In Anh's Anger, a young boy befriends his anger and is pulled out of a dark mood. In this children's book also by Gail Silver with illustrations by Christiane Kromer, the same boy expects to go digging with his friends, but they ditch him to play kickball. Feeling abandoned by his buddies, he begins to cry. Then his anger appears on the scene saying: "You know I always show up when things aren't going your way." When Anh tells him what happened, Anger suggests he respond with violence. They run off to find his two buddies, but Anh decides to slow down and coordinate his steps with his breath. This spiritual approach diminishes and depletes his anger.
It is very gratifying to see the profound teachings of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh translated so simply and elegantly in this children's book. Children will benefit greatly from learning about using the breath to calm down, viewing anger as a friend, and realizing that slowing down is part of the process of coming to terms with destructive emotions.
