social emotional learning

Tales from the TBR: Detectives, Nightmare Bugs, Fetching Cats, Cities, and Geraldine!

Posted on March 9, 2023March 8, 2023 by Rosemary Kiladitis

I know, it’s been a month. Crazy, right? It’s one of those moments when you just don’t realize how fast time goes until you realize… well, how fast time goes. But let’s jump right back in, since I’ve got a stack of books to talk about and some cool library programs to share. Let’s start with the books. Here’s a round-up.

The Upside Down Detective Agency, by Ellie Hattie/Illustrated by Brendan Kearney, (Aug. 2022, Kane Miller), $14.99, ISBN: 9781684644148

Ages 4-8

Welcome to Super Sleuth HQ! Meet Stella and Stan, two crime-solving sloths who may look similar but who have different personalities that will help readers tell them apart. A famous race car driver gives them a big case, and they need help from the reader to solve it! With interactive prompts and visual clues throughout, this fun book combines an entertaining story with a seek-and-find activity to keep readers engaged and sharpening their observation and problem-solving skills. A variety of colorful landscapes take readers to a race car garage, a lavish mansion, and a race track; friendly anthropomorphic animals stand shoulder-to-shoulder with people, and the villain sports a monocle. Endpapers show Stella, Stan, and the key to the mystery. I’d love to see Stella and Stan solve mysteries in different locales!

There are some fun seek and find worksheets available through TeachersPayTeachers, for an extension activity. This springtime sheet from Casey Wiggins is great for younger readers; The Speech Owl has an 18-card set to create a fun inferencing game.

The Nightmare Bug, by Hillary Daecher/Illustrated by Angie Hohenadel, (Sept. 2022, Schiffer Kids), $16.99, ISBN: 9780764364310

Ages 4-8

A child learns to confront their nightmare in this rhyming story. Every time the child is in the middle of a wonderful dream, the Nightmare Bug shows up and ruins it! Mom lets her little one in on a secret: she used to have a Nightmare Bug, too, but she learned how to conquer it: with a hug. As the child goes back to sleep, they take two stuffed friends in for company and wait for the Bug to show up. Black backgrounds set the nighttime tone for the story, allowing bold, colorful artwork to pop off and emphasize surrealist dreamscapes; Hohenadel plays with negative space, letting the inky Nightmare Bug form as a planet or a wrapped piece of candy. Sharp-eyed readers will enjoy keeping an eye out for the bug; invite them to let you know when he’s near! Daecher tells a soothing bedtime story and teaches a valuable “hurt people hurt people” lesson by showing readers that the best way to defeat a fear is not only to confront it, but embrace it. A good choice for collections dealing with bedtime fears.

Want a good extension activity? Have construction paper around and invite kids to create their Nightmare Bugs. Use black construction paper and scissors for bigger kids, or colorful construction paper and crayons for littler creators. Try giving the kids some chalk and let them create surrealist, dreamlike creations.

Fetch Cat, Fetch!, by Charles Ghigna/Illustrated by Michelle Hazelwood Hyde, (Sept. 2022, Schiffer Kids), $14.99, ISBN: 9780764364600

Ages 4-7

Father Goose is at it again with this hilarious story about a little girl trying to teach her cat some new tricks… and the cat, who just wants to nap. Told in 3-word repetitive phrases: “Here, Cat. Here!”; “Speak, Cat. Speak!”, and “Dance, Cat. Dance!”, an adorable little girl attempts to get her cat to jump rope, climb a treehouse, take part in a tea party, and a number of other laugh-out-loud scenarios. Hazelwood Hyde’s illustration captures the spirit of the story, showing an enthusiastic child and a poker-faced cat determined to ignore her. Families with pets will likely see themselves in this story, especially when the little girl, tired from a day of playing with her reluctant companion, gives Cat the one command she expects him to follow, with amusing results. The girl’s dramatic body language communicates the frustration of a playmate who won’t join the game, and the cat’s determination to remain at rest will appeal not only to families with pets, but for every parent who’s wondered when their Kiddo’s battery will run down. An adorable story that makes for an amusing readaloud and a great choice for emerging readers to try on their own.

Visit Charles Ghigna’s website for more information about his books.

