Books for Back to School

 

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

When does/did school start where you are? My school starts back today. On Friday we dropped Hazel off at her new boarding school for the arts. Steve and I have officially become empty nesters. A new school year can bring many different feelings for kids (and teachers). There is the excitement of what is to come and there is the fear of what is to come. Whether it is a new school or just a new class and teacher, most people experience some anxiety this time of year. And it isn't just the students and the teachers. I remember all too well the stress of leaving Hazel at school when she was younger. So, I thought in honor of my first day back with the students, I would share three picture books that have messages about controlling anxiety, overcoming fears, being true to oneself and also accepting differences. The first book I will share is How to Train Your Amygdala by Anna Housley Juster and illustrated by Cynthia Cliff. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8, although I know some high school students it might be good to share it with.

From the Publisher: 

Your amygdala works hard to protect you from danger, but what about when it gets things wrong? This amusing character-driven narrative helps children learn to calm their amygdala and control their fight-flight-freeze impulses.

The amygdala is the brain's alarm system that alerts for danger, but sometimes it gets things wrong and needs help calming down. In this picture book, young readers receive kid-friendly information about the amygdala from the amygdala, how it can sometimes get confused, and simple ideas to calm and train it.

The amygdala in How to Train Your Amygdala makes complicated concepts accessible to children so they can understand their bodies, practice impulse control, and boost their self-regulation. "You have probably never seen me before, but I am right here in your brain. There is an amygdala in everyone’s brain. It’s true! All humans have one. Many other animals do too."

Throughout the book, the amygdala and the reader practice anxiety-calming and mindfulness strategies such as deep breathing, visualization, and progressive relaxation. With anxiety on the rise among children, learning how to calm the amygdala is a critical life skill.

Additional content at the back of the book includes an amygdala's training playbook for kids and more information for adults to help reinforce the book's message.

From Me:

Do you know someone who has high anxiety? Does he or she get really anxious at the start of the school year? This book might be perfect for them!! The narrator of this book is your amygdala. The book explains what an amygdala is and its main purpose. It also shares how sometimes your amygdala overreacts or gets things wrong and can cause your body to think there is danger when there is not. This of course is our anxiety and fears. The amygdala asks the reader to help control it when this happens. There are then suggestions for ways to do this. 

This book is very well written. It takes a difficult concept and explains it really well for a young child to understand, and it is done in a fun way. The illustrations are colorful and fun as well. I love that the book is multicultural and shares some very common ways to calm down after anxiety strikes. At the back of the book there is a training manual for kids and a guide for adults to help kids. This book is perfect for anyone who has or will experience anxiety or worry. Let's face it that is all of us! I see this book being used more at home or perhaps with a therapist, but I can also see it read to a class and a discussion about the amygdala and its function as well as its mistakes. It would be great for young kids to talk about how their body feels when they feel anxious or worried. 

Our next two books have characters who practice ASL (American Sign Language). The first one shares a story where a young girl is practicing for her school talent show but is very nervous. The book is Butterfly on the Wind by Adam Pottle and illustrated by Ziyue Chen. It is recommended for ages 3 to 6.

About the Book:

A magical picture book about a Deaf girl who creates a butterfly with Sign Language and sends it on a journey around the world.

On the day of the talent show, Aurora's hands tremble. No matter how hard she tries to sign, her fingers stumble over one another and the words just won't come. But as she’s about to give up, she spots a butterfly.

Using her hands to sign the ASL word for "butterfly," Aurora sends a magical butterfly of her own into the world, inspiring Deaf people across the globe to add their own. The butterflies grow in numbers and strength as they circle back to Aurora, bolstering her with the love and support of her worldwide Deaf community.

Deaf picture book creators author Adam Pottle and artist Ziyue Chen combine powerful text and sweeping art into a moving story of resilience and self-belief.

From Me:

This story is just beautiful and magical. The concept of the magical butterfly being released on the breeze of someone signing is beautiful. The butterfly travels the world with different cultures and environments. It even visits a place where there is frost on the windows. Each place has someone who sees it and sends it along adding more butterflies by performing the sign for butterfly. The butterfly brings joy to everyone who sees it. The young girl who created the butterfly has it return to her as she is walking into the school for the talent show. She sees her butterfly as well as all the ones that were added on the journey. It helps calm her fears. 

The story and words are beautiful, but the illustrations add so much. They are gorgeous and colorful. They bring the magic of the story alive. I love how the butterfly created from the young girl's nervousness travels and brings joy everywhere. I also love that this book brings awareness to Deaf people and sign language. At the end of the book there is a page sharing the hand symbols for the alphabet. This book also shares the message of how each of us gets nervous and shares that there are ways to help get through the nerves.

Our final book is a different theme. It is about a young dancer who doesn't want to wear her shoes in the performance. She needs her feet to feel the rhythm and music. The book is Cesaria Feels the Beat by Denise Rosario Adusei and illustrated by Priscilla Soares. It is also recommended for ages 3 to 6.

About the Book:

In this powerful and inspiring picture book, a deaf girl stands up for herself and takes off her shoes while dancing at her Carnival performance so she can feel the music through her bare feet.

Cesaria is going to perform for the seaside Carnival. She skips past the beach barefoot, dressed in her favorite peacock leotard.

But when her dance director tells her she must put on her shoes to go on stage, Cesaria signs, “Peacocks don’t wear shoes!”

You see, Cesaria hears the music through the soles of her feet, but no one seems to understand…

…That is, until all the dancers take off their shoes, and learn to feel the music, just like Cesaria.

Cesaria Feels the Beat is a lyrical and heartfelt story about deafness, community, and Carnival.

From Me:

Cesaria is a strong-willed, young, deaf girl. She refuses to put her shoes on for the Carnival dance performance. Her instructor is insisting on it, so she storms off. Then she realizes she does not want to let the other dancers down and returns. When it is time for the dance she begins moving to the music in her head and then kicks off her shoes so she can feel the music. She signs to the other dancers to kick off their shoes to feel the music as well. 

I love that she advocates for herself. Although she doesn't manage to explain to the instructor that she needs to be able to feel the music, she does manage to find a way to do it. Since the book does not let the reader know that Cesaria is deaf it can be hard to follow at first. Cesaria is able to speak and whisper. I think it is important for children to understand the differences of others and help them advocate for themselves. Cesaria can be an example of how one advocates for oneself. This is a book I can see being read at home or in a public setting. I think it would be great for a classroom at the beginning of the year with a discussion about how each student has his or her own needs to learn (accommodations) as well as how each student should learn to advocate for him/herself. The teacher or parent can help guide the discussion and show what they liked and didn't like about Cesaria's methods and perhaps why she might have done it how she did.

So three diverse books with messages perfect for any child at the beginning of the school year or really any time! I hope you will check them out!!