MY REVIEW
Sadness. Nobody wants it. Nobody invites it over. But sometimes it shows up anyway.
That’s what happens to Molly in Bella and Bird Explore Sadness by Deana Plaskon. Molly feels gloomy, left out, and convinced nobody wants to play with her. Luckily, she wanders into the company of Bella, a wonderfully gentle horse, and Bird, a barn swallow who always seems to have a joke tucked beneath his wing. Together, they help Molly figure out what’s lurking beneath all those gloomy feelings.
Molly soon discovers that feeling better isn’t about making sadness magically disappear. It’s about understanding where it came from and learning what to do when it arrives. Along the way, children discover clever, practical techniques including feather breathing, drawing their emotions, using an emotion wheel, and clearing away what Bella calls ‘foggy thinking.’
The subject may be serious, but the story never becomes gloomy itself. Bird’s jokes add just enough silliness, while Lea Marie Ravotti’s warm illustrations make Molly’s emotional journey feel inviting and safe. Best of all, sadness isn’t treated like the monster hiding under the bed. It’s something children can face, understand, and learn to handle. And suddenly, it doesn’t seem quite so scary.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: Bella and Bird Explore Sadness
Author: Deana Plaskon
Illustrator: Lea Marie Rivotti
Publisher: Bella and Bird Books (2026)
ISBN: 979-8987268452
Age Range: Ages 5–10 (32 pages)
Series: Bella and Bird — Emotion Explorers
Synopsis:
Molly cried. She really cried. When Molly comes into the pasture, gloomy and sad, Bella, the wise horse, and Bird, the wisecracking barn swallow, step in to help. Together, the friends set out to explore why Molly is sad and offer valuable lessons and better ways to cope. By the time Molly leaves the pasture, she’s gained new insights, is in better control of her feelings, and has tools to take along with her.
Bella and Bird Explore Sadness provides a foundation for readers to explore, understand, and effectively manage sadness, and serves as an invaluable tool for starting honest conversations about big emotions.
Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Deana Plaskon is an award-winning children’s author, educator, and licensed mental health professional. Bella isn’t just a storybook character — she’s Deana’s real-life Gypsy Vanner horse, and Bird is inspired by the barn swallows that gather Bella’s mane to build their nests.
After Hurricane Ian, Deana saw how deeply children were affected by fear, sadness, uncertainty, and change — an experience that inspired the Bella and Bird Emotion Explorers series, blending engaging stories with practical emotional intelligence tools.
Website: bellabirdbooks.com
Connect: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn
GIVEAWAY
Big feelings, big prizes! Follow along on this virtual book tour and enter to win one of five signed copies of Bella and Bird Explore Sadness by Deana Plaskon.
Feeling extra lucky? One grand prize winner will take home the complete set—signed copies of all three books in the series: Bella and Bird Explore Anger, Bella and Bird Explore Sadness, and Bella and Bird Explore Happiness.
Giveaway entry link: https://www.
Giveaway ends at 11:30 PM MT on September 24, 2026
*Disclosure: This post is sponsored. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal views.
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