Catherine V Rivers, a teacher at Berger Primary School in Hackney, has written a book to help children understand and regulate their emotions. Published just two months ago, The Kingdom of Colourful Feelings has already been shortlisted for awards by the GESS Education Awards and the Teach Early Years Awards.
An 18-year teaching career in Hackney
Rivers has taught in Hackney for 18 years. She says she has seen firsthand how her focus on emotional regulation has benefited the children she teaches. She felt there was more she could do, so she wrote her first book, building a story and characters that would help children process and understand their feelings.
Rivers told MyLondon: "Hackney is the borough that supported me and my growth as a teacher. It's also the place where I created this kingdom. If it weren't for Hackney, there wouldn't be my book. For me, it's important to support children's emotions and how they regulate them, but it's also important to support families and school staff by providing a framework for how to approach their support for children."
A sensory adventure for young readers
The book follows twins Clara and Leo as they enter the magical Kingdom of Colourful Feelings. Four friendly creatures guide them through four colourful lands. The story is designed as a sensory adventure, giving children a place where they can feel seen.
Rivers said: "I decided to make the story a sensory adventure and give the children a place where they could feel seen. I gave my students a chance to draw some of the characters and the lands they go through. When I first came up with the idea, I thought it would just be a story they'd want to read. Now, I can see how schools and families can also take the resources home to support children's emotional regulation."
Additional resources and school support
Alongside the main story, there are three companion books: a sensory adventure story for very young children, a 'helping ideas' book that shows each emotion and strategy, and a draw-and-explore book. Rivers also provides digital resources for use at home or in the classroom, including emotional regulation posters and strategies that teachers can print.
She added: "It's a book, but it keeps evolving because so much can be done with it. It's important to show that every feeling has a place and every feeling is welcome. It's also important to show how you are allowed to experience every emotion; it's about how we can regulate it. If children are disregulated, they're not ready to deal with anything else until they are regulated. That's why it's important to have that support in place."
Recognition and reviews
The book has received glowing reviews. One reception teacher wrote: "What a beautiful book. I'm a reception teacher and brought this for my class, as we use Zones of Regulation, and it fits in perfectly. Great with helping little ones understand their big emotions and feelings."
Another reviewer from Neuro Bloom wrote: "As someone who spends every day supporting neurodivergent children, I'm always looking for resources that do more than simply name emotions—they help children understand, recognise and manage them in a meaningful way. This book has quickly become one of my favourite resources. The stories are engaging, the characters are relatable, and the conversations that naturally develop from them are often the most valuable part. Every time we've used this book at Neuro Bloom, it has encouraged connection, curiosity and deeper emotional understanding. This isn't just another children's book—it's a fantastic therapeutic resource that supports emotional literacy, communication and self-regulation."
Rivers is particularly passionate about helping SEND children in Hackney and beyond. She said: "If I can do a little something to help that, then you know that's great. If it's made a difference to our children and can help other children within the borough, then that's a good start. For a teacher, one of the best ways to learn what helps children is to be around children. When I was young, there weren't really any stories about emotional regulation or feelings. There wasn't really anything in place. Now, it feels like there's much more awareness of SEND and children's needs. There's a lot more development around how best to support their feelings. Now, we've got a lot more knowledge and resources."
