Bruno's Hat Book Review

Bruno's Hat

Canizales

(Author & Illustrator)

Flyaway Books

Children’s Fiction, Picture Book, Social Story

Publication Date: January 22, 2019

Bruno wears a weird hat, and when Sergio makes fun of him, his best friend Peter stands up for Bruno. But then Sergio calls Peter a weirdo too. Avoiding conflict and trying to fit in, Peter decides to be friends with Sergio even though Sergio continues to be mean to Bruno. Peter misses his friendship with Bruno and finally realizes that his friendship with Bruno is more important.

Told from Peter’s perspective, Bruno’s Hat offers kids a realistic view of how friends act when someone is being teased. Friends don’t always make the best choices. Friends can sometimes hurt someone’s feelings too. But friends can apologize and make the situation better.

Children can relate to Peter’s struggle to be a good friend and learn that even if they’ve made mistakes in the past, you can always make better choices and repair broken friendships now.

If you’re interested in reading Bruno's Hat, you can purchase a copy here on Amazon.

*A copy of this book was provided free of charge for an honest review.

Harrison P. Spader, Personal Space Invader Book Review

Harrison P. Spader, Personal Space Invader

Christianne C. Jones (Author)

Cale Atkinson (Illustrator)

Capstone

Children’s Fiction, Picture Book, Social Story

Publication Date: August 1, 2018

From the author of Lacy Walker, Nonstop Talker comes Harrison P. Spader, Space Invader. Harrison is a hippo who wants to share his love of life with everyone. But he wants to share it a little too much and a little too closely. Harrison doesn’t realize how other people feel when he gets into their space. So when he crowds his friends again and again, his dad gets a few calls from concerned parents, teachers, and coaches.

Harrison’s dad shows him a neat trick called the Space Saver, and they practice it together. Harrison is so good at the Space Saver he even starts using it when he doesn’t need to, which brings up a new set of frustrations from his friends and teachers. With a little more help, Harrison is able to (mostly) leave an appropriate amount of personal space with his friends.

If you have a child or students who need constructive and concrete ways to remember to give other people personal space, then Harrison P. Spader, Space Invader is a good place to start! Kids can easily practice and incorporate the “Space Saver” move into their lives. I also like that Harrison’s family all loves crowding together on the couch, so it shows that you can use less space at home (if that’s your family’s norm) and still use more space for others at school.

If you’re interested in reading Harrison P. Spader, Personal Space Invader, you can purchase a copy here on Amazon. 

*A copy of this book was provided free of charge for an honest review.

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• PK-2nd
• 3rd-5th
• 6th-8th
• 9th-12th

What in the World Is Wrong with Gisbert? Book Review

What in the World Is Wrong with Gisbert?

Jochen Weeber (Author)

Fariba Gholizadeh (Illustrator)

Flyaway Books

Children’s Fiction, Picture Book

Publication Date: July 24, 2018

Gisbert the giraffe isn’t sure what’s happening. He feels like he keeps shrinking even if no one else can see it. His parents notice he is down and ask him if he’s okay, but he can’t explain it himself. With time, Gisbert realizes that his friends’ words hurt him, and each time he felt hurt and sad, he also felt weak and small. When he rejoins his friends who happily welcome him back to school Gisbert feels a new feeling that sends him through the roof!

What in the World Is Wrong with Gisbert? addresses a common problem kids face: their friends’ words are sometimes hurtful. The book offers a positive solution of talking to your parents and talking to your friends about how you feel. Before the positive outcome, Gisbert even misses school because of how hurt he is feeling. What in the World Is Wrong with Gisbert? can be a good discussion starter of what to do when our friends say hurtful things or if we have said hurtful things to someone else.

If you’re interested in reading What in the World Is Wrong with Gisbert?, you can purchase a copy here on Amazon. 

*A copy of this book was provided free of charge for an honest review.

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Simon and the Big, Bad, Angry Beasts A Book about Anger Book Review

Simon and the Big, Bad, Angry Beasts 

A Book about Anger

Ian De Haes

Flyaway Books

Children’s Fiction, Picture Book, Emotions

Publication Date: April 26, 2018

The first time Simon gets mad, he pounds and pounds on his door until a ram appears and helps him pound on his door. Simon thinks this ram is great. It can knock anyone over who makes him angry. The next time Simon gets mad, the ram turns into an alligator who snaps at people when Simon ins't happy. As Simon keeps getting mad, his imaginary animal changes and grows with his anger until it becomes a terrible dragon that is out of control.

Simon would rather play with friends but his anger and the dragon have driven them away. What can he do? Simon decides to find a quiet spot, lay down, and concentrate until his anger and the dragon leave him.

Simon and the Big, Bad, Angry Beasts is a great tool for teaching children the danger of letting anger out in nonconstructive ways and for modeling a better approach to anger. After the story, information for parents and teachers is included along with follow up activities and ways to teach children mindfulness.

