Kathleen Jeffrey

Katie’s Really Bad Day

It’s spelling test day and Katie feels anxious…

A beautifully illustrated relatable story with teaching points and practical advice for anxious kids.

Written by Kathleen Jeffrey
Illustrated by Susan Kilmartin

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“Jeffrey’s prose strikes an authentic chord, ensuring Katie’s story feels real and relatable to young readers…A playful yet thoughtful tale about making hard days a little easier.”
—BookView Review
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About Kathleen

Kathleen Jeffrey is an author of children’s picture books, fulfilling her mission to create stories that shine with love, light, spirit, truth, and joy—helping children navigate life’s challenges, explore big emotions, and grow with courage, kindness, and wonder.

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“A heartwarming and beautifully illustrated story that will resonate with both young readers and their families.“
The Prairies Book Review

“Great job! I will definitely add your title to our collections for our “emotions and behaviors” section.”
Public Library Children’s Librarian

“An important and well-illustrated consideration of a common problem among kids.”
Kirkus Reviews

“This lovely picture book gently touches upon the issue of test anxiety. The tools presented to help Katie are easy and effective for many types of anxiety. The superb illustrations beautifully support the text enabling the reader to feel Katie’s emotions, as well as her classmates. I highly recommend, this book for parents, teachers, and guidance counselors of primary and elementary age students.”
Margaret Habel; B.A. Elementary Education; M. ED., Reading Specialist/Consultant

“Katie’s Really Bad Day, A Story About Test Anxiety, is a readable, relatable story for any child experiencing anxiety. Including several practical self-help tips, this gentle tale belongs on every parent’s and every educator’s bookshelf.”
Glenys Nellist; author of Little Mole Goes to School and Little Mole Finds Hope

“Childhood anxiety is on the increase. Kathleen Jeffrey captures the feelings and experiences of Katie, a second grader, who is on the verge of developing school avoidance. With wisdom and sensitivity Katie’s parents, teacher, and classmates team up to teach Katie an even more important lesson than taking a spelling test. Katie learns how to calm her fears and anxiety.”
Marsha A. Stevens, B.A., M.Ed., Educational Consultant/Research

“Having been a clinical social worker for kids for more that 40 years, I was delighted to read this touching story that so beautifully captures the emotions of a little girl experiencing a real life mental health dilemma. Childhood anxiety is common and I liked the way the understanding teacher introduces Katie to “belly breathing” and “breathing boards.” Lots of focus today on mental health following the pandemic and trauma of school shootings. The book is a great example of the importance of talking through a crisis to enlist support and find a good way to cope.”
Clinical Social Worker