Too Much!

August 1, 2023
Preschool-Grade 1 A young girl navigates the day's sensory challenges with the help of her attentive mother. As she gets ready, she feels jarred by a loud alarm clock, bristles at cold water, and avoids crunchy breakfast foods. At the playground, children touch and hug her, so she hides alone, thinking, ""TOO LOUD! TOO BRIGHT! TOO ITCHY! TOO TIGHT!"" The girl's mom wraps her in a gentle hug and carries her home, where the girl takes refuge in her bedroom. The digital art conveys the girl's distress via a cacophony of brightly colored jagged shapes, swirls, and scribbles. Whenever the girl feels relief, the palette is softened with neutral colors and white space. An endnote offers tips for caregivers to help kids deal with sensory overload. Recommended for kids who face similar struggles to feel seen and for others to better empathize with peers who are extra sensitive to stimuli. Perfect for a sensory-friendly storytime.

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September 11, 2023
Gutiérrez and Chang’s supportive portrayal of sensory overload reassuringly tracks a child’s day from overstimulating to calming. A noisy alarm clock, bright sunlight, cold water, and an outgrown jacket make the start of the day challenging for the pale-skinned child who narrates this story in rhyme. After some classmates, portrayed with varying abilities and skin tones, “crowd and touch” on the playground, things build to a meltdown, but an adult is there to offer a “sheet-hug,” and home provides “Quiet time./ Dark place./ Soft shirt./ Personal space.” Chang’s smudgy digital art depicts sensory overload with boldly colored scrawls and a feeling of centered peace with warm, earthy hues, while little candy-shaped critters mirror the child’s feelings. Concluding moments show the child taking a moment to pause and breathe. An author’s note concludes with resources. Ages 3–5.