Book review: 'When I See Red' is a book about a child experiencing anger

In Britta Teckentrup's picture book, When I See Red, readers are introduced to a little girl who is going through passionately angry emotions. While her journey through her emotions is told with vibrant artwork the cause of her feelings is never explained. 

Image from Amazon

While reading this book to my child, I wondered if this book was more for her or me. This book does a great job expressing the feelings that go through people as they feel anger, express it, and then eventually get over it and move on. But my child didn't get anything out of this book. Nor has she asked that I read it again. 

Eventually, after going over this book several times, I've come to the conclusion that while this book is in picture book format, something that is usually geared toward young children, this book is actually geared toward older children, teens, and possibly adults. While it can be a good way to enter a conversation regarding how to deal with difficult feelings, those kinds of conversations aren't usually easy to have with very young children.

Book Breakdown:

40 pages

Geared toward ages: probably teens

Educational factor: low

Moral content: this book talks a lot about feeling and expressing anger