--- title: "Sadness: Three Stories About Feeling Better" description: Monica Portogallo praises the new addition to a series of picture books that help children learn to process their challenging emotions. image: https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/20230721%20MPortogallo%201.png --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/sadness-three-stories-about-feeling-better#) [BOOKS](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/tag/books) # Sadness: Three Stories About Feeling Better Jul 21, 2023 8:30:00 AM  |  by [Monica Portogallo](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/monica-portogallo) ![featured image](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/20230721%20MPortogallo%201.png) *Monica Portogallo praises the new addition to a series of picture books that help children learn to process their challenging emotions.* --- I’ve heard people say that for men in our society, anger is the only socially acceptable emotion; therefore, some men learn to express emotions like sadness as anger. As the mother of two boys, I always appreciate resources that help kids process a variety of emotions in a healthy way, especially ones from a Catholic perspective. That’s why I have really enjoyed the *Handling Your Emotions* book series from Ignatius Press, and the newest addition to it, [*Sadness*](https://ignatius.com/sadness-6sadp/), is no exception.    ![null](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Sadness.jpg?width=920&height=1280&name=Sadness.jpg)   *Sadness* presents three short stories where kids experience sadness and practice the virtues of altruism, hope, and gratitude to cope. Using simple language, this book explains to children (and to their parents in the parents’ section) what sadness is, how to recognize it, and strategies to get through it.    Since this is a children’s book, I invited my third-grader to also read and review it. He enjoyed the stories, saying they were good examples of things kids might go through. He thought this would be a helpful resource for kids dealing with sadness. As for the parents’ section, I found that it offered some helpful, concrete suggestions for parents going through the potentially overwhelming situation of having a sad child.   Triggers for sadness—the death of a loved one, a friend moving away, and others—are unavoidable in this world. With resources like [*Sadness*](https://ignatius.com/sadness-6sadp/), though, they might be just a little bit easier for our kids to handle.  Ask for Sadness at your local Catholic bookseller, or order online from [**Amazon.com**](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/162164619X) or the publisher, [Ignatius Press](https://ignatius.com/sadness-6sadp/).   ![null](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/20230721%20MPortogallo%20IG.png?width=1080&height=1080&name=20230721%20MPortogallo%20IG.png)   --- Copyright 2023 Monica Portogallo Images: Canva ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fsadness-three-stories-about-feeling-better%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fsadness-three-stories-about-feeling-better%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fsadness-three-stories-about-feeling-better%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Sadness%3A%20Three%20Stories%20About%20Feeling%20Better) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fsadness-three-stories-about-feeling-better%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fsadness-three-stories-about-feeling-better%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Monica Portogallo](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Monica%20Portogallo.jpeg) ### [Monica Portogallo](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/monica-portogallo) Monica Portogallo is a mother and registered dietitian nutritionist who does her best not to miss the lessons God sends to her through the joys and struggles of daily life. She lives in California. ## Related Blog Articles [ The Families We Are Supposed to Have Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2018/10/17/the-families-we-are-supposed-to-have/) [ Goodnight, Jesus: A Board Book Bedtime Story Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/goodnight-jesus-a-board-book-bedtime-story) [ Book Notes: What's New from Ignatius Press? Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2017/07/04/book-notes-new-ignatius-press) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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