Learn how to use children's books during storytime to approach sensitive topics and increase children's social-emotional wellness-and how to create storytimes that are engaging, participative, and FUN! The emotional challenges many children experience consume the time of teachers, exhaust parents, and sometimes lead children toward behaviors that prohibit social and academic success. Storytime to the rescue! Library storytimes prepare children for kindergarten; storytimes at home and in preschools allow teachers, parents, and children to think and talk about empathy and the importance of honoring your own and others' feelings. In Bringing Heart and Mind into Storytime, Heather McNeil teaches librarians and teachers how to use books to open conversations with children to teach such concepts as patience, tenacity, kindness, and teamwork. McNeil shares research on brain development, social-emotional learning, and the importance of play, but she also emphasizes maintaining the fun of storytime. She recommends songs, action rhymes, games, and crafts that contribute to fun and healthy storytimes. Extensive lists of recommended books will help readers find the right ones for their audience.

Oh hey, guess what? New York Times bestseller Nick Seluk has a hilarious new nonfiction picture book all about your body's very own computer -- the brain! Have you ever thought about everything your brain does for you? It is always working to keep you alive and safe. (Plus it lets you think about funny stuff, too.) So why is the brain such a big deal? Because it makes you YOU, of course!This funny and factual picture book from Heart and Brain creator Nick Seluk explains the science behind everything the brain helps you do: keeping your heart beating, telling you when you are sleepy, remembering stuff, and more. The brain is in charge of everything you do, every minute of every day for your entire life. That's kind of a big deal.Each spread features bite-sized text and comic-style art with sidebars sprinkled throughout. Anthropomorphized organs and body parts -- recognizable from Nick Seluk's New York Times bestselling book -- help readers learn through funny jokes and comic panels. Funny, smart, and accessible, The Brain Is Kind of a Big Deal is a must-have!

A new, interactive approach to storytime, The Whole Book Approach was developed in conjunction with the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art and expert author Megan Dowd Lambert's graduate work in children's literature at Simmons College, offering a practical guide for reshaping storytime and getting kids to think with their eyes. Traditional storytime often offers a passive experience for kids, but the Whole Book approach asks the youngest of readers to ponder all aspects of a picture book and to use their critical thinking skills. Using classic examples, Megan asks kids to think about why the trim size of Ludwig Bemelman's Madeline is so generous, or why the typeset in David Wiesner's Caldecott winner,The Three Pigs, appears to twist around the page, or why books like Chris Van Allsburg's The Polar Express and Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar are printed landscape instead of portrait. The dynamic discussions that result from this shared reading style range from the profound to the hilarious and will inspire adults to make children's responses to text, art, and design an essential part of storytime.

I Can Do Hard Things is a beautiful reminder to tune into and listen to that quiet voice inside so that you can do what's right for you. I don't always feel brave, confident or strong. Sometimes it seems easier to follow others along. It's hard to navigate a world in which we get so many messages about how we should be. We pause. We listen to the quiet voice inside. I connect with the love and strength it brings. It helps me remember: I can do hard things. I Can Do Hard Things: Mindful Affirmations for Kids is the perfect addition to your home or school library. (The book is available in Spanish as Yo Puedo Hacer Cosas Dificiles: Afirmaciones Concientes Para Niños).

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Teach your children the power of Kindness, one of the most important skills a child can learn. Are you one of 90 percent of American parents, saying that one of their top priorities for their kids is to be caring? This makes sense: Kindness and concern for others are held as moral virtues in nearly every society and every major religion. The best book for raising kind children. This charming story with gentle rhymes and colorful illustrations will explain to your child that it is okay to make a mistake and say I'm sorry. Lucas will teach your child good manners and positive behaviour at home, at school, in the store, and on the playground. Kids learn best by example. With the perfect examples, this book offers, your child will have more understanding for others, accept differences, and show more empathy. Throughout the story, little Lucas will learn what kindness means and understand what it is like to be kind, sensitive, caring, and generous. Practice Random Acts of Kindness. Also included are Acts of Kindness Ideas to promote empathy and kindness. Kindness is something you can quickly learn: when you give and ask for nothing in return. Helping others is the least you can do. If you are kind, kindness will come back to you. "Kindness is my Superpower" is intended for children of all ages. We warmly recommend it to parents, teachers, and anyone who works with children.

The best gift we can give our kids is teaching them how to release heavy emotions! The Heart and Mind adventures continue in Heart & Mind: Meet A New Friend. Children will be introduced to a new friend, Awareness, a superhero flashlight who teaches them how to release emotions like anger, sadness, and fear. They will learn that these feelings come and go, like clouds in the sky and the steps to take when they experience a heavy emotional "cloud." The goal of this book is to introduce the concept of awareness and how it can be used in everyday life. When awareness grows, and we become conscious of our emotions, we are more able to transcend behaviors that cause ourselves or others to be hurt. Children will learn that their awareness can help them see that there is nothing to be afraid of and nothing wrong with them for experiencing feelings. The book includes engaging exercises and discussion questions, and will help your child: Increase self-awareness Become more emotionally resilient Instill self-compassion Attune to their feelings Perfect as a read-aloud book or for an independent reader. Purchase your copy today! For more Heart and Mind adventures, check out A Friendship Story: Heart & Mind. This book teaches children how their heart and mind can work together to live a more joyous life. It is written in an easy and fun way to convey that children can live more in the present and learn to let go of worry, stress, and anxious thoughts. This book will help children listen to their heart and take positive action.