As someone who reads countless children's books to my nieces, 'Being Like Bella' instantly stood out with its snowy pastel cover. The moment I opened it, Srimalie Bassani's illustrations made me go 'Wow!' - they're the kind of colorful, detailed drawings that make kids (and adults!) pause on every page.

The story follows Frankie and her adorable dog Peaches through a winter wonderland. What starts as a fun animal-tracking adventure turns into something deeper when they meet Bella - a girl so sad she literally tries to disappear into the snow. Here's where the magic happens: instead of just saying 'Cheer up!', Frankie sits with Bella in her sadness. That quiet moment hit me hard - how often do we teach kids that it's okay to just be present with someone's feelings?

The rhyming text flows beautifully - I did a dramatic reading complete with silly voices (much to my nieces' delight) and never stumbled once. The 'music saves the day' twist was particularly brilliant. My 5-year-old niece immediately grabbed her toy ukulele afterward wanting to 'play happy songs like Frankie'.

What makes this book special is how it handles complex emotions without being preachy. The empathy lesson sneaks up on you between snow angels and animal tracks. As an educator, I appreciate the discussion questions at the end - they sparked a 20-minute conversation with my nieces about times they'd felt like Bella.

The only tiny critique? At 32 pages, some younger readers might get antsy toward the end. But when I see my toughest critic (my hyperactive nephew) sitting still through three consecutive readings, that speaks volumes about this book's charm.

Perfect for: Bedtime stories, classroom discussions about feelings, or any child who needs reassurance that their emotions are valid. This one's going straight into my permanent rotation alongside classics like 'The Giving Tree'.