Books That Heal Kids: fears

Showing posts with label fears. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fears. Show all posts

Book Review: Don't Worry Little Crab


Author/Illustrator: Chris Haughton

From the Book Jacket: Little Crab and Very Big Crab live in a tiny tide pool, and today they are off to the OCEAN! "This is going to be so great!" says Little Crab. But when they get there, the waves are HUGE! And they keep getting bigger...and bigger! "Maybe we should go home," says Little Crab. "Don't worry," says Very Big Crab. "I'm here."

But will Little Crab be brave enough to face the waves and go in the ocean?

Why It's On My Bookshelf: This has a really straight forward message of not giving into our fears. When we quit something because of a worry we don't just miss out on life but we don't gain the skills we need to overcome anxiety. So lets be brave! Great book!

Book Trailer:


A Link to This Book: 
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Book Review: The Koala Who Could

Author: Rachel Bright
Illustrator: Jim Field

From the Book Jacket: Sometimes a little change can open your world to BIG possibilities. Kevin the koala love every day to be the same, where it's snug and safe. But when change happens, will Kevin learn all the joys that come with trying something new.  

Why It's On My Bookshelf: This is a great resource for overcoming fear and worry when faced with a new challenge. Kevin is terrified that he is going to fall from the tree so he remains stuck and won't come down. But the tree actually ends up falling down thanks to a woodpecker. So Kevin actually does fall. And even though that was his fear - he realized he was JUST FINE and nothing bad happened to him. Sometimes kids get stuck in their thoughts and this is a good example of how even if a worry comes true - you can cope with it! Loved this one. 

A Link to This Book:
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Book Review: Lena's Shoes Are Nervous - A First-Day-of-School Dilemma


Author: Keith Calabrese
Illustrator: Juana Medina

From the Book Jacket: Today is a big day! Today, Lena starts kindergarten. She is very excited. But there's just one problem...Lena's shoes are nervous. Lena doesn't want to miss out on her first day of school, but she can't go without her favorite shoes! How can she convince them to be brave?

Why It's On My Bookshelf: I love this humorous and creative take on anxiety. It took the intensity out of being fearful of the first day of school. The author uses her clothing to express different feelings. Lena says her dress is very outgoing and it can't wait for kindergarten. Her socks feel the same as her shoes - nervous. Her headband represents her bravery and overcoming being scared of school. This was a great description of how we might have many different feelings about a situation. But we need to remember to listen to our brave side because it always gets us through. 

A Link to This Book: 
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Book Review: Saturday is Swimming Day

Author/Illustrator: Hyewon Yum

From the Book Jacket: I changed ever so slowly. I even went to the bathroom three times. When Mary called everyone to the pool, I was the last in line. Swimming lessons are on Saturdays, and every Saturday one little girl has a stomachache. 

She eventually gets in the pool, where her patient swim instructor, Mary, holds her while she practices her kicks. The next Saturday she gets in the pool on her own and even tries floating like a starfish. And - even better - no stomachache! Sometimes a little bravery and a lot of patience are all you need to face your fear. 

Why It's On My Bookshelf: Lots of kids complain of stomachaches when they are feeling fear or panic. This is a sneaky trick of anxiety. I was happy to see a picture book that talks about this symptom because it can completely shut down a child and convince them to give up. Now that I am teaching kids about their tummies and how they can be connected to nerves - I am seeing a lot more kids use coping skills to overcome those anxious moments. 

A Link to This Book: 

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Book Review: Brave


Author: Stacy McAnulty
Illustrator: Joanne Lew-Vriethoff
Interest Level: Ages 3 and Up

From the Book Jacket: An empowering picture book for all kids that demonstrates to children that they can be real-life superheroes and that all kids have what it takes to be brave. Superheroes seek adventure, never give up, and stay calm when others are 
afraid. Superheroes are brave. But they aren't the only ones.

Kids are brave every day. When they are told they are too little, but accomplish something big. When they check for monsters under the bed, just in case. When they face something uncertain, whether a thunderstorm or a hospital visit. When they stand up for what's right, even when it means facing consequences.

Like superheroes, brave kids can save the world, just by being brave.

Brave encourages kids to be brave in all the ways they can: trying new things, speaking their mind, confronting bullies, and more. This book will inspire kids to follow their hearts and to have courage, no matter the situation.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: I've been looking for more books to help kids overcome fear and anxiety. Helping kids understand they have the power within themselves to face small and big obstacles is part of my daily job as a counselor. Brave is a confidence builder and I am using it to help kids develop their self-talk around using bravery to defeat problems. So happy to add this one to my shelf! 