If You Were a City, by Kyo Maclear/Illustrated by Francesca Sanna, (Oct. 2022, Chronicle Books), $16.99, ISBN: 9781452155197

Ages 3-6

A delightful celebration of cities and how they form – and are formed by – the people who live in them, this rhyming exploration invites readers to imagine what they would be like if they were a city. Colorful, vibrant illustrations show a variety of city settings with a diverse group of citizens at work and play, and each city has its own personality: “shiny, glassy, sleek and tall”; “wooden, squat, and nicely small”; a library shows a group of readers dreaming of cities that come from the mouth of a storyteller, and an explorer discovers Central American-looking pyramids in a “lost city”. The cities thrive with action, their societies interacting peacefully together. Verses prompt readers to consider the neighbors we share our space with, “leav[ing] them room for nest and lair”, a brown-skinned girl holding a fox safely in her outstretched hand as a monkey swings on her foot. As the story moves toward a close we see children creating their cities, using their own bodies to connect the pieces: arms connected to become a bridge; holding up a platform with buildings; covering a roof (maybe a library?) with a book. An uplifting, hopeful vision of who we can become. Endpapers feature a series of snowglobes with cities inside. An excellent storytime choice and a great STEAM storytime book: invite readers to create their own cities with blocks, construction paper, and soft toys.

Geraldine and the Rainbow Machine, by Sol Regwan/Illustrated by Denise Muzzio, (Nov. 2022, Schiffer Books), $16.99, ISBN; 9780764364396

Ages 4-8

One of my favorite tinkerers is back! In Geraldine’s fourth adventure, she works to create harmony among her classmates when a new friend arrives at school. Hamid arrives from Pakistan and Geraldine immediately befriends him, but not everyone is as kind or welcoming. Frustrated by insensitive playground antics, Geraldine tinkers up a rainbow machine to show her classmates that everyone has something interesting about them; and when you combine the colors of the rainbow, they all blend together. There are lovely moments of kindness here, from Geraldine gently relocating a spider family taking up residence in one of her bowls to her statement regarding the Rainbow Machine: “When you spin it really fast, the colors all blend together. I think it shows that our differences don’t matter”. The class, delighted at Geraldine’s hands-on device, enjoys their differences and their similarities, and celebrates their uniqueness. Endpapers display a rainbow coming from what looks like one of Geraldine’s journals, the Rainbow Machine sketch laid open for readers. Regwan manages to keep the STEM/STEAM theme of the Geraldine series while delivering heartfelt story about acceptance and friendship. A good book to consider for SEL collections.

picture books

Tales from the TBR: Sterling and Nugget the Dragon by Judd B. Shaw & Marrieta Gal

Posted on January 23, 2023January 23, 2023 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Sterling and Nugget the Dragon (Sterling the Knight #1), by Judd B. Shaw/Illustrated by Marrieta Gal, (Dec. 2022, Morgan James Kids), $9.95, ISBN: 9781631959356

Ages 4-7

A boy named Sterling believes that he must fell a dragon to become a knight. Nugget is a dragon who has no idea that the villagers nearby are terrified by him. When Sterling heads to Nugget’s cave to slay the beast, he discovers something quite different: Nugget is no fierce, man-eating dragon, but a friendly dragon who’s injured wing is causing him great pain. Morality wins the day as Sterling tends to Nugget’s injury; the two become friends, and decide together to show the villagers that bad reputations aren’t always earned. A story of kindness and compassion, Sterling and Nugget the Dragon is a delightful read for younger children, while teaching them a good message: it’s not always about the dragons you slay, but the dragons you save, that makes one a knight. Cartoon artwork is colorful and cheerful. A good additional addition to collections.

picture books, Preschool Reads

Pigeon & Cat embraces kindness and joy

Posted on June 23, 2022June 23, 2022 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Pigeon & Cat, by Edward Hemingway, (June 2022, Christy Ottaviano Books), $17.99, ISBN: 9780316311250

