Willie the Worrying Dog

An entertaining and educational picture book that uses engaging rhyming text and delightfully colorful illustrations to address a common concern—namely, worry/anxiety—David Yuen’s Willie the Worrying Dog should appeal to children and parents alike. With its relatable main character, engaging storyline, and highly relevant message, it offers an emotional but still fun-filled reading and learning experience.

Willie, a brown and white puppy with a pleasant disposition but an overwhelming propensity for worry, spends a great deal of time ruminating about all the things that could possibly go wrong: impending rain, buzzing flies, possible ground collapses, and much more. In fact, Willie spends so much time worrying that his owner decides to take him to the park for a change of scene and, hopefully, some much-needed relaxation.

Unfortunately, on the journey, when Willie realizes that they are travelling farther than normal and so visiting a new park, he begins to worry about the new dogs that he will meet there and the possibility that they will laugh at him and think he’s weird. From bear attacks to devastating floods to the need to play dead, there are a lot of worries for such a little puppy to process on the way!

When they finally arrive at the park, Willie is approached by two strange dogs and “the fear in Willie’s heart shook his whole frame.” However, when Sadie and Rex introduce themselves, Willie realizes that he has nothing to fear from them, and when the new friends hide together under a bench to avoid a rainfall, he sees how much fun it is to visit new places, meet new dogs, and play new games. “His brand-new friends had taught him that not all things turn out badly.”

Through Willie’s experience of worrying about the park, and who and what he might encounter there, David Yuen presents a charming tale that conveys an important message to young readers about the necessity of facing fear, embracing change, and tackling worries head-on. Anxiety is a pretty common problem nowadays and it is vital to have materials available for anxiety sufferers of all ages, especially materials that are as enjoyable and amusing as Willie the Worrying Dog.

Indeed, in addition to its helpful message and inspiring example, the story is genuinely fun and engaging, and it can certainly be enjoyed by those who don’t have any particular issues with worrying or anxiety too. Yuen’s use of catchy, rhyming text gives the story a neat flow and fairly fast pace, while the simple language means that youngsters can read it on their own as well as with a parent. Despite his situation being relatable, many of Willie’s worries are very funny, which ensures that the mood of the story remains light.

The illustrations by Micah Zhang really enhance the story, with the vivid colors that characterize the fun-filled moments contrasting nicely with the grays that predominate in Willie’s imaginings of doom and gloom. The portrayals of Willie, Sadie, and Rex are particularly good, reflecting their different personalities and perspectives, as are the scenes featuring movement, such as when the dogs are playing in the park.

Altogether, Willie the Worrying Dog offers a playful approach to discussing the issue of anxiety with young children and inspiring them to take what steps they can to overcome their concerns. Willie’s story provides a great example of how the things people worry about rarely turn out to be as bad as they have imagined.