All Ages. This is my gift book and mantra for this year. Waiting for something to happen so you can finally be happy? Get over it. Find happiness in wAll Ages. This is my gift book and mantra for this year. Waiting for something to happen so you can finally be happy? Get over it. Find happiness in what is happening today....more
Short book about how worrying about the unknown is exhausting and doesn't help anyway. Learn to enjoy the "now."Short book about how worrying about the unknown is exhausting and doesn't help anyway. Learn to enjoy the "now."...more
Grades K-2. Great for social emotional learning. Hector and Louie are best friends. But an embarrassing mistake has them promising they will never talGrades K-2. Great for social emotional learning. Hector and Louie are best friends. But an embarrassing mistake has them promising they will never talk to each other again. Great place to stop and work with students to talk about where the problem might have been stopped earlier and also what choices they could make to fix the problem. Then read the rest of the book to see how they resolve their fight....more
Grades 4-8. This is a much-needed book about the effects of a major depressive episode on a family. Natalie's usually upbeat botanist mom spends most Grades 4-8. This is a much-needed book about the effects of a major depressive episode on a family. Natalie's usually upbeat botanist mom spends most days in her room with the door closed. Her therapist dad tries to pretend things are somewhat normal but wants Natalie to talk about her feelings. Natalie is struggling. She has new friends and has lost some of her old friends. She has a quirky science teacher who wants her to do a project that her mom would have helped her with-- just another reminder of how NOT NORMAL things are.
Very well-written. Portrays the confusion around a parent's mental illness-- something easy to hide from others but impossible to ignore. The support shown by the healthy parent, teachers, friends is amazing. Get out your tissue box....more
Grades K-3. I love this title for talking about regulating emotions. Claire has had her share of disappointments today. Someone finished her favorite Grades K-3. I love this title for talking about regulating emotions. Claire has had her share of disappointments today. Someone finished her favorite cereal. Her button breaks. There is a long line for the swings at the playground. She takes these things in stride, but the cumulative stress makes it too much to deal with the fact that it RAINS when she finally gets her turn on the swing set. She has a tantrum-- or rather her 50 foot stuffed animal does. There are consequences to a tantrum, but her loving friends and family empathize that everyone loses their temper sometimes....more
Grades K-2. Wyatt (Goat) and Pammy (Lamb) are friends. Wyatt is very patient with Pammy and often follows her lead, but gets fed up when she doesn't lGrades K-2. Wyatt (Goat) and Pammy (Lamb) are friends. Wyatt is very patient with Pammy and often follows her lead, but gets fed up when she doesn't let him try things before moving on to something new. It's not fun if the other kid is ALWAYS the pusher. Sometimes you want to be the rider. When playing school it's not fun if you're always the student. Sometimes you want to pretend to be the teacher. Pammy is shocked by his anger.
But her big brother teachers her a lesson about taking turns! She gets really bored-- and suddenly understands! Wyatt!! It's your turn!!
A great lesson about empathy and taking turns....more
Grades K-3. Daisy is LATE for everything and this book helps us understand why. She has a wild imagination and is very busy trying to multi-task her lGrades K-3. Daisy is LATE for everything and this book helps us understand why. She has a wild imagination and is very busy trying to multi-task her life. At least she thinks flexibly as she tries to get ready for her swim lesson. Her favorite shirt is dirty and her stuffed animal is wearing her swimsuit. No problem-- Daisy can fix it. I just hope the mess left in her wake is worth it. This story reminds me of someone I know!...more
Grades PK-2. Very simple story about sharing. Two pigs share a blanket but have different interests. Eventually they find that being together is the mGrades PK-2. Very simple story about sharing. Two pigs share a blanket but have different interests. Eventually they find that being together is the most important thing. Adorable illustrations and simple text....more
Grades K-2. This book reminded me of an activity we do at school about kindness and feelings. A heart is ripped every time something hurtful is said. Grades K-2. This book reminded me of an activity we do at school about kindness and feelings. A heart is ripped every time something hurtful is said. Even after the heart is put together, it isn't quite the same. The spin with this book is very positive. We help each other mend our hearts and they become stronger.
Activity to go with this could be sewing a heart and talking about how we can apologize for mistakes, help friends when we notice they are upset, etc....more
Grades K-3. Students work hard to get their garden ready for the harvest. Gnome is supposed to be helping, but instead he makes mess after mess. He isGrades K-3. Students work hard to get their garden ready for the harvest. Gnome is supposed to be helping, but instead he makes mess after mess. He is sent inside because of his choices. The other kids are upset and won't look or talk with him. Instead of saying "sorry," Gnome works all night to make things right.
Great message about making mistakes and how to fix behavior in a meaningful way....more
Grades 4-7. George has never been able to be herself. Unlike the other girls at school, she was born looking like a boy. Even her mom and brother don'Grades 4-7. George has never been able to be herself. Unlike the other girls at school, she was born looking like a boy. Even her mom and brother don't know. Some kids at school think she's weird, especially when she wants to be the spider in the Charlotte's Web play at school.
Fortunately, George's finds a way to start letting people know who she really is.