Simon and the Big, Bad, Angry Beasts is a great addition to every home and classroom library!

If you’re interested in reading Simon and the Big, Bad, Angry Beasts: A Book about Anger, you can purchase a copy here on Amazon. 

*A copy of this book was provided free of charge for an honest review.

My Best Friend Is a Goldfish Book Review

My Best Friend Is a Goldfish

Mark Lee (Author)

Chris Jevons (Illustrator)

Carolrhoda Books

Children’s Fiction, Picture Book

Publication Date: April 1, 2018

Best friends are great! Best friends enjoy all the same things, they play together all the time, and they always get along together! Or do they?

When a boy has an argument with his best friend, he goes in search of a new one only to realize that sometimes best friends may be a little different... and that's okay!

My Best Friend Is a Goldfish is a great read for young children both as just a fun story and as a story we can learn from. If you've got a child or children who fight with their friend and it's the end of the word, My Best Friend Is a Goldfish is a good story to highlight that we may have differences and disagreements, but that we can always be friends.

If you’re interested in reading My Best Friend Is a Goldfish, you can purchase a copy here on Amazon. 

  

*A copy of this book was provided free of charge for an honest review.

Tessie Tames Her Tongue Book Review

Tessie Tames Her Tongue:

A Book About Learning When to Talk and When to Listen

Melissa Martin (Author)

Charles Lehman (Illustrator)

Free Spirit Publishing

Children’s Fiction, Social Story

Publication Date: September 1, 2017

Tessie talks and talks... and talk and talks and talks. At breakfast, on the bus, at recess, during class: Tessie just has so much to say, and she loves talking! However, no one else seems to love her talking all the time. With the help of her teacher and support from her parents, Tessie sees the school counselor who helps give her strategies for listening more and talking when appropriate. Tessie uses the strategies for a few weeks, and each week it gets easier to be a better listener.

Tessie Tames Her Tongue is a great social story for the extra-social butterflies we all know and love. We all have that student (or our own child) who needs to share every single thought in their mind whether it's the right time for it or not. Tessie's strategies are easy to replicate, and I appreciate that the book shows that it does take multiple weeks for strategies to really begin working.

Tessie Tames Her Tongue is a good resource to have on hand for teachers and school counselors.

If you’re interested in reading Tessie Tames Her Tongue, you can purchase a copy here on Amazon. 

*A copy of this book was provided free of charge for an honest review.

  

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Zach Hangs in There Book Review

Zach Hangs In There

William Mulcahy (Author)

Darren McKee (Illustrator)

Free Spirit Publishing

Children’s Fiction, Social Story

Publication Date: April 18, 2017

Zach Hangs In There is a social story about perseverance. Zach wants to get all the way across the trapeze rings at recess, but they are tricky! With help from his friend Sonya, Zach makes a plan and keeps revising it when it doesn't work. Zach continues to try and with encouragement from Sonya and his own positive self-talk, Zach is able to make it all the way across the trapeze rings for the first time!

This social story does a great job of illustrating the steps to make a plan and how to stick with and revise your plan even when it gets difficult. It also includes more information for parents, caregivers, or teachers on how to foster perseverance in children.

Zach Hangs in There is just one book in the Zach Rules social stories series. 

If you’re interested in reading Zach Hangs in There, you can purchase a copy here on Amazon. 

*A copy of this book was provided free of charge for an honest review.

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I Want to Win! and I Don't Want to Be Nice! Book Reviews

I Want to Win!

A book about being a good sport

Sue Graves (Author)

Emanuela Carletti (Illustrator)

Desideria Guicciardini (Illustrator)

Free Spirit Publishing

Children’s Fiction, Social Story

Publication Date: March 10, 2017

Bella always wants to win. If Bella loses she gets really upset. When Bella realizes she won't win a tent making competition at summer camp, she decides she would rather give up than lose. But, with a little help and guidance, Bella realizes that trying your best is better than being a sore loser and she learns to have fun along the way.

I Want to Win! is a typical social story that helps illustrate a key social skill for young kids.

If you’re interested in reading I Want to Win!, you can purchase a copy here on Amazon. 

I Don't Want to Be Nice!

A book about showing kindness

Sue Graves (Author)

Emanuela Carletti (Illustrator)

Desideria Guicciardini (Illustrator)

Free Spirit Publishing

Children’s Fiction, Social Story

Publication Date: March 10, 2017

I Don't Want to Be Nice! is a social story geared toward 4-8 year olds. It focuses on Finn who doesn't play fair and isn't nice or helpful to others. With help from a teacher and his classmates, Finn realizes that it's good to be a buddy and starts being kind toward others. Like most social stories, I Don't Want to Be Nice! is a simplified version of reality which creates a beginning point of discussion. The book also offers an additional picture story with the same theme as well as before and after reading guidance.

If you’re interested in reading I Don't Want to Be Nice!, you can purchase a copy here on Amazon. 

*Copies of these books were provided free of charge for an honest review.

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