Book Review: Lucia Lacorte Poor Sport

Author: Christianne Jones

Illustrator: Marisa Morea

From the Book Jacket: Lucia Lacorte LOVES games, but she HATES to lose. When she loses, she stomps and screams and cries in dramatic fashion. And when she wins, it's even worse! Lucia Lacorte is a very POOR SPORT. Can anyone convince her that being a good sport is what puts the FUN in fun and games?

Why It's On My Bookshelf: This is a good story about someone who wants to win at all costs. But sadly, the cost is losing friends because no one wants to be around someone who is bragging about winning all the time. Lucia gets a taste of her own medicine when her grandpa teaches her a lesson about sportsmanship by being a poor sport when they play a game. Next year I want to really focus on sportsmanship with the kids in our school. This is a great update to my bookshelf and I will be using it as part of my rotation to teach sportsmanship skills. 

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Book Review: Allie All Along

Author/Illustrator: Sarah Lynne Reul

From the Book Jacket: When Allie's crayon breaks, she stomps, smashes, crashes, and throws a tantrum, a fuss, and a fit. Her big brother wants to help her feel better. Will punching a pillow, squeezing a toy, or breathing deep breaths help Allie let go of her angry feelings, one layer at a time?

Why It's On My Bookshelf: What a great resource to teach zones of regulation, managing big feelings, and size of the problem. After her brother helps to calm her down she is now in a state of sadness. I really love this book and sometimes it takes more than one trick to help calm us down. But when it's all said and done we will be okay and can even be ready for a hug. I will definitely be using this one!

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Book Review: Butterflies on the First Day of School

Author: Annie SIlvestro

Illustrator: Dream Chen

From the Book Jacket: Rosie can't wait to finally start school. She's spent hours practicing how to raise her hand, write her letters, and say her teacher's name. But when the big day arrives, Rosie finds that her belly hurts so much she can't even finish her chocolate chip pancakes! Rosie's mom tells her it's just butterflies dancing around in her stomach. Much to Rosie's surprise, when she greets a new friend on the bus, a butterfly flitters out of her mouth! By the end of the school day, will Rosie set all of her butterflies free?

Why It's On My Bookshelf: Such a great book to help kids overcome fears they might be having about the first day of school. I thought it was so smart to also introduce the concept of the feeling of "butterflies in your stomach." It can help children understand that an upset tummy because of anxiety is normal and eventually it will go away as your nerves calm. In the story, Rosie's anxiety starts to go away as her day progresses and she also meets another girl who is also experiencing butterflies. They make each other feel better by playing together and becoming friends. So happy to discover this wonderful resource. 

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