Ages 4-8

Cat lives all by himself in an abandoned city, and a cardboard box with his few possessions. He fiercely guards his little area from other neighborhood strays, but things change in Cat’s life when he discovers a little egg, intact, from a fallen nest. The unbroken egg is too pretty to eat; as Cat watches over it, the egg hatches and a sweet little Pigeon emerges. With Pigeon, Cat discovers something bigger than himself; he’s a parent now, and Cat’s world grows brighter. He nurtures Pigeon, who starts exploring her world, much to Cat’s concern: after all, Cat has only known the city to be large, lonely, and cruel. But Pigeon loves discovering her world and always returns home with a gift for Cat: until the one day that she doesn’t. Bereft, Cat looks for Pigeon, using chalk she gave him to create messages all over the city, hoping to lead her home. It’s an act that makes the City warmer, looking more like the comforting alley home that Cat has created for Pigeon, and gives Cat the ability to open his heart and home up. He befriends the other strays that he used to keep away, sharing food and friendship with them, and when Pigeon does return, Cat throws a party that the whole city can enjoy. An achingly gorgeous story of love, kindness, and the power of community through art, Pigeon & Cat will make you weep and cheer before you close the book. A storytime staple. Edward Hemingway’s mixed media illustrations create expressive animal characters that move readers; he uses color to show how Cat’s heart opens as Pigeon brings joy and companionship to his life, going from a brown-based palette to joyful, vibrant pages filled with color and happiness. Word balloons throughout the story add dialogue to the narration. Pigeon speaks in emoji-like rebuses, perfect for emerging readers.

Publisher Christy Ottaviano Books and author Edward Hemingway included a box of chalk in my review package, encouraging me to use the chalk, like Cat, to leave messages around my neighborhood; I’ll be sure to hand some out at my next storytime and encourage my families to do just that. Visit Pigeon and Cat‘s book detail page to download a free activity kit and book discussion guide.

Pigeon & Cat has a starred book review from School Library Journal.

Check out this Vimeo from Edward Hemingway on the making of Pigeon & Cat!

Edward Hemingway Presents PIGEON & CAT from LB School on Vimeo.

“A satisfying story exploring heart and home.” —The Horn Book

“A sweet tale celebrating the joys of both personal and communal togetherness.” —Kirkus Reviews

“A satisfying story exploring heart and home.” —The Horn Book

Edward Hemingway is the acclaimed creator of many popular books: Tough Cookie: A Christmas Story, Field Guide to the Grumpasaurus, and Bad Apple: A Tale of Friendship. His writing and artwork have been published in The New York Times and GQ Magazine. The youngest grandson of Ernest Hemingway, he lives in Bozeman, Montana. He invites you to visit him at EdwardHemingway.com.

Twitter: @EdwardHemingway

Instagram: @edwardhemingway

Uncategorized

Happy Book Birthday to Rosa’s Song by Helena Ku Rhee and Pascal Campion

Posted on June 14, 2022 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Rosa’s Song, by Helena Ku Rhee/Illustrated by Pascal Campion, (June 2022, Random House Studio), $17.99, ISBN: 9780593375495

Ages 4-8

Jae, a young boy from South Korea, and his mother move into a new building in a new country. Missing his home and friends, Jae is withdrawn, but his mother urges him to get out and meet other kids in the building; Jae meets Rosa, a friendly young girl whose pet parrot, Pollito, sits on her shoulder and warbles a sweet song. Rosa and Jae become fast friends, and engage in imaginative play that evokes memories of each of their home countries; scaling sofa mountains and exploring lost Incan cities and rainforests. When Rosa and her family suddenly leave one night, she leaves her parrot to console the heartbroken Jae. Shortly after Rosa leaves, Jae meets two new children in the building, and follows Rosa’s example, becoming their friend and guide to their new home and world. Helena Ku Rhee’s childhood inspired the story, which shows the need for connection and highlights the often erratic home lives of immigrant families, who often have to move suddenly, whether because of immigration status, employment, financial stress, or family issues. Pascal Campion’s digital artwork gives vision to Helen Ku Rhee’s voice: Jae stares out a window at a brick wall while standing in a beige room with faded wallpaper; upon meeting Rosa, his world becomes more colorful. Touches of each child’s home country are represented, with Asian brush paintings decorating the walls of Jae’s home, and colorful parrots and lush green trees in the rainforest of Rosa’s memory. When Rosa leaves, Jae’s world goes gray again, and the portrait of Jae in Rosa’s vacated apartment is absolutely devastating. Endpapers show Rosa and Jae at imaginative play, with Pollito flying around them. A touching and lovely book on empathy and friendship.

