This book is a very fun way for young children to think about their words and their actions.
It removes shame about behaviors, and puts the child in control of their story.

Loved this book ! A wonderful kids book about a little boy learning to control his bad moods. The author even has him taking a deep breath when he knows he is going to be mean and then he is able to conquer his mood. I think this is a wonderful book for ages 1 to 5. Learning techniques to self soothe and control ourselves is very important.

This is a clever and gentle picture book about something every small child experiences: those moments when big feelings escape as unkind words.

Aimed at ages 0–5, the book personifies “the Meanies” as tiny little creatures living inside the mouth, ready to jump out when frustration, anger, or hurt take over. It’s a simple but very effective metaphor that helps young children understand that mean behavior isn’t who they are, it’s something that happens when emotions get out of control. Rather than labeling children as mean or turning the story into a lecture, the book focuses on recognizing these Meanie moments and learning how to stop them before they cause harm. The tone is calm, non-shaming, and emotionally aware, making it easy for children to see themselves in the story without feeling judged.

Recommended for public and school libraries looking to strengthen picture book collections around feelings, kindness, friendship, and social skills. It works especially well for storytimes and classroom read-alouds focused on social–emotional learning, particularly in Pre-K, Kindergarten, and early Grade 1.

A solid, thoughtful choice for parents, educators, and librarians who want to talk about difficult emotions with young children without turning it into a lecture.

I totally fell in love with this book. I do wish it had been around when my kiddo was littler. The rhyming rhythm to the story keeps the fun engaging movement to the story. Learning manners and getting along with others is so important and this story has colorful pictures that will tickle the kids joy and they will enjoy reading it with a parent to by themselves. it's quite entertaining. Some days even we adults have a case of the meanies. I'm not so sure they go away.

PUBLISH DATE: May 19, 2026

The meanies is a fun, engaging picture book with a great message for kids. It follows and imaginative child who blames his bad choices, and mean decisions on a group of "meanie" creatures (or a "bug" meanie), until he starts to recognize his feelings and learns healthier ways to respond.

The illustrations are bright, bold and full of personality making them very eye catching for kids. I also loved how well the story flows when read out loud. The rhythm and pacing feel natural, which makes it a great choice for Storytime, whether at home or in the classroom.

Beyond the visuals, the book gently introduces social emotional concepts like taking responsibility, managing emotions, and being mindful of how our actions affect others. Overall, this is an enjoyable and thoughtful picture book that balances playful storytelling with an important message.

BOOK TITLE: The Meanies
AUTHOR: Veronica Stanley-Hooper
PUBLISHER: Histria Books
FORMAT: e-book
PAGES: 40
I received a complimentary digital ARC [Advanced Readers Copy] of this book via NetGalley. Thank you to the Publisher and the Author for the opportunity to read and review this title prior to publication. As always, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

My son is autistic and mentally four - so when he is around children he doesn't understand them - very well.

But this book helps explains to children how to share, and to care for others and their feelings and belongings and their personal space.

He understood the story - the illustrations were great. I think it would be appropriate for a child about that age - it just hurts because my son will never grow past this and most children don't know what to think of him. And now he is 18.