Does your child have lots of fears? Fears can be crippling especially to our young ones. It can be hard to help little ones overcome their fears or at least face them. Often we find work arounds like nightlights for kids who are afraid of the dark. Today we get to share a picture book about a young boy who has many fears and how he learns to face them. The book is Mikey and the Dragons by Jocko Willink and illustrated by Jon Bozak. It is recommended for ages 3 to 6.
January has begun! That means it is time to review books for Multicultural Children's Book Day which is on January 30th this year! I always love reviewing the books for MCBD. It introduces me to new authors and publishers!! It is always so much fun! Today I get to share with you a wonderful picture book about having anxiety. It is Worry Won't Win! Moe & Liza Explore Anxiety by Christine Reynebeau and illustrated by Rachael Hawkes. I don't see an age recommendation for this book but would say 6 to 10 year-olds would enjoy reading it on their own and probably 4+ to have it read to and discussed with.
When does/did school start where you are? My school starts back today. On Friday we dropped Hazel off at her new boarding school for the arts. Steve and I have officially become empty nesters. A new school year can bring many different feelings for kids (and teachers). There is the excitement of what is to come and there is the fear of what is to come. Whether it is a new school or just a new class and teacher, most people experience some anxiety this time of year. And it isn't just the students and the teachers. I remember all too well the stress of leaving Hazel at school when she was younger. So, I thought in honor of my first day back with the students, I would share three picture books that have messages about controlling anxiety, overcoming fears, being true to oneself and also accepting differences. The first book I will share is How to Train Your Amygdala by Anna Housley Juster and illustrated by Cynthia Cliff. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8, although I know some high school students it might be good to share it with.
Do you know a young child who struggles with anxiety? My daughter has anxiety and has struggled with it from a very young age. I remember her separation anxiety as well as her getting nervous if she watched someone break a rule. I sometimes had to turn Curious George off because she got nervous when he broke a rule. There were so many conversations about how her anxiety caused her to feel sick. I wish today's book was available when she was young, but the author is only a few years older than Hazel and was experiencing her own anxiety. The author of today's book is in high school and wrote this book from her own experiences. The book is Frankie's Fishy Feelings by Quincy Kadin. Since the main character is getting ready for the first day of school, I recommend it for the preschool through early elementary age kids.
Has school started where you are? Many schools near us start this week and our school begins after Labor Day. However, the teachers have been back for teacher training starting last week. Last week we had three days with experts in success counseling originally started by Dr. William Glasser and his choice therapy. It has been really interesting and was a tiring week. We literally were being taught to think and react in a different way. If you have time, check it out.
With the first day of school there is always some anxiety for students, teachers, and parents. Today I am sharing a new picture book that is meant to help children learn ways to deal with anxiety including the first day of school jitters. The book is The Worry Balloon by Mónica Mancillas and illustrated by Betty C. Tang. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8 but could be used with older children to help teach some techniques to help fight anxiety.
Do you know that May is National Mental Health Awareness Month? According to the CDC, more than 5.8 million American children, aged 13-17, were diagnosed with anxiety disorders between 2016-2019. (Source) What is even more scary is that the number is increasing. According to psychologist Robert Leahy, "The average high school student today has the same level of anxiety as the average psychiatric patient in the early 1950s." (Source) Hazel loves to tell me this all the time! Think of all the things that exist today in schools that did not exist previously. There is the fear of school shootings. According to Pew Research 57% of teens fear there will be a school shooting at their school. (Source) There is social media and cell phones. Now a humiliating mistake may be saved on-line forever! Plus there is cyber bullying and the stress it can cause. This year a student (or students) at Hazel's school took pictures from her Instagram account and created fake accounts trying to say she was dating a boy (who she barely tolerates) as well as other such things. It truly is scary what they can do.
Today I am going to share three picture books that teach different lessons. Some are more serious than others. The books touch on things like the waste and accumulation of plastic and more, depression and anxiety and words and their meanings when you add another word. We will start with a perfect one for Christmas. It is Toy Mountain by Stef Gemmill and Katharine Hall. It is recommended for ages 3 to 6.
We are continuing our celebration of Native American Heritage Month with a middle grades novel today. This novel delves into Native American life but it also has important messages for everyone to learn. It is such an interesting story and has fascinating characters. The book is The Brave by James Bird.
Have you ever read a book that moves you and changes your life almost instantly? The book I am sharing is one of those books. It was so moving to me that I told Hazel and Steve that they need to read this book. All three of us tend to be anxious people and after this past year there is a lot to be anxious about. This book is perfect for anyone who feels anxious, stressed or worried. The book is Peaceful on Purpose by Joel Osteen.
During Covid the overall visits to the emergency room have significantly decreased. However during this same period there has been an increase in kids' visits to the ER for mental health reasons. (Source) I suppose it is not that surprising. We all know that Covid is increasing anxiety in most people. People are afraid of catching it. People are afraid of dying from it. People are afraid of loved ones catching it. Plus the change in our lives--the masks, social distancing, not seeing loved ones, change for routines, etc. add more stress and anxiety. This is certainly true for adults but it is even more true for our kids. Kids are struggling to understand the pandemic. They are struggling to understand why the adults in their life are acting so differently and are so stressed out. All they truly know is a year ago the world changed. Everything stopped. School went remote. For some their parents were out of work. Slowly things are opening back up. People are wearing masks. Hand washing is a big deal. It is truly a scary time to be alive which makes it a perfect time for today's book. The book is All About Anxiety by Carrie Lewis and illustrated by Sophia Touliatou. It is a middle grades book (ages 9-13).
Let's face it 2020 was a hard year. Now we are in 2021 and it is not looking much better. We are living through a worldwide pandemic. Even after the November election our politics do not seem settled or at least completely accepted. Then there is the struggle with masks. Some people wear them and others do not even when we see the numbers of people infected growing so fast and our hospitals are reaching their limits. All of this is enough to make us feel stressed and anxious. The new year usually brings hopes and dreams. We make resolutions on how we are going to change for the better. Yet this year we are all a bit overwhelmed. How do we get past all of this?