Rosa’s Song has a starred review from Booklist.

picture books, Preschool Reads

Blog Tour: Thursday by Ann Bowill and Kayla Harden

Posted on June 9, 2022June 8, 2022 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Thursday, by Ann Bowill/Illustrated by Kayla Harden, (June 2022, Two Lions), $17.99, ISBN: 9781542032896

Ages 4-7

Thursday used to be a little girl’s favorite day of the week, until she learns that her parents are getting a divorce on a Thursday. Now, instead of art class, and popsicles with friends, Thursdays mean that everything will change. Her stuffed unicorn steps in to give the girl a much-needed friend and comfortable shoulder, staying with her to support her through the hard feelings and the move, until Thursday becomes “just Thursday again”. The story moves forward with a gentle sensitivity, told in first person by the unicorn, who repays an act of kindness with love and and concern. The unicorn grows into a larger-than-life-sized companion that the little girl can lean on; when she can stand on her own again, the unicorn shrinks back to a toy-sized stuffie, but never leaves her – always around, ready to take her side if she needs it. Kayla Harden’s digital illustrations glow with optimism, letting readers know that things may be difficult right now, but the sun will always come up the next day, and things will eventually get better. The unicorn has its own cheerful radiance, sharing its warmth with the little girl. Add this one to your SEL (social-emotional learning) collections, and maybe consider adding some stuffed friends to your collection for kids who need a friend to lean on.

Ann Bonwill grew up in Maryland surrounded by books. Before becoming an author, Ann worked as a clinical social worker, a Montessori teacher, and an autism therapist. She is the author of multiple picture books and nonfiction books for children, including When Mermaids Sleep, illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher, and I Am Not a Copycat!, illustrated by Simon Rickerty. Ann has lived in many places, from Albuquerque, New Mexico to Frankfurt, Germany. She currently lives in Virginia with her family. Learn more at www.annbonwill.com.

Kayla Harren is a graduate of the School of Visual Arts in New York City with a BFA in illustration. She’s an award-winning illustrator of multiple picture books, including A Boy Like You, written by Frank Murphy, and The Boy Who Grew a Forest, written by Sophia Gholz, among other titles. Her work has been featured in the Society of Illustrators, American Illustration, Communication Arts, and 3×3 Magazine, and she won the Highlights for Children Pewter Plate Award. She lives in Minnesota with her family. Learn more at www.kaylaharren.com.

Facebook: Kayla Harren Illustrator

Instagram: @kaylaharren

Early Reader, Fiction

Really Bird is great for preschool and kindergarten SEL collections

Posted on May 12, 2022May 12, 2022 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Red Comet Press debuted a new Easy Reader series that is great for preschoolers and kindergarteners and SEL collections. Really Bird is a round, blue bird that lives in a city park and spends time with friends Cat and Pup. Really Bird is REALLY enthusiastic about things: “They call me Really Bird because when I’m happy, or sad, or thirsty, or scared, I’m REALLY happy, or REALLY scared… or REALLY thirsty!” Sound familiar? If you’ve spent any time around young kids, it should! The first two books hit shelves in April; let’s take a peek inside.

I Really Want a Bigger Piece! (A Really Bird Story), by Harriet Ziefert/Illustrated by Travis Foster, (Apr. 2022, Red Comet Press), $12.99, ISBN: 9781636550190

Ages 4-7

Really Bird, Cat, and Pup are having a blueberry pie picnic, but each has different ideas on how big a slice they should get. Pup feels like slices should be in size order; Really Bird is starving, so he wants a really big piece, and Cat is frustrated that his piece is messy and missing crust. Can the friends figure out how to share the pie to make everyone happy? The story is laid out in similar fashion to popular Easy Readers like Elephant and Piggie, the Ballet Cat books by Bob Shea, and Cece Bell’s Chick and Brain books, with the narration taking place as dialogue between the characters. The friends state the problem – how to figure out sharing the blueberry pie – and offer different steps to solve the issue, with pluses and minuses (plus – dog gets the biggest piece; minus – Really Bird gets the smallest!); the characters work together to resolve the problem, and all is well at the end! Discussion questions and an activity help kids reflect on what they’ve read and apply it to their experiences. Cartoony characters with bold colors and outlines make this an eye-catching book that makes for a great read-aloud, read-along, or read together.

