A Heartwarming Picture Book About Big Emotions, Unconditional Love, and Those Very Real Toddler Days
Author: Vanessa Costa
Illustrator: Aida Khatmullina
Age range: 3+ years
Year: 2026
You know those parenting stories about someone peeling a banana the “wrong” way?
I used to smile and think, Surely it can’t be that dramatic. Well… I owe every parent an apology.Apparently there really is a wrong way to peel a banana.
That memory came flooding back while reading When You’re Being a Gremlin, because every page felt like someone had secretly been watching life with a preschooler.
“I have nothing to wear!”
“There’s nothing to play with!”
“My hands don’t work, so I can’t clean up!”
“I’m doing it myself!”
“I’m not tired!”
If you’ve heard even half of these sentences, congratulations. You are officially raising a tiny gremlin.
What I love most is that the book gently reminds children that even when they’re having their loudest, grumpiest, most unreasonable days, they are still deeply loved.
Vanessa Costa, a former English teacher and mom of two, wrote this story after countless real-life moments with her own daughter. You can feel that authenticity on every page. These aren’t exaggerated toddler behaviors created for a funny story. They’re the wonderfully chaotic moments most families know all too well.
The soft, expressive illustrations by Aida Khatmullina perfectly capture both the humor and the tenderness, making this a book that children will giggle through while parents quietly think, Yep… we’ve definitely had that day.
Why you need this book
- Laughs with children instead of laughing at them
- Reassures kids that love doesn’t disappear after difficult moments
- Celebrates the reality of big emotions
- Helps normalize challenging preschool behavior
- Warm, relatable illustrations full of personality
- A wonderful read for families navigating the toddler and preschool years
Try this at home or in class
Create your own “Gremlin Meter.” Ask children to draw three versions of themselves: a calm helper, a slightly grumpy gremlin, and a full-on super gremlin. Talk about what each one might say, how they feel, and what helps them return to their calm self. It’s a playful way to build emotional awareness without making children feel judged.
When You’re Being a Gremlin is funny, comforting, and wonderfully honest. It reminds both children and parents that difficult moments don’t define us—and that love sticks around through every single one of them.
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