What to Do When You Worry Too Much

A kid's Guide to Overcoming Anxiety


Written by Dawn Huebner, Ph.D
Illustrated by Bonnie Matthews
Magination Press 2006 
ISBN 13: 978-1-59147-414-5
ISBN 10: 1-59147-314-4
Reviewed copy: my own

Back of book:
Did you know that worries are like tomatoes? No, you can't eat them, but you can make them grow, simply by paying attention to them. If your worries have grown so big that they bother you almost every day, this book is for you.

Back of book also describes how cognitive-behavioural techniques, metaphors and illustrations are used to help children address anxiety. 

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What to Do When You Worry Too Much: A Kid's Guide to Overcoming Anxiety (What to Do Guides for Kids) is an excellent support tool for children who need help with fears, anxieties or worries.

The book comes with an informative introduction for adults, which explains a little about the cognitive-behavioural principles used and points about how anxiety can impact on a person.

Nine chapters include activities, pictures and information in an easy to understand format.

If you are a child who worries a lot, you know that worries can make your body feel bad. Worries can cause a sick feeling inside. They can make your stomach hurt, and make your head ache too. They can make you sweaty and cause your heart to pound. 

Children are encouraged to think about how anxiety impacts on them, or where in their body they
may carry their worries.

I love the use of metaphors in the book as they make the concepts easier for a child to grasp. Worries are compared to a tomato plant- once tended to, watered and given time the plant can grow strong and healthy. Anxieties are also described as being like  a 'worry bully' - they need to be stood up to and firmly told to go away.

What will you say to the worry bully on your shoulder?

The book suggests techniques for managing fears like naming/describing the worry, using logical thinking, setting aside a designated time for worrying or visualising worries being tightly locked away in a worry box.

Use logic against worries.....Move your body to re-set your system....Relax with a favourite memory

Importantly, it also suggests techniques a child can use to 're-set your system' or change how anxiety affects us physically.  Readers are encouraged to either  undertake a new activity or engage in relaxation.  

Think of a memory that makes you feel really good inside. Remember as many details as you can. What were you wearing? How did the air smell? What could you hear? How did you feel? What did you see? Draw or write about your special memory.

A great book for supporting  children, opening up discussion and offering practical tips for managing fear. (See resources for other useful info)
Happy reading,
Missus B
Book available at these affiliate links:
     

Resources:

• Check out Dawn Huebner's webpage
• For more support/info about anxiety in children check out WorryWiseKids.org or these 12 helpful tips written by Amy Przeworski in Psychology Today
• You may also be interested in these books : The Huge Bag of Worries and Worries Go Away!

Back to School Tortoise

A comforting read for little worriers.

Details

Author: Lucy M George

Illustrator: Merel Eyckerman

Published by Meadowside Children's Books 2010
reviewed copy-library copy

Back of book

It's time to go back to school. But Tortoise is worried...What if he falls over? What if he doesn't like lunch? What if he doesn't make any friends? The perfect back-to-school book about being brave, with a surprise at the end!

The Story: Summer is coming to an end and Tortoise gets ready for the first day back at school. But, on his way he starts to worry- what if he falls over , doesnt like the school lunch or what if the the children are mean? Cute, soft illustrations show Tortoise visualising the worst. He feels glum and wonders if he can face his first day at all. Thankfully though, he decides to think positive and hope for the best. It all works out fine in the end and Tortoise enjoys a lovely day back at school. This is a simple story with a surprising twist at the end.

On his way to school, Tortoise starts to worry about what might go wrong.
Missus B's  Picture Book Reviews
'Back to School Tortoise'

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This is a sweet and simple tale of a character who, like many children, is a little worried about his first day back at school. I certainly recall that excited, nervous feeling on my first day back, along with the many questions- will I make new friends...what will teacher be like?

As Tortoise makes his walk to school, his mind takes a little wander also and we see his very real fears about not enjoying the food, feeling clumsy and