I Really Want to Be First! (A Really Bird Story), by Harriet Ziefert/Illustrated by Travis Foster, (Apr. 2022, Red Comet Press), $12.99, ISBN: 9781636550183

Ages 4-7

Really Bird and friends are together again! Really Bird is usually last when the friends walk together, but decides today’s the day he’s going to be first! Now that Really Bird is the leader, he takes his friends on a hike that isn’t really easy if you aren’t a bird! Cat and Pup help one another down from a tree, and Really Bird is so focused on being first, he’s ready to start an argument over it. Thankfully, cooler heads prevail and the day is saved. Really Bird is a recognizable voice for young children who are still working on social skills and taking turns, and the story illustrates equity and equality through taking turns and in going on an adventure that isn’t always fair to everyone – all three can climb the tree, but it’s certainly going to be easier for friends with wings! Discussion questions prompt conversation and insight. The story has the comforting familiarity of starting out in the same way: an introduction to Really Bird, the park where he lives, and the origin of his name, along with an introduction to the book’s topic: “Today I REALLY want to be First!” versus “Today I REALLY want a bigger piece!”

Red Comet also sent me an adorable Really Bird plush to accompany at me at storytime! According to Red Comet’s website, he should be available now. Take a look at this cutie!

picture books, Preschool Reads

Blog Tour and Giveaway: I Am You: A Book About Ubuntu

Posted on January 26, 2022January 28, 2022 by Rosemary Kiladitis

“I am, because you are.”

Ubuntu is more than just a word; it’s a philosophy. It’s an African ideal that speaks to the concept of community as a building block of society; we share a bond as humans that connects us all. Author Refiloe Moahloli and illustrator bring that idea to life in their picture book, I Am You: A Book About Ubuntu.

I Am You: A Book About Ubuntu, by Refiloe Moahloli/Illustrated by Zinelda McDonald,
(Feb. 2021, Amazon Crossing Kids), $17.99, ISBN: 9781542035668
Ages 4-7

Originally published in South Africa in 2020, I Am You: A Book About Ubuntu is filled with inspiring, powerful messages that all come back to an essential element: I am you. I love you, and I love myself. By caring for you, I care for myself; to hurt you is to hurt myself. Refiloe Moahloli tells her story in simple, uncomplicated, evocative verse, repeating this simple and dynamic idea. Zinelda McDonald’s digital illustration shows children of all color interacting with one another; they hug, they ride bikes, they share laughs, warmth, and friendship, illustrating the idea of caring as community. A breathtaking spread shows a tree hosting life above and below ground, and a child hugs it, becoming part of nature’s web: we are connected to each other, and that includes every living thing.

An essential book for readalouds and collections, I Am You: A Book About Ubuntu is a gentle voice encouraging unity in an increasingly divisive time. A gorgeous marriage of verse and illustration that you and your readers will turn to again and again. Read it to babies, read it to children, read it to adults.

I Am You: A Book About Ubuntu has a starred review from School Library Journal.

Amazon Crossing Kids aims to increase the diversity of children’s books in translation and encourage young reading from a range of cultural perspectives.

★“[Refiloe] Moahloli’s work makes for a stunning picture book for young readers and their grown-ups that focuses on our shared sense of community…. Celebrates our shared humanity and the strength in treating others with love and respect. A recommended first purchase.” ―School Library Journal (starred review)

“An edifying, unifying picture book that’s much needed in these divisive times.” ―Kirkus Reviews

Refiloe Moahloli is a bestselling South African picture book author. She is passionate about writing stories that bring out the best in the human spirit. She spent the early part of her career in the corporate world, but an eye-opening assignment to Mumbai led her to pursue her dream of becoming a full-time writer. She currently lives and works in Johannesburg. Learn more at refiloemoahloli.com, and follow her on Instagram @RefiloeMoahloli.

Zinelda McDonald is an award-winning South African illustrator who lives in Wellington in the Western Cape of South Africa. She has illustrated numerous children’s books and is also a well-known designer and illustrator of children’s book covers. Awards for her work include the Alba Bouwer Prize and the Exclusive Books IBBY SA Award. Follow her on Instagram @Zinelda.

One lucky winner will receive a copy of I Am You: A Book About Ubuntu, courtesy of Amazon Crossing Kids (U.S. and Canada addresses). If you’ve won a Rafflecopter giveaway in the last six months, please don’t enter again: give someone else a chance! Thanks so much! Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway here!

