationships.

First things first

A child has limited vocabulary. Hitting or acting out physically may be the first reaction. Grownups have the responsibility to:

Make sure no one gets hurt.
It’s a good time to work with the child to literally name the feeling.
Get re-grounded and take a few calming breaths.
Ask the child, “What happened?”

Unless it’s a dire situation, there’s no need to push a solution. Keep in mind that children will first see things only from their own perspective. It’s okay to allow them to express their point of view or their pain.

Bring out the picture books!

A children’s book teaches conflict resolution by highlighting different people or characters wanting different things and feeling differently. Stories can explain why someone feels upset or hurt– and that could be experienced in various ways.

My new picture book, A DAY WITH THE DRAGONS, demonstrates this when the main characters, dragon brothers Blue and Green, try to trick each other into going along with their own preferred activities for the day.

Blue loves the water. He’s ready to sail, swim and surf. But Green prefers the earth. He’s comfortable hiking and meandering on the hillside. They fall into dire, yet silly, comedic circumstances. Green takes a scary plunge into the sea when the dragon boat topples. Blue ends up breaking out in red spots from an allergic reaction to dandelions when he goes along with Green’s pleas to hike.

The picture book shows how, in this case, purposeful manipulative pressure can hurt another. It’s a clear example of explaining different views while gently learning the nature of empathy.

Providing visual cues

Because a child will likely judge the character’s behavior in the book well before their own, kids have the allowance to come up with their own solutions at a safe distance and time. They needn’t even know how to read – the illustrations demonstrate the emotions.

Body language is prominent in my book, and illustrator Alexander Santos was chosen for the dragon story’s artwork because he’s well experienced in creating non-verbal cues. Blue’s composure moves from conniving to majestic to sick. Green is portrayed terrified, delighted and then regretful. Little bookworms can easily follow along the plot by the visuals.

Emotions settle down with vocabulary building

I mentioned how naming feelings can be a good start for kids. What better way than to read picture books to build a child’s vocabulary?

I’ve read A DAY WITH THE DRAGONS many times during story circles with preschoolers. It never fails – someone always asks, “What does ‘gurgle’ mean?” I am so happy I kept that word in the text! It’s just a little off of the radar for the youngest, yet easy to explain. And it’s empowering to learn new words.

I got this, Mom!

Picture books like mine hold life lessons, depict ways of handling relationships and situations that children can readily use in life.

There are no adults in my book. There are no grown-ups solving the problems. There is no magical solution, even though the dragons are magical beings. Instead, both Blue and Green choose to identify and specifically name how they feel. In detail, they admit and discuss what they each did to try to get their own way. They take responsibility. This models calmness, apology, and friendship.

When the brothers make amends, the best solution appears. Their younger brother, Yellow, encourages them to spend the day flying, something they all enjoy doing. The dragons playfully soar around the sun chasing kites. It’s a compromise and a happy outcome for all.

Epilogue

There are picture books which are specifically written to be informative and instructive, an important genre for our library shelves. There are also picture books incorporating parents or adults solving the obstacle or child’s problem, but overall, I’d say those are few and far between.

Picture books are terrific entries to help children discover their own power of choice, of feeling better, and maturation. They show that we all make mistakes. It gifts children with the access to handle their days with care, compassion and kindness for a positive solution.

ABOUT THE BOOK

A Day with the Dragons

Written by Raven Howell

Illustrated by Alexander Santos

Ages: 2-7 | 34 Pages

Publisher: AMInk Publishing (2026) | ISBN-13: 978-1958842706

Publisher’s Book Summary: What do you do when you and your brother have different interests but still want to spend the day together? Dragons Blue and Green set off on a series of comical misadventures. After risky jellyfish encounters and allergic red spots from dandelions, will they begin to understand that love and respect for one another matters more?

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon | Bookshop.org

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Raven Howell is the award-winning author and poet of over 30 children’s books. She writes for magazines including Highlights, Cricket, and The School. She’s a journalist for Story Monsters Ink magazine and a writer for children’s educational publishers. Raven enjoys visiting students in schools and libraries, and most importantly, believes in magical dragons.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

Alexander Santos is a Brazilian illustrator with almost 30 years of experience. He has illustrated for several newspapers, dozens of children’s, school, and literature books, and hundreds of children’s magazines. He created and illustrated puzzles for the magazine Recreio (Brazil). He also designed children’s games and taught drawing for 11 years. Alexander doesn’t remember when he first encountered dragons, but he hasn’t strayed far from them since discovering RPGs in the 80s.

Behance | Instagram | LinkedIn

TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday, August 3, 2026
The Children’s Book Review
Book List Featuring A Day with the Dragons

Tuesday, August 4, 2026
The Starlit Path
Book Review of A Day with the Dragons

Thursday, August 6, 2026
Life is What It’s Called
Author Interview with Raven Howell

Friday, August 7, 2026
Lisa’s Reading
Guest Post about A Day with the Dragons

Monday, August 10, 2026
Country Mamas With Kids
Book Review of A Day with the Dragons

Tuesday, August 11, 2026
@nissa_the.bookworm
Instagram Post about A Day with the Dragons

Thursday, August 13, 2026
Cover Lover Book Review
Author Interview with Raven Howell

Friday, August 14, 2026
Deliciously Savvy
Guest Post about A Day with the Dragons

Monday, August 17, 2026
@MaryLanniReads
Book Review of A Day with the Dragons

Tuesday, August 18, 2026
icefairy’s Treasure Chest
Book Review of A Day with the Dragons

Thursday, August 20, 2026
@books.with.courtney
Book Review of A Day with the Dragons

Friday, August 21, 2026
A Blue Box Full of Books
Book Review of A Day with the Dragons

Monday, August 24, 2026
Steph’s Cheers and Jeers
Book Review of A Day with the Dragons

Tuesday, August 25, 2026
Q&As with Deborah Kalb
Author Interview with Raven Howell

Thursday, August 27, 2026
Crafty Moms Share
Book Review of A Day with the Dragons

Friday, August 28, 2026
@kidslittlefreelibrarybristolri
Instagram Post about A Day with the Dragons

NOW TO THE GIVEAWAY!

Readers who follow along on this virtual book tour will have the chance to win one of five signed hardcover copies of A Day with the Dragons. One lucky grand prize winner will receive a cozy A Day with the Dragons throw pillow plus 10 of Raven Howell’s bestselling children’s books, spanning preschool through early reader favorites.