BOOK REVIEW:  Katie’s Really Bad Day by Kathleen Jeffrey

_{Illustrated by Susan Kilmartin}

Katie’s Really Bad Day: A Story About Test Anxiety

Published: April 30, 2024

Genre: Children’s/School issues/Self-esteem

Ages: 5-8

Synopsis:

It’s spelling test day, and Katie feels anxious… Cheerful, fun-loving Katie sometimes gets anxious before tests, even when she knows the answers. One day, Katie’s feelings were so enormous, she panics and can’t seem to do the test at all. She even disrupts the entire class. Luckily, with her teacher’s guidance, Katie discovers calming tools to soothe her nerves. Pretty soon the whole class is joining Katie to beat that test stress!

A beautifully illustrated, relatable story with teaching points and practical advice for anxious kids.

REVIEW

First off, this book is SO beautifully illustrated by award-winning portrait painter, calligrapher, muralist, and plein-air painter Susan Kilmartin. The images in this book are absolutely captivating.

Written by Kathleen Jeffery,  who is fulfilling her mission to create stories that shine with love, light, spirit, truth, and joy, her goal is to help children navigate life’s challenges, explore big emotions, and grow with courage, kindness, and wonder. Katie’s Really Bad Day is a sweet story about test-taking anxiety that is often overlooked or brushed aside. My son suffers from this, so I commend Mrs. Jeffrey for tackling a topic that is often overlooked or rarely discussed in schools and by teachers.

In Katie’s Really Bad Day, we meet Katie, who is having a fun, carefree time at recess. When it’s time return inside, Katie is reminded of the spelling test and is overwhelmed with nervousness. Jeffery describes in the most perfect way. It’s exactly how my son sometimes describes the anxiety to me. 

Katie’s situation does not improve as nervousness triggers other strong emotions, such as anger, when she writes on her desk, which gets her called out by a fellow student. When the teacher confronts Katie, she tells her she is not alone and shares the Breathing Board, a calming technique with her to help her recognize and manage her anxious feelings in a healthy way. Through practice and encouragement, she learns that feeling nervous before tests is common and can be managed. It emphasizes practical tools, emotional awareness, and the importance of guidance from trusted adults, providing a relatable portrayal of test anxiety and its impact on children.

Katie’s Bad Day: A Story About Test Anxiety is an absolutely fabulous book that teachers need in their classroom or school library as well as parents alike. Rather than focusing on discipline, the story emphasizes having patience, understanding, and compassion.

 My rating is⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 out of 5 stars!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathleen grew up in Rhode Island, graduating from Rhode Island College with a BA in Elementary Education/Psychology. In the mid 70’s, teaching positions were scarce, so Kathleen pursued media sales, enjoying a 28-year career in business-to-business US & international publishing. She represented multiple publications serving the US, Europe, and Asia.

When Kathleen left the corporate world, she went to work for the Glastonbury Abbey Bookstore in Hingham, MA, where she experienced a wonderful 12-year bookstore adventure. She also became a lay Benedictine Oblate with Glastonbury Abbey, representing the Abbey at the 4th International Oblate Congress in Rome.

She is now fulfilling her vision of writing children’s picture books to bring, “Love, Light, Spirit, Truth, Joy,” to little one’s beautiful hearts.

Kathleen’s first book is Katie’s Really Bad Day: A Story About Test Anxiety. She finds great joy visiting elementary schools presenting Katie’s story, breathing activities, the writing process, illustration collaboration and her inspiration for writing about school and test anxiety.

She has three grown children and lives in Hingham, Massachusetts with her husband, lab, and westie. She enjoys traveling, hiking, canoeing, wildlife sanctuaries, and tree bathing, aka…hanging out with trees!

To learn more about Kathleen and her book, visit kathleenjeffreyauthor.com

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

SUSAN Kilmartin, Born in Utah, grew up in mining camps all over the world, from Mexico and Cuba to South Africa, Pakistan, and India.  But her favorite was a mining camp on the south rim of the Grand Canyon, where her Dad headed the Western Gold and Uranium Company.  Her best memory was riding down the ore bucket suspended on a cable into the Lost Orphan Uranium mine a mile down the canyon. ​

Her BFA is from the University of Maryland, where she also did one year of graduate work in printmaking.  She is a portrait painter, calligrapher, muralist, plein air painter, and illustrator, having just completed her 3rd children’s book, Katie’s Really Bad Day.  She and her husband Hugh live in South Yarmouth, Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

Visit her website and gallery at susankilmartin.godaddysites.com