Early Reader, Fiction, picture books

Fen’s Drop of Gray colors her whole world

Posted on January 24, 2022 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Fen’s Drop of Gray, by Brian Wray/Illustrated Shiloh Penfield, (Nov. 2021, Schiffer Kids), $16.99, ISBN: 9780764362194

Ages 5-8

A hedgehog named Fen loves to paint with bright colors, but one day, a drop of gray gets into her paints and colors her entire world: her paintings and everything around her lose their color, slowly turning gray and adding to her sadness. It’s not like Fen doesn’t want color in her world: she looks through her mother’s art books and tries to find rainbows in the rain, but the gray persists until her mother gives her new, colorful paints. With the color back in her life, Fen takes back her happiness and knows that when the gray tries to take her colors away again, she’ll be ready. A gentle story about how depression can sneak up on us, Fen’s Drop of Gray is Brian Wray and Shiloh Penfield’s latest intuitive story about managing emotions. Using the metaphor of a drop of gray finding its way into our colorful worlds is a great way of explaining those unexplainable “sads” that can show up unexpected, stripping the color in our lives. Try as she might, Fen can’t find her colors and she doesn’t know how to ask for help. Sometimes, all we need is someone – in Fen’s case, her mom – to reach through the gray. It’s not a cure-all, but knowing that someone is there to listen and help is the important message. It’s also important that Fen knows the gray may try to come back, and creates her own coping mechanisms for when that happens.

An important acknowledgement of childhood depression, Fen’s Drop of Gray is another must-have to put into your social-emotional collections and a good starting point for discussion.

Uncategorized

Picture book series help kids Dealing with Feelings

Posted on January 10, 2022January 10, 2022 by Rosemary Kiladitis

I’m in a pandemic state of mind these days. Call it the post-holiday surge, added to the fact that I’ve been quarantining at home because what I thought was just a cold wasn’t exactly just a cold, and throw in a dash of watching the numbers and panic rise again. As kids go in and out of remote learning, and as schools go back and forth on whether to stay open or shift to remote learnintg this year, I know there are a lot of stressful feelings. Poet and children’s author Deborah Fannie Miller has been writing books in a new series, “Dealing with Feelings”, to help kids and families navigate these emotions.

Grappling with the Grumblies, by Deborah Fannie Miller/Illustrated by Diane Jacobs, (Sept. 2013, Frontenac House), $12.95, ISBN: 978-1927823002

Ages 4-7

A girl’s mom wakes her up too early, setting off a grumpy mood – and a Grumblie appears! It’s a spiky little purple monster who says one word: “Grump!” The Grumblie follows the girl around, feeding off of her bad mood and growing larger and larger, pushing the girl out of her own room! Mom recognizes the sign of a Grumblie, and deflects the situation by inviting her daughter to wiggle, dance, and laugh that Grumblie back to size. Kids will recognize how a Grumblie can just show up and take over their whole day, feeding off a bad mood, and it’s important for parents to see how they can recognize a Grumblie at work, and help de-escalate a situation by acknowledging that something’s going on, and helping their kids get their attention away from the bad mood. Illustrations are subdued and colorful, and the Grumblie is a creature kids can easily draw; invite them to create their own Grumblies to help them talk about what they’re feeling.

Juggling the Jitters, by Deborah Fannie Miller/Illustrated by Danielle Bazinet, (Sept. 2013, Frontenac House), $10.10, ISBN: 978-1927823026

Ages 4-7

A boy named Jacob goes to bed, excited for a birthday party he’s attending the next day. But just when he tries to sleep, the Jitters creep in: what if his friend doesn’t like her present? Will he make new friends? Will he get a balloon? There’s so much to worry about, and the Jitters multiply and cause a ruckus, jumping on Jacob’s bed and turning the lights on. Papa comes in to find out what’s going on, and realizes what’s going on; he takes Jacob into his arms and consoles him, and teaches him some deep breathing to relax him. Those spiky, mean-spirited Jitters keep trying to get Jacob’s attention, but as he and Papa do a little dance together to shake them away, the Jitters head out the window, where they turn into Glitters: bright yellow stars. Another good story about how nerves and anxiety can disrupt one’s sleep and peace of mind, Juggling the Jitters is also important in illustrating to parents how to react; not with anger, but with comfort and a touch of whimsy. The breathing practices are a great idea for putting kids in a calming headspace, and the dancing is light and playful, putting kids at ease.

If you have additional funding for social-emotional books, these are a good additional purchase.