Transgender has come more publicized in recent years. I appreciate that the author can relate what it must be like for young kids. I also like how she responds to other characters that think George is gay. George simply responds-- I AM a girl, but I don't like boys OR girls. This is a straightforward way of explaining the difference. I also love the use of pronouns, it gives you the sense of how every "he" and "his" can hurt like being poked when someone uses the wrong one.
Because of the topic, George does talk about the challenges of using the restroom and being different "down there." She hides magazines like Seventeen in her closet and mentions tampon advertisements. Kids of both genders can get sensitive discussing those topics-- just for adults to be aware about those things....more
Grades 1-4. A great book to kick off a discussion about kindness and building a classroom/school culture. Students will be able to talk with each otheGrades 1-4. A great book to kick off a discussion about kindness and building a classroom/school culture. Students will be able to talk with each other about situations where kindness is called for-- and what kindness isn't (used to gain an advantage/get something out of someone)....more
Grades 1-4. Wisteria seems to speak her mind without considering the consequences. While sharing some thoughts with her best friend, she says somethinGrades 1-4. Wisteria seems to speak her mind without considering the consequences. While sharing some thoughts with her best friend, she says something hurtful. Her mother helps her understand what went wrong so she can fix it, which she does. ...more
Grades K-4. Cakes are supposed to be sweet, but rude cakes are selfish, blame others and say mean things. Cyclopses, on the other hand, know exactly wGrades K-4. Cakes are supposed to be sweet, but rude cakes are selfish, blame others and say mean things. Cyclopses, on the other hand, know exactly what to do and make great friends. What happens when rude cakes meet cyclopses?...more
Grades K-5. Jackson the donkey has carried heavy loads to and from the market every day. He feels unappreciated even though he's doing his job well. OGrades K-5. Jackson the donkey has carried heavy loads to and from the market every day. He feels unappreciated even though he's doing his job well. One day he sits down in frustration. The farmer is about to whip him, when his son runs up the mountain to show him the problem.
Kindness and manners go a long way to show people (and donkeys) how you feel. Show courtesy and appreciation to those around you....more
Grades 2-5. The layout of this book reminded me of self-published books I have seen in the past, but what struck me as different about this book is thGrades 2-5. The layout of this book reminded me of self-published books I have seen in the past, but what struck me as different about this book is that the circumstances of bullying really mirror what I hear from students.
We all know we shouldn't bully. Teachers can't hear every interaction. What happens when you ARE ignoring the bully but the bully won't leave you alone? Why do adults worry about how the bully is treated? These are valid concerns.
Thomas is depressed because Kyle has been picking away at him. He's done everything he can think of to deal with his bully. As the story develops, other kids begin to notice and tell Kyle to quit. They tell an adult what is going on. Kyle gets the help he needs to start to empathize and change the way he interacts with others.
Several pages at the end explain different methods for shutting down bullying from different points of view....more
Grades K-5. Percival Priggs is determined to live up to his high-achieving parents' expectations. He is signed up for many competitions and activitiesGrades K-5. Percival Priggs is determined to live up to his high-achieving parents' expectations. He is signed up for many competitions and activities--many of which he does not even enjoy. One afternoon he finds himself overwhelmed with tasks and his plan to complete them ends up destroying all of his work (and his parents' work).
The rejection and disappointment he expects never happens. To his relief, his parents show him their many "failures" along the way to discovering what they love. They urge him to explore his talents and find things he enjoys. And no matter what-- he is perfectly loveable. Very sweet message for budding perfectionists....more
Grades K-3. Shaun is still using training wheels while most of the other kids have moved on to riding bikes. His friend Nadia watches as he struggles Grades K-3. Shaun is still using training wheels while most of the other kids have moved on to riding bikes. His friend Nadia watches as he struggles and some kids make fun of his failed attempts. But Shaun has grit. "Never give up," he says to himself. Nadia feels bad for him, but has an idea that could help. There might be a different way for him to learn...
This book has attractive, multicultural illustrations. The message is important, but a little too preachy-- making it more useful as a bibliotherapy read-aloud for a discussion on perseverance. ...more
Grades K-5. IT'S NOT FAIR!! Smaller half of the cookie, broken promises, early bedtimes... the list goes on and on. Even everyday objects like a stoolGrades K-5. IT'S NOT FAIR!! Smaller half of the cookie, broken promises, early bedtimes... the list goes on and on. Even everyday objects like a stool complains that a chair has an extra leg. A spider hates that another web gets all the flies. This would be a fun read-aloud....more
K-3. Students are asked to bring in something from nature to share with the class. MOST kids would think of a stick, a shell, a leaf. But what if you K-3. Students are asked to bring in something from nature to share with the class. MOST kids would think of a stick, a shell, a leaf. But what if you thought bringing an alligator to school was a good idea? It isn't!
Fun to discuss with students why some things are okay to bring to school and some aren't. Highlights some of the thinking process --trying to predict consequences before they happen. Are the consequences justified? What could the student have done differently?
Kate Hastings
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Books:
bibliotherapy_behavior
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