42. What to Do With Your Whirly Swirly Thoughts. Jennie Allen. Illustrated by Nadia Gunawan. 2025. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [picture book, feelings and emotions, mental health, 4 stars]
First sentence: Oh, look at all your thoughts in that cute little head of yours!
Jennie Allen tackles the topic of children's mental health from a Christian perspective in What to Do With Your Whirly Swirly Thoughts. That's a simple enough summary. Is it too Christian to please some? Yes. Is it not Christian enough to please others? Maybe. Can you please everyone all the time? Definitely not.
The audience is children. I imagine elementary-aged children, but perhaps it could work with younger children as well [preschool, pre-K]. I don't know how well this would work with children *older* than that even if they have mental health concerns as well.
The format is picture book, obviously. BRIGHT, bold colors. Plentiful illustrations, perhaps a little on the busy side. BUT since the book is about whirly, swirly thoughts and being overwhelmed with feelings and emotions, it makes sense that the illustrations are a little busy as well.
The book offers practical tips on how to cope with 'whirly, swirly thoughts.' While the book as a whole is written with a Christian mindset in mind, the practical tips aren't confined to those you could reason from Scripture--if that makes sense. Tips include: talking about the thoughts out loud--either to God in prayer, to family, to friends, etc; practicing gratitude; physical exercise. The tips themselves are in some ways generic enough that they don't seem particularly religious--or exclusively religious.
There's definitely some talk of God and Jesus. However, I was slightly disappointed that there's no mention of the Holy Spirit. Surprised because it is only by being filled with the Holy Spirit that we are able to have transformed, renewed minds [Romans 12:2], and are able to take every thought captive [2 Corinthians 10:5]. It is the Spirit that unites us to Christ and gives us the mind of Christ [1 Corinthians 2:16]. It is the Spirit who helps us to pray and speaks even when we're unable [see Romans 8].
I could not tell if the book dabbles into New Thought [which is in opposition to Christianity]. New Thought has increasingly become more and more common in Christian circles. Or if it's just trying to oversimplify Christianity for very young children.
For an older audience or perhaps for all ages, I'd suggest either having a spiral book [index cards are great] where you write out verses to encourage, support, uplift, and feed your soul. Verses to have as a resource for big feelings, big thoughts, big emotions. You can revisit these verses daily, weekly, or on an as-needed basis. Though the more you KNOW before you are overwhelmed with swirly, whirly thoughts the better equipped you will be to stop them from growing.
I'd also recommend actually READING the Bible. The more you know God THROUGH THE READING OF HIS WORD, the better equipped you are to face life. Again, the more familiar you are with the Word, the more equipped you are when you do face struggles. You know WHO to turn to, WHERE to go, and can have plans in place. You can PRAY SCRIPTURE back to God. You can be comforted by his promises and trust in him more.
MEMORY verses might also come in useful.
I would also highly recommend MUSIC. Though music has its own pros and cons when it comes to how biblically sound or unsound it may be, having theologically rich, God-focuses songs that you can use to feed your soul is wonderful. Sometimes it is easier to SING than to pray.
© Becky Laney of
Operation Actually Read Bible
