Helping children understand emotions can be challenging, especially when feelings are complex or difficult to describe. What Is This Thing That Is Called Love by Linda Suda addresses this challenge through music and storytelling, offering a gentle and inclusive children’s opera focused on emotional exploration and empathy.
The book explores love in its many forms, including friendship, compassion, care for nature, love of work, community, and self-acceptance. Rather than presenting a single definition, the story allows children to observe and reflect on emotions through characters and situations they can relate to. This approach supports social-emotional learning in a way that feels natural and supportive.
Music plays a central role in guiding emotional understanding. Songs help children express feelings safely and clearly, while repetition and melody make abstract ideas easier to grasp. Theatre adds expression through movement and dialogue, helping students recognize how emotions are communicated through voice and behavior.
A unique element of What Is This Thing That Is Called Love is its use of curious characters who seek to understand human emotions. Their questions create a comfortable distance that allows young audiences to explore feelings without pressure. This structure encourages discussion and reflection, making the book a valuable resource for educators, counselors, and families.
The opera format also promotes teamwork and shared experience. Group performance helps children understand that emotions are part of collective life and that empathy grows through cooperation and listening. The production is designed to be accessible for schools and community groups, with flexible staging and broad participation.
Linda Suda’s experience as an educator and artist is evident in the thoughtful pacing and tone of the work. What Is This Thing That Is Called Love offers a meaningful way to support emotional growth through the arts, making it a strong addition to social-emotional learning initiatives and youth theatre programs.
Availability:
Get Your Copy On Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/197195005X
About the Author:
Linda Suda is an accomplished opera professional, educator, and certified teaching artist with decades of experience in performance and arts education. A former faculty member at UNC Charlotte and artist-in-residence across multiple states, she is dedicated to inspiring children through music and theatre, making classical art accessible, joyful, and deeply meaningful for young performers.
Book Name: What Is This Thing That Is Called Love
Author Name: Linda Suda
ISBN Number: 978-1971950037
Kindle Version: Click Here
Paperback Version: Click Here
Media ContactCompany Name: Curtis Publishing CompanyEmail: Send EmailPhone: +1 (215) 258-8967Address:170 S Independence Mall W City: PhiladelphiaState: PA 19106Country: United StatesWebsite: https://curtispublishingcompany.com/