A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful:
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Book Review: School's First Day of School

Author: Adam Rex
Illustrator: Christian Robinson
Interest Level: Ages 4 and Up


About This Book: It's the first day of school at Frederick Douglass Elementary and everyone's just a little bit nervous, especially the school itself. What will the children do once they come? Will they like the school? Will they be nice to him? The school has a rough start, but as the day goes on, he soon recovers when he sees that he's not the only one going through first-day jitters.








Why It's On My Bookshelf: I've been emailing all of the teachers at my school and telling them to GET THIS BOOK! Such a creative way to talk to kids about how they might be feeling those first few days of school. Books help normalize behaviors and this one will be a great ally to your discussion. It's also kind of funny to think it's the school that is feeling so nervous. I can see kids giggling about this - a great way to minimize fears. The book ends focusing on the positive and kind things that happened throughout the day. Love.

A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful:




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Jonathan James and the Whatif Monster

Author/Illustrator: Michelle Nelson-Schmidt
Book Website: whatifmonsters.com

About This Book: Jonathan James' Whatif Monster asks all kinds of questions to stop him from trying new things: What if it's scary? What if they laugh? What if it's hard? Until finally, Jonathan James has some questions of his own: What if they don't? What if it isn't? What then?

The child-friendly rhyming tale provides the ideal antidote for every child's occasional bouts of self-doubt and fear of trying something new. 

Why It's On My Bookshelf: Kids can develop a lot of fears and anxiety about ALL sorts of things. It can be really tough sometimes to know how to reassure kids they are safe and everything is going to work out. Well, my load just got lessened thanks to this INCREDIBLE resource Jonathan James and the Whatif Monster AND you can get a plush Whatif monster!! Kids are capable of managing their fears but they need tools exactly like this one to help them through their feelings of insecurity.

I like the simple message in the book.....just try, take the risk, and you will find a positive on the other side of the fear. Kids have a huge fear of failure. I want to hit home with kids that you can still come out on top even if it felt like you were defeated. Keep trying and don't buy in to the negative WHATIF monster. I can see this being used in a variety of helpful ways to counselors, teachers, and parents.  LOVE LOVE this resource.
 
Find the book and Whatif Plush Monster HERE

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Book Reviews: Stage Fright/Fear

Grin and Bear It
Author/Illustrator: Leo Landry
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Interest Level: Ages 5-9
**This is a short chapter book with illustrations**

From the Book Jacket: What do you get when a bear walks through your vegetable garden? ...SQUASH! Bear dreams of making his friends laugh. He wants to tell his jokes on Woodland Stage. But Bear has a problem. He has stage fright. Will stage fright stop Bear from reaching his dream?

Why It's On My Bookshelf: I've been looking for a book on this exact subject - stage fright. It's easy to find feelings books on fear but difficult to find an actual stage fright plot line. Well here you go - found!

Here's something personal about me - I used to have the WORST stage fright in school. I remember faking sick in high school because I didn't want to give a speech. The people who know me now would probably laugh at that statement because I love talking in front of a crowd. It took me awhile to build confidence and get over that fear....and truly it was the fear of failure.....the fear of embarrassment.....aren't those the worst feelings ever!? So I'm so happy to have this in my library to support those kids who share those difficult feelings that can practically debilitate you.

You'll enjoy this story and your kids will get exactly what they need from it. Bear begins to conquer his fear through peer support and practicing. In the end, his friends read the jokes for him and he appears on stage afterwards to take a bow. I like that he is not FIXED to perfection. Getting over stage fright takes time and takes small steps.


The I'm Not Scared Book
Author/Illustrator: Todd Parr
Publisher: LB Kids
Interest Level: Ages 4 and Up


A Note From the Publisher: Sometimes I'm scared of dogs. I'm not scared when they give me kisses. Sometimes I'm scared I will make a mistake. I'm not scared when I know I tried my best. With his signature blend of playfulness and sensitivity, Todd Parr explores the subject of all things scary and assures readers that all of us are afraid sometimes.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: Huge Todd Parr fan over here! He helps us not take it all so seriously. The kids go ga ga over the illustrations and his humorous lines he sneaks in. Like this one....Sometimes I'm scared to go shopping for new underwear. I'm not scared when I wear them on my head. How funny and random is that?! Of course the kids laugh and laugh. If I'm going to tackle a feeling like being scared it's nice to be able to pull a Todd Parr book of my shelf. I like how each scared statement he writes has a positive solution accompanying it. Be prepared to have your kids ask you to read this one over and over. Ask them to come up with a scared feeling, but don't forget to have them also add in the positive solution to the fear. Good stuff!

