Why The Emotion Investigators™?

Created by a board-certified psychiatrist, these picture books combine decades of emotional wellness expertise with engaging storytelling designed specifically for young learners.

Expert-Designed

Written and illustrated by Dr. Cynthia Spellman, a board-certified psychiatrist with decades of experience helping people navigate emotions.

Practical Tools

Children learn what emotions feel like in their bodies, what thoughts accompany big feelings, and how to pause and choose better responses.

Relatable Stories

Follow siblings Tessa, Josh, Mia, and Parker as they investigate one "big feeling" at a time with their eccentric Grandpa Gus.

Grow Kinder, Braver, More Resilient

The Emotion Investigators™ turn emotional ups and downs into opportunities for growth, helping children develop emotional awareness one feeling at a time.

What Children Discover

Each book in The Emotion Investigators™ series guides young readers through a journey of emotional discovery. Kids learn to recognize feelings in their bodies, understand their thoughts, identify urges, and develop healthier responses.

Body Awareness

Children learn to recognize where and how emotions feel in their physical bodies. For example, "like a balloon about to burst."

Thought Patterns

Young readers discover what thoughts show up alongside different big feelings.

Healthy Responses

Kids practice pausing, reflecting, and choosing better responses to their emotions.

Perfect for Every Caregiver

Whether you're a parent, grandparent, teacher, or therapist, The Emotion Investigators™ provides the tools to raise emotionally aware children.

Books In The Emotion Investigator Series

Each book in The Emotion Investigators™ series tackles a different emotion, from anger and anxiety to guilt and beyond. Discover beautiful watercolor illustrations and engaging stories designed for ages 4–8.

When a birthday surprise goes sideways, the siblings become Emotion Investigators™ to explore what anger feels like, why it shows up, and how to choose calmer responses. A warm, relatable story that helps kids manage frustration and big feelings with confidence.

Book 1 -Available Now on Amazon

Parker feels a swirl of worries that start to grow louder inside. With help from the Emotion Investigators™, he learns how anxiety feels in the body, what “what-if” thoughts can do, and how to choose courage when worries feel too big. A gentle, relatable introduction to understanding anxiety and finding calm.

Book 2—Available now on Amazon

Josh, one of the Emotion Investigators™, blurts out something hurtful and instantly feels a heavy, twisty feeling inside. With help from the team, he learns the difference between guilt and shame — and discovers that guilt’s job is to help us repair, reconnect, and make things right.

Book 3—In Development

About Dr. Spellman

Cynthia Spellman, MD, is a board-certified psychiatrist practicing in New York and New Jersey. She has spent decades helping adults navigate life’s emotional ups and downs. Over the years, she noticed that many of these struggles could have been eased with the right emotional intelligence tools early in life. This insight inspired her to write and illustrate children’s books that help kids—and their parents—practice these tools together.

Dr Spellman created The Emotion Investigators series that gently guides families through ten different big feelings using relatable stories that bring these feelings to life in a fun way children enjoy and remember. Most books in the series are still in development, but the ten emotions that are planned for the series are ANGER, ANXIETY, GUILT, SHAME, EMBARRASSMENT, SADNESS, DISGUST, SURPRISE, JEALOUSY, CURIOSITY, AND LOVE.

Disclaimer

All information on this website is for general educational purposes only. It is not medical or psychiatric advice and should not be used as a substitute for professional care. If you have concerns about your or your child’s emotions or behavior, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

The Emotion Investigators Books

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