Aroha's Way - A Children's Guide through Emotions
NZ Best Seller. Aroha’s Way is a bestselling picture book for children around uncomfortable emotions; fear, apprehension, worrying thoughts and nervousness with ways to manage them.
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Estimated Delivery:Nov 16 - Nov 20
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Free NZ courier on urban orders over $100
Free NZ courier on rural orders over $150
Fast Courier to Australia from $16
Aroha's Way - A Children's Guide through Emotions
Frequently Asked Questions
What ages is Aroha's Way best for?
Ages 4–10 is where the story really lands – young enough for the whimsical adventure, old enough for Aroha's "butterfly wings" in the tummy to spark those "me too!" moments.
But I've heard from parents using it with toddlers (for the rhymes) and tweens (for the deeper talks) and even therapists using the book with adults. I actually had a lady cry reading it at a book fair and I have to say that every time I read it aloud I cry at the end, because no one should ever be alone with these feelings. It's never too early to teach kids that anxiety's "invisible strings" can be untied.
How does Aroha's Way help kids with anxiety?
It normalises the sneaky feelings of nervousness (tummy flutters), fear (frozen with invisible strings), worry (that nagging voice), and apprehension (stuck at the fork in the road) – showing they're normal and there are tools we can use to help manage them.
Through Aroha's journey, kids learn simple tools like belly breathing to "blow away fear" or movement to shake off butterflies. Reviews say: "I purchased the set of Aroha books for my counselling practice. I have used them already with great results with my young clients who enjoy a story which reflects their experiences."
What's the difference between Aroha's Way and other anxiety books for kids?
Most books list symptoms or say, "it's okay to feel scared." We go further: Aroha shows what anxiety feels like in the body (butterflies in her tummy, frozen with fear), then hands over real tools like mindfulness walks or sharing troubles.
It was born from the skills I had to learn in therapy – simple, yet effective tools that I wished I had learned from a young age. It's a story that makes kids feel seen and empowered.
Are there tips for parents or teachers in the book?
Yes! At the end of the story, you'll find parent/teacher notes which expand on the story. They provide questions you can ask your child to create deeper conversations and connection, and they expand on the tools that Aroha uses in the story and explain how to use them.
You can also get a free Aroha Belly Breathing poster with the purchase of some of our books.
How can I use Aroha's Way daily to support my child's mental health?
Read it at bedtime as a ritual. The more it is read and the tools practised, the easier your child will find using the tools when they need them.
Over time, it builds resilience: kids recognise anxiety early, talk it out, or use one of the other tools and feel less alone and more empowered that their emotions won’t rule them or leave them feeling frozen. Research shows early Emotional Intelligence (EI) tools like these can cut anxiety risks by 30–50% (WHO and Harvard). One story a night = calmer days ahead.
A story about managing anxiety 🌪️ New Zealand Best Seller!
Ordering direct from Wildling Books ensures you receive the book with dyslexia friendly font and text that is gentle for neurodivergent children.
Aroha’s Way is a bestselling picture book for children around uncomfortable emotions; fear, apprehension, worrying thoughts and nervousness with ways to manage them.
Here are just a few reviews:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “My five-year-old boy enjoyed the book upon first reading. The next day, I found him reading the book by himself during a stressful moment: "I'm looking for one of Aroha's Ways to calm myself, Mum." Clearly, the message got through. Thank you!” Paula
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “A beautiful, precious book, easy to follow and written in a way that is understandable and relatable. My 3 almost 4-year-old moko enjoyed it, and it created further kōrero and questions between us. I wish there were books like this when we were growing up!” Keriana
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “My 7-yr old struggles with anxiety - so much so that it affects her breathing every time she gets slightly stressed. We had previously tried talking it through and belly breathing exercises. But it took this book - and Aroha showing her the way - before she really opened up and practiced these techniques. The book is such a beautifully written and illustrated piece - it's easy for both of us to read. The notes at the back really got the conversation flowing too. Thank you for this book. I was finding it difficult to get through to my daughter. Obviously she needed to see it through Aroha's eyes first to normalise her own emotions.” Kim
About the book:
Come along on a journey with Aroha, as she wards off nervousness, fear, worrying thoughts and apprehension, with simple, yet effective tools that everyone can use.
From award-winning New Zealand author and illustrator, Craig Phillips, creator of
The Adventures of Jack Scratch and Giants, Trolls, Witches, Beasts (winner of the Russell Clark Award for Illustration at the New Zealand Book Awards 2018).
“Aroha’s Way is a beautiful, descriptive and relatable book – an important book – helping children to normalise, understand and even develop their own tools for dealing with their feelings.” – Jenny Palmer, Author of Feel a Little.
This beautiful picture books takes children on a journey through emotions associated with anxiety and shows simple yet effective ways to help manage them. Aroha shows children a tool that she uses for each emotion which includes; movement or exercise, belly breathing or diaphragmatic breathing, mindfulness and connecting with others and sharing our worries.
At the back of the book, there is a section for parents and/or teachers to explore the tools in more depth. This section expands on the beautiful poem and opens up conversations with our children. Asking questions around those emotions to make it easier for children to recognise the emotion, and then a simple way to manage it.
At Wildling Books we believe these tools will be invaluable for children and can be used for a lifetime.
We would like to give a big THANK YOU to Like Minds, Like Mine in helping to make this book possible.
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REVIEWS:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dr Hinemoa Elder, MBChB, FRANZCP, PhD - "An exquisitely moving read. This book will help empower our tamariki mokopuna."
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Jimi Hunt - "In order to change our culture of greatly increasing mental illness, we need to tell stories ... this is one of those stories. Beautifully told and illustrated, it is another tool in the education of our young people in how to deal with emotions and increase their mental fitness."