Browse Inside This Book Here:


A Link to These Books:

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Book Review: Scaredy Squirrel Series by Melanie Watt

Scaredy Squirrel


Scaredy Squirrel at Night
Scaredy never sleeps — sleep might mean bad dreams about dragons, ghosts, vampire bats and polka-dot monsters. Our wide-eyed hero has a plan: stay awake all night, every night. Between counting stars, playing cymbals and making scrapbooks, he does a good job of avoiding dreamland. With exhaustion taking its toll, Scaredy comes face-to-face with an alarming horoscope prediction: All his dreams are about to come true! He must prepare for the worst and his Bad Dream Action Plan includes a fire extinguisher to snuff out dragons and a fan to blast away ghosts. But when disaster strikes, will Scaredy survive this ordeal? Will he thank his lucky stars? Will he find sweet dreams?

Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach

Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend
Scaredy Squirrel sets out to make The Perfect Friend. And once he's spotted a perfectly safe candidate (with no teeth), Scaredy's ready. Armed with a name tag, mittens, a mirror and a lemon, he's prepared to make The Perfect First Impression. But just when every detail is under control, Scaredy's Action Plan takes a surprising — and "toothy" — turn. Will he survive this ordeal? Will he find his kindred spirit? Will he discover the true meaning of friendship? Read Scaredy's nutty story to find out ...

Scaredy Squirrel Has a Birthday Party
In the fifth book, Scaredy Squirrel plans his own birthday and surprise!... things get very crowded. Scaredy Squirrel is planning his own birthday party for one – but despite his detailed plans, things get out of control when the party animals arrive. Scaredy never plans big birthday parties. He'd rather celebrate alone quietly in the safety of his nut tree and avoid those pesky party animals (ants, clownfish, ponies and Bigfoot). When all his excessive plans are thrown up in the air like confetti, will Scaredy play dead and cancel? Or will he face the music?  Watch the trailer below!



Why They Are On My Bookshelf: After a first grade teacher introduced me to Scaredy Squirrel, there was just no way I could only own one - I had to have them all, including the puppet!
  

These are laugh out loud funny. Have you ever taken your fears too far? Panicked? Or tried to solve your fears in a ridiculous way? Welcome to the world of Scaredy Squirrel. I loved hearing a student say, "He is taking this way too far!!" When we let our fears control us - we miss out on life. Kids picked up on this right away.

It's also getting to the end of the school year so I try and choose books that are REALLY engaging and have a bit of humor to them. I read a lot of "serious" bibliotherapy throughout the year so it's nice to take a break and use books that light the kids faces up with smiles and chuckles while we still hear a good message. We passed around the Scaredy Squirrel puppet in a circle for kids to talk about their fears and how they overcome them. As soon as I finish reading one of these the kids ALWAYS shout, "Read another one to us!!" I relish those words.
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Book Review: School Anxiety

Author: Robert Quackenbush
illustrated by Yan Nascimbene
Interest Level: 1st Grade

From the Book Jacket: Here is the story of a young boy who is about to enter first grade and doesn't know quite what to expect. Will his friends be there? Will he have to know how to read and spell? What if he can't understand anything his teacher says? Looks like a case of first grade jitters! Robert Quackenbush and Yan Nascimbene tell a reassuring story that is sure to chase away those jitters for any soon-to-be first grader.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: One of my favorite things about this one is the word - Jitters. What a FANTASTIC way to describe difficult feelings like fear and anxiety to a six year old. Most children don't know how to communicate those types of emotions because they are not equipped with the language and coping skills. It makes me think about the importance of emotional intelligence. As an educator I am a big part of helping the inner growth of a child. Bibliotherapy like this is a great step in supporting that growth especially when students are feeling school is a fearsome place. I showed First Grade Jitters to both of our 1st grade teachers and they read it at the start of the school year. Apparently, at the end of the day one of the teachers commented to her students she was nervous about something. "Oh, well then you have the jitters," replied one of her students. This gave me an "I heart kids" moment. It will be nice as the school counselor to use the word jitters as a communication and validation tool.

Dinosaur Starts School
Author: Pamela Duncan Edwards
illustrated by Deborah Allwright
Interest Level: Grades K-1

From the Book Jacket: “What would you do if on the very first day of school Dinosaur wasn’t smiling his big, toothy dinosaur smile? You’d say, ‘Don’t worry, Dinosaur. School will be fun.’”

So begins the story as a little boy helps his dinosaur friend overcome his fears of the first day of school.  All sorts of questions that children might ask are addressed by the little boy - why does he have to go to school, what if he has to speak up and say his name, what if he doesn't like what they serve for lunch?  His answers should calm the tummies of any young student.  And best of all, he explains how to make new friend.  By the end of the day, Dinosaur loves school and can't wait to come again the next day.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: I read this a few weeks into the school year with kindergarten classes. I'm well aware there are school anxiety issues going on with lots of different kids those first few days or weeks. This is great to use as a check-in with students. All of the questions proposed throughout the book are PERFECT. Even though the little boy has an answer for each of Dinosaurs worries, I was excited to hear how the kids would respond. Maybe this would be a confidence booster. It definitely was. School jitters decreased!

