Introducing a story of self-care to remind us that *It’s okay to Not be okay* ~ featured in the MaiStoryBook Library Collection:

“Kevin the Unicorn: It’s Not All Rainbows” by Jessika von Innerebner

*~Click here to purchase your own copy of *Kevin the Unicorn: It’s Not All Rainbows* to start on your own reading adventure! (This is an affiliate link~ 5% of your purchase will go to MaiStoryBook to help create Reading Resources for your littles)~*

Book Synopsis and Review

Kevin is a unicorn, and everyone knows that unicorns are 100% perfect, 100% happy, 100% of the time. That is how it was for Kevin, until….one day he wakes up on the floor, with messy hair, his car breaks down, the store runs out of his favorite soda, and somehow, after a walk through a park, he is covered in clam juice, sticky syrup, mashed cupcakes, and chased after by a hoard of dogs and flying seagulls… Through it all Kevin tries to tell himself~ *Keep it Happy~* after all, that’s the unicorn way. But after a final tipping point, and a crash landing, Kevin will come to realize, that it’s perfectly okay to *not* be okay.

This is a perfect read aloud for helping littles acknowledge and express their feelings~ especially during anxiety-inducing times such as these. Although the book may look *happy, sparkly, and rainbowy*, the theme of the story encourages littles to accept that *It’s Okay to Not be Okay.* It’s ok for them to feel anxious, scared, worried, or mad and sad. They don’t need to feel happy all the time. What’s important is that they feel like they can share their emotions, and then have the tools to navigate through these feelings. This message is conveyed in a humorous, yet meaningful way, making a delightful yet poignant read. Plus, paired with bright, colorful, rainbow-filled illustrations~ this is a laugh-out-loud read that addresses the pressure to be perfect and the importance of expressing your true feelings.

Vocabulary

• fantastic (p. 9) wonderful, amazing, very good
• upbeat (p. 9) happy
• positive (p. 10) believe everything will be great, the feeling that good things will happen
• frazzled (p. 12) tired, exhausted
• lousy (p. 23) feeling bad

Themes/ Main Ideas

• Pressure to be Perfect: Sometimes you might feel like you have to be happy, perfect, and do everything the right way all of the time. However, what is most important is doing the best you can do, and being honest about your feelings
• It’s Okay to Not be Okay: It’s important to share your true feelings. Trying to bottle in how you feel will make you feel worse. Share your emotions with someone you trust, and let them help you with whatever you may need.

YouTube Video: Guided Shared-Reading Read Aloud Example

Example of a shared-reading, interactive Read Aloud of “Kevin the Unicorn: It’s Not All Rainbows” – how to subtly introduce the vocabulary list words within the text, ask guided questions, and spark conversation!

*~Check it Out~*

Subscribe: MaiStoryBook Youtube Channel for additional read aloud videos!

*Unicorn Pinwheel: Feelings + Self-Care* Craftivity

Currently, our world is in crisis~ and this is frightening. Especially for littles, whose whole daily routine has been upended, this is a time of anxiety, confusion, and uncertainty (for adults too). As of now, there is no solution, no clear end in sight~ so how do you comfort a child when there are still so many unknowns? What is most important it to encourage children to talk and share about how they are feeling. Littles have *Big* feelings, and hiding or bottling them up can cause more inner turmoil and more frustrations. They need to know that it is okay to feel sad, scared, worried, etc. It’s okay to feel like that- acknowledge it- and then try different things to see what they need to take care themselves. They don’t need to *fix* how they feel, but need some guidance on how to process and work through a tough day. This read aloud is perfect for sparking the conversation about accepting and sharing your feelings, and acknowledging that it’s ok to *not be ok.* Plus, this craft, *Unicorn Pinwheels: Feelings + Self-Care* will provide a visual to help littles begin that conversation on their own as well. Check it out below:

Materials

• *Unicorn Pinwheels* Downloadable Template
• Scissors
• Glue/Tape
• Colors: crayons, markers, colored pencils, etc
• Pen/pencil
• Fastener or Pipe Cleaner

Directions

• Choose a “Unicorn” Pinwheel template. There are colored and black and white versionswith two different prompts : “Today I feel ____, and that’s ok”  or “When It’s Not All Rainbows, I can….”
• The corresponding writing wheel that goes underneath is labeled to match the cover. There are fill-in-the-blank versions, or filled-in template versions
• Cut out the pieces: The Unicorn Pinwheel, the writing wheel,
• If you are using the black and white copy, color in the unicorn pinwheel.

• Preparethe Unicorn Pinwheel: Cutout the skinny trapezoid piece on the cover wheel, so there is a skinny trapezoid gap that will show the written wheel underneath. 

• Prepare the WritingWheel:  If you are using the filled-in template versions, color and add any extra decorations. If you are using the blank versions:
• For *Today I Feel…” Wheel: fill in with feelings of your choice
• For *When It’s Not All Rainbows” Wheel: fill in with 6 ideas for what to do when you are having a bad day or aren’t feeling happy. You can think of self-care ideas.

• Line up the Unicorn Pinwheel circle on top of the written circle. Place a fastener through thedot in the middle. (I sometimes use a small piece of pipe cleaner and weave it through the hole, instead of a fastener)
• Spin the wheel to share your feelings and/or to help you through a not-so-rainbowyday.

Enjoy Your *Unicorn Pinwheel: Feelings + Self-Care* Craftivity

• Read the story again with your new reading buddy, and spin the wheel to share Kevin’s or your different feelings, or spin the wheel to share different activities Kevin could do
• Use the craft to help you share your true feelings to yourself and others
• Use the craft to help you choose an activity to take care of yourself when you aren’t having a good day
• Share the crafts with friends and family to help them share their own feelings, or help them through a bad day
• Use it as a reminder to yourself that it’s okay to not be okay~*

*~Overall, I hope you all are staying safe, staying healthy, and supporting each other through these times! Tag me on Instagram @MaiStoryBookLibrary, Twitter @MaiStoryBook  – post on FaceBook – or contact me via email to share your photos of your own *Unicorn Pinwheels* Crafts, and your own reading adventures! I’d love to hear from you!~*

*~Until next time, Happy Reading~*