Check Out My Newest Guest Post From Author Nicole S. Kluemper PLUS Check Out Her New Book ‘Simon the Scared Rottweiler’ & Enter A Giveaway! #SimonTheScaredRottweiler

This post is sponsored by Nicole S. Kluemper. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal views.

How Picture Books Can Help Kids Process Big Emotions 

Communicating with adults is pretty easy (at least in theory). In the context of the therapeutic setting, an adult can walk into an office, sit down, and start talking. Kids? Not so much. Talk therapy with a four-year-old does not work. What does work? Making it fun! Turning a topic into a game or an art project are both proven ways of capturing a child’s interest and gaining their buy-in.  

Similarly, picture books take a serious topic and make it digestible for young readers, thus helping them learn skills to manage their big feelings. The pictures not only help communicate the message but also hold the child’s interest and make it amusing to look at.  

Some feelings are just BIG, and little ones often have trouble expressing them appropriately (or at all). Hand that big feeling over to a relatable fictional character and all of a sudden the emotion is at a safe distance, and the kiddo can look at it clearly enough to deal with it.  

When a child sees the emotion(s) they have been experiencing on the face of a fictional character, this is a big deal. Looking at a simple picture book might not seem like it would cause a lot of learning, but it really can. If a little one can learn to recognize an emotion on the face of a character, then they can learn to name the feeling, which is a huge step in terms of being able to cope with it when they feel it themselves.  

Parents can take advantage of this recognition phenomenon in an effort to work on empathy while reading with their child. Asking how a non-central character might be feeling encourages the child to consider other points of view, and that ability to take the perspective of another at an early age is emotional intelligence at its best.  

I’ve heard parents tell me how annoyed they get hearing the same song or story repeated for the hundredth time. There might be a reason for this. Reading a picture book over and over again allows a child to process what they’re reading. If the book teaches a lesson, the child might be sorting out how to apply that lesson to their own life.  

In a word – modeling. In this world full of not-so-great role models for our kids to look up to, picture books provide a reliable source of positive modeling of healthy coping skills for dealing with strong emotions.  

In the case of Simon the Scared Rottweiler, I literally put the book to work in the therapy space. I often read the book aloud to the child, then help them make their very own thought bottle to take home! This was one reason I wrote the book (the other being my desire to help kids with anxiety on a larger scale).  

At home, parents sometimes turn reading into a chore. I think this is a lost opportunity. Inviting a child to “see what Simon is up to today!” (for example) is very different than telling them to “sit down and read.” Creating life-long readers and learners by associating positive feelings with reading is an outcome that can benefit all of us.  

ABOUT THE BOOK

Simon the Scared Rottweiler

Written by Nicole S. Kluemper, Ph.D.

Ages: 4–8 | 34 Pages

Publisher: Nicole S Kluemper (2026) | ISBN: 979-8218884802

Publisher’s Book Summary: Simon is having a hard day. He wakes up to a bad dream, the fire alarm goes off at school, some big bullies bother him, and that’s not all! Just then, Kevin’s big sister Angie steps in and helps Simon by teaching him some skills for dealing with his worry that will last a lifetime.

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nicole Kluemper, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist at a small community clinic in San Diego, California. She earned her undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of San Diego and her doctorate degree in clinical psychology from Alliant International University. Dr. Kluemper is a Navy veteran, a published author, and lives just outside San Diego with her husband of seventeen years and their dog, Simon.

To learn more, visit www.nicolekluemper.com.

Instagram | Facebook

TOUR SCHEDULE

Friday, June 12, 2026
The Children’s Book Review
Tour Kick-Off for Simon the Scared Rottweiler

Monday, June 15, 2026
The Starlit Path
Book Review of Simon the Scared Rottweiler

Tuesday, June 16, 2026
Country Mamas With Kids
Guest Post about Simon the Scared Rottweiler

Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Crafty Moms Share
Book Review of Simon the Scared Rottweiler

Thursday, June 18, 2026
Deliciously Savvy
Guest Post about Simon the Scared Rottweiler

Friday, June 19, 2026
Q&As with Deborah Kalb
Author Interview with Nicole S. Kluemper

Monday, June 22, 2026
Lisa’s Reading
Book Review of Simon the Scared Rottweiler

Tuesday, June 23, 2026
@meghenslittlelibrary
Instagram Post about Simon the Scared Rottweiler

Wednesday, June 24, 2026
Me Two Books
Author Interview with Nicole S. Kluemper

Thursday, June 25, 2026
@nissa_the.bookworm
Instagram Post about Simon the Scared Rottweiler

Friday, June 26, 2026
The Fairview Review
Book Review of Simon the Scared Rottweiler

Monday, June 29, 2026
Life is What it’s Called
Author Interview with Nicole S. Kluemper

Tuesday, June 30, 2026
A Blue Box Full of Books
Instagram Post about Simon the Scared Rottweiler

Thursday, July 2, 2026
icefairy’s Treasure Chest
Book Review of Simon the Scared Rottweiler

NOW TO THE GIVEAWAY!

Five lucky readers who follow along on this virtual book tour will have the chance to win a paperback copy of Simon the Scared Rottweiler. One Grand Prize Winner will win a Bundle PLUS a $50 Amazon Gift Card!

Click Here To Enter Or Click On The Picture Below!