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dr Suzanne Henwood, mBraining4Success - "This is a beautifully illustrated and cleverly written book to help children find a way back to calm."
Shipping
We use cardboard boxes that can be re-used in your garden as a great weed mat whenever we can but due to a huge number of our books getting water damaged we have had to opt for a recycled plastic option for some books. We also use a brown eco tape which can go into your compost. Every parcel is packed with gratitude!
Aotearoa
Free urban/residential delivery NZ wide on all orders over $100.
Free rural delivery NZ wide on all orders over $150
Orders under $100 to urban/residential addresses, shipping is $6.95 NZ wide.
Orders under $150 to rural addresses, shipping is $11.95 NZ wide.
We will dispatch your order within 1-3 working days and you will receive an email confirmation with tracking details.
Orders are shipped and tracked via either Post Haste or NZ Post and expected delivery within NZ is 1-3 working days, 3-5 working days for rural deliveries.
Australia
Orders to Australia are sent via NZ Post and charged from $16 depending on your location. Remote locations in Australia are charged at $22.
We heavily subsidise the shipping to Australia. The actual cost can be over $30 for a small parcel of books, so we subsidise this shipping as much as we can. 💕
If you order an item that is a pre-order or out of stock, your order will be sent altogether when all items are in stock.
- Australia Metro $16: 10-15 working days from collection
- Australia Non-Metro $16: 10-15 working days from collection
- Australia Remote $22: 10-20 working days from collection
Rest of the World
Returns Policy
Wildling Books wish all our customers to receive their products in perfect order. If there is something wrong with the product you have received or if your delivery is not correct, please contact us immediately at matt@wildlingbooks.com. If you send us an email, please include as many details as possible including your order number and photographic evidence of any damage, and in some cases a photograph of the packaging itself. Please ensure you keep your delivery until the return process is complete.
No refunds, returns or exchanges will be processed unless contact has been made about any issues within thirty (30) working days of receipt of your item. We may be able to extend this time under special circumstances, but please make contact as soon as you notice any problems so we can remedy the situation for you. We do not refund purchases on the basis of changing your mind.
There are no refunds or returns available for ebooks or printables, so please choose carefully when ordering. We may ask for you to return the product in which case, we will refund the value of the purchased product, but we do not have to refund the value of the shipping. If you are required to return the product, you must pay for the shipping to return the goods and this must also be arranged by yourself. The goods are your responsibility until they reach our office. Please ensure you pack the return safely to prevent any damage to the products or boxes. New Zealand customers are protected by the Consumer Guarantees Act.
Excellent and so delightful such a beautiful read
This is a reply by the admin
Love it. My mum Aroha loves it to
This book has become a new favourite not just at bed time but an all day must read for the tiny human and I
It reminds me to slow down too
Really great for little people
I purchased the set of Aroha books for my counselling practice.
Ihave used them already with great results with my young clients
who enjoy a story which reflects their experiences.
Aroha's Way is a magical and heart connecting book to read for anyone seeking a reminder of the power of nature and listening to your inner self
Thanks for a great story
Great little book that my son really enjoyed and helped him understand things better.
Love the concept
Ways to release high intensity emotions.
I bought it for myself but my daughter also enjoys it
A great way for children to learn to recognise what makes them feel comfortable but also to learn from the other feelings as well
Thia and the other Wildling publications are excellent books to help neurodivergent children help to understand their feelings and reactions. They also help children without this diagnosis understand children they interact with who do.
A delightful little book to help children [and adults] to recognise, understand and deal with their emotions.
So far beyond simple and direct. All of the books are next level amazing. I'll be purchasing more copies of all the books for presents 🙂
Beautiful book and great value for money. Not a book to read and put aside but one to savour and treasure, to read and re-read and read again until aroha's way becomes your way, to deal with difficult emotions Norma
I bought the book, because of the advertising and reviews, but in my opinion , it’s way over priced, for something that can be read in 10 minutes , very disappointing , won’t be recommending or purchasing any more books, from this company!
I'm sorry you are disappointed. We are happy for you to return the book for credit. Most picture books can be read in under ten minutes. This book, however, is meant to be used regularly. The tools in the back, when used daily, can really empower children with ways to manage difficult times.
Well illustrated, simple book about recognizing and dealing with nervousness and fear. Great for my 8 year old grand children. Helps to build their emotional management tool box.
Perfect to share with bright little minds navigating their way through feelings.
Aroha's Way - A Children's Guide through Emotions
Arrived on time with excellent service
Aroha's Way - A Children's Guide through Emotions
These purchases are wrapped up my grandchildren & I’m sure they are going to love them !!
Kids won't let me read it tho!
These books I have purchased from you are for my Granddaughters for Christmas, I think all your books are much need now days for children. Thank you. Terrie Hansen
A beautiful book to read to your preschoolers!
I purchased these for my granddaughter who suffers from anxiety - hopefully they will help her - I read them and thought they were great!!
Am looking forward to reading this to my grandchildren. I am sure they will love Aroha as much as I do. They will really identify with her too as they are working hard on managing their emotions. Atm they are practising boundaries and respect by asking one another: "Can I please take next turn of playing with that?" Sometimes this progresses to a subsequent invitation to play together. I am happy with that progress. Visits with Nanny are happier times now they are developing appropriate language and respect skills. They are 4 and 5yo. So long as they get enough sleep they are also more resilient. We are ready for you Aroha. LOL. Thanks Bex!
Fantastic company with amazing customer service and awesome products 🔥Very happy and Highly recommend to all
Great book for an introduction into emotions for kids..
I have not yet received it
I had thought it might be appropriate for my two year old grand child but on reading I decided to hold off with it till she's a bit older
