Indy Standard

Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) educators have released a new book aimed at helping young people understand and manage their emotions. "Feelings Make Me Feel," written by Lisa Gundaker and illustrated by Robin Houdek, seeks to foster discussions about emotions both in educational settings and at home.

Gundaker, a kindergarten teacher with 24 years of experience at William Bell School 60, explained her motivation for the book: “I wrote the book in hopes that educators could read to their students as a jumping-off point for a deeper conversation about emotions.” She emphasized the importance of not only naming feelings but also recognizing physical sensations associated with them.

The idea for the book originated from Gundaker's final project in the Butler University course, Neuroscience for Educators, taught by Dr. Lori Desautels. The project required participants to create a resource to share their learning.

Gundaker noted that the book is also intended as a tool for parents to help children see emotions as natural and encourage them to embrace rather than suppress these feelings.

Robin Houdek, an art educator at Eliza Blaker School 55, illustrated "Feelings Make Me Feel." With 18 years of experience in arts education and recognized as IPS Teacher of the Year in 2024, Houdek brings her expertise in integrating creative experiences into curricula. She remarked on her collaboration with Gundaker: “The opportunity to work with Lisa on this book has been a lot of fun and very meaningful.”

For those interested in purchasing "Feelings Make Me Feel," it is available on Lulu.com.