ON THIS PAGE YOU WILL FIND:

 REVIEWS OF BOOKS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN ON SOCIAL EMOTIONAL ISSUES. These can be used in family life and in Curriculum in pre school and primary grades. These are partial reviews, the full reviews available by emailing me.  

AND AN OFFER TO COME TO YOUR GROUP TO SHOW THE BOOKS AND SHARE TIPS ON HOW TO USE THEM.

The Book Reviews  are of books that deal with social emotional issues, geared towards young children, However  -   when I used to work with children in counseling. I often wanted an older child to get the point' of a book so I would ask them to read it with me and give me their opinion of it, ie, whether it was a good book to use with little kids  Or, teachers of older kids can ask their students to write a book review.  It's sneaky, but it works.  Because all the books are well researched and grounded in sound psychological principles, their messages are helpful for any age ( yup, even grownups). The full reviews are pretty long so I am not  putting them on this page. I'm posting shorter versions here. Email me for the full detailed reviews along with tips on how to use the books in classroom settings.  I'll send it as a Word doc.          phyllisnasta@yahoo.com  Put "children's books" in the subject line. 

The Offer  -      

I can bring the books and talk to your teacher group about how to use them with kids. ( include counselor and librarian)

I will provide Continuing Ed Certificates.   Primary Grades and  Pre-School 

About the Reviews.  I decided to pick ten books that I think are excellent, that help you talk to kids about issues such as anxiety,  fear,  empathy, coping with divorce, etc    

When a parent, teacher or counselor wants a good book to help kids deal with an issue, they want it fast - they don't want to have to conduct research to find the right book. That's why I compiled this list. . 

There are many books out there, on these topics. I reviewed a bunch and chose these. But it doesn't imply that these are superior to others.  It's just a reliable list that can help with a wide range of topics and the books were easily available.         All the books were available through the Washington County Library  ( Oregon) and I bought them from Powell's Independent Bookstore. 

 With these books, don't read them to kids who are tired, grumpy, hungry, or who are geared up for their favorite fun book.  Read during relaxing times of the day, when you have time to approach it leisurely.  Take your time and don't do it with an agenda - If the child doesn't want to complete it , that's ok. They may want to read the whole thing another day.    

A List of the books: 

What's Worrying You? / Perfectly Imperfect Mira / Facts Vs, Opinions Vs. Robots /  Puppy In My Head /    Me and My Fear  /  Let's Do Everything and Nothing  /  Loving Kindness /  Don't Worry Murray  /  Charlotte and the Quiet Place Living With Mom and Living With Dad

Partial Reviews:   

Facts Vs Opinions Vs Robots by Michael Rex

I can't say enough good things about this book because it teaches children the difference between facts and opinions in a lighthearted way and then teaches them how to resolve arguments that arise from these differences. So, it teaches critical thinking skills as well as interpersonal skills all in one delightful book.  I think every primary grade should have a copy. And, it holds up , meaning the kid can read it multiple times and get more out of it as they get older and understand more about 'facts and opinions'. 

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What's Worrying You? by Molly Potter illustrated by Sarah Jennings

This is a helpful book that is dense with information that is broken down into well organized sections on twelve scenarios that might cause worry. It isn't a book that has to be read cover to cover. It can be used as a reference book to read and discuss the section that's relevant at the time.  Three examples : When you get told off, When you fall out with a friend, When you get ill. 

Perfectly Imperfect Mira  by Faith Prayer

Story of a child who avoids activities because she's afraid of being imperfect at them. She works out of this problem by trying things and realizes the value of growing.  She is accompanied by two adorable friends who silently reinforce the concept of acceptance, - a dog and a cat. 

Puppy In My Head  - A Book About Mindfulness    by Elise Gravel

Ollie, the pooch, lives in the head of the child, imaginatively speaking,  Ollie sometimes gets too excited, energetic, noisy or scared. When he does, like a frustrated child, Ollie can't respond to reason. Ollie's child then develops a leash which links him to strategies to address and control the feelings and behavior.

Me and My Fear  by Francesca Sanna

At first the book depicts how a little fear can keep the girl safe but with changing circumstances the fear grows and becomes problematic. Eventually she discovers that others have fear, and this helps her fear become manageable. It is a good book because it has several layers of informations built in. The depiction of Fear isn't scary, which is an advantage. 

Let's Do Everything and Nothing   by Julia Kuo

This book illustrates the value of creating safe, non-busy space for a relationship.  Unstructured time with an adult can be precious for a child to feel safe, and be creative.  It is beautifully written and illustrated. 

Loving Kindness  by Deborah Underwood illustrated by Tim Hopgood

This book builds positive self esteem, with grounding in nature, knowing they are loved and in connecting with others, and in learning from mistakes. 

Don't Worry Murray by David Ezra Stein

Murray is a cute dog who catastrophizes about new situations. The book addresses his fears and shows him facing them  and being able to enjoy the activities he had feared.

Charlotte and The Quiet Place  by Deborah Sosin  illustrated by Sara Wooley Plum

A child who lives in a noisy situation finds peace and quiet in a park and is able to recreate that for herself when she needs it. 

Living Wth Mom and Living With Dad  by Melanie Walsh  -  I do NOT recommend this for group reading in classrooms, see my full review for reasons.

Good book to use in counseling sessions with kids going back and forth to dad's and mom's house, showing the differences, and feelings the child has. 

For full reviews and tips on how to use in classrooms, email me. phyllisnasta@yahoo.com with "children's books" in subject line.                                                                                                       

   I hope these help.  I always appreciated Bibliotherapy when i was counseling children.  It makes it easier to talk to kids about these topics when you have a good book on hand.