A Link to These Books:
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Book Reviews: Fear/Worry/Anxiety Helpers

Wemberly Worried
Author: Kevin Henkes
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

From the Book Jacket: Wemberly worried about everything. Big things. Little things. And things in between. Then it was time for school to start. And Wemberly worried even more. If you ever worry (or know someone who does), this is the book for you.


Why It's On My Bookshelf: Constant worrying is a definite problem. There are children struggling with this which makes me  so thankful for Wemberly Worried and all of it's healing qualities. When I was reading Is a Worry Worrying You? to a group of second graders last year, a few kids raised their hands and said, "Yes, just like Wemberly!" This story has IMPACT. I had never even read Wemberly Worried to the class but the teacher had two copies of it in her book library for her students. I definitely own it now! So through Wemberly I've been helping kids understand it's okay to have a worry here and there. But when we are agonizing over everything small, medium, and big....Houston, we've got a problem! Call me crazy, but I believe kids have the ability to recognize when they have gone over the edge with too much worrying. How? Through the aid of a book like Wemberly Worried. Wemberly also has a coping mechanism and finds a friend struggling with worry too. Don't overlook this one, it's not just another cute Kevin Henkes story. It has healing power.



Absolutely Not
Author: Matthew McElligott 
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

From the Book Jacket: Gloria is brave, but Frieda is absolutely not. Gloria wants to go for a walk, but Frieda absolutely does not. Frieda sees danger in every shadow, and you might, too! But when Frieda cries wolf one too many times, Gloria stops listening to her. Yet...what's that in the bushes? Are the two friends in danger, or is it another figment of Frieda's imagination?

Why It's On My Bookshelf: This is new to my shelf. I was at my local bookstore and asked for suggestions on stories about anxiety. Don't you love it when the person helping you gets really excited and says, "Ohhhhhh, have you read Absolutely Not?" Um, NO, but lead me to it!!! After I read this story I said to myself, "This is pure genius." So the character Frieda says a big fat NO to everything. She is paralyzed with fear and worry. She worries about all the things that could happen. Her imagination runs wild! In the end, there is a little twist where they are actually put in danger. HOWEVER (big however here), isn't that sort of life? We can't protect ourselves from everything. But there is no need to go around stressing out about it. We have to deal with what comes our way. I want to teach the students these invaluable lessons. Can't wait to present this story to them!

PS. Go to the author's website for a lesson plan on optimism vs pessimism. Great to go with book!

Roly Poly Pangolin
Author: Anna Dewdney
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

From the Book Jacket: Roly Poly is a little guy, and the world is a big place. So many things frighten him, even teeny, tiny sounds! What's a little pangolin to do? Roll up tight into a ball and wait until it's safe. But when Roly Poly finally peeks out, there's another ball peeking back - and it looks just like him! Could two be more fun than one? The author of the beloved Llama Llama books introduces an endearing new character who is sure to enchant children and help them explore the world more happily.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: I read MANY children's book blogs, one of my favorites is THE PLANETESME PLAN - The Best New Children's Books from Esme's Shelf. That's where I discovered this great book Roly Poly Pangolin. And yep, Roly Poly is one scared little dude! This is going to be perfect for kindergarten and 1st grade. I see a lot of separation anxiety in those grades. It's rough being pulled away from parents and put with a bunch of adults and kids we don't know. Some kids adjust no problemo and others have a tougher time. I am planning on exploring shyness, fear, and friendship with this delightful story. If only there was a Pangolin puppet!


When My Worries Get Too Big!
Author: Kari Dunn Buron

About This Book: The thought of "losing control" can cause major problems for children who live with anxiety. Now, parents, teachers and children have a helpful tool that gives young children an opportunity to explore their own feelings with parents or teachers as they react to events in their daily lives. Engaging and easy to read, this illustrated children's book is filled with opportunities for children to participate in developing their own self-calming strategies. Children who use the simple strategies in this charming book, illustrated by the author, will find themselves relaxed and ready to focus on work - or play!

Why It's On My Bookshelf: I was planning on doing a separate blog post on this book but I want to talk about it now. I've been using this as a social story to teach kids how to cope with stress and put their anxiety in it's place. This is a tool I use in collaboration with parents and teachers. It makes no sense for me to teach this by myself if we're not all using it as a united front. I've used it in small groups and individually. There is a five point stress scale and it is awesome and helpful to children. Kids who are on the spectrum or have anxiety disorders could really benefit from reading this every day. I've seen a lot of success with this social story. Share it with the parents first and see if they would be on board to use it as a tool. Very grateful for this one. Helps me be a better school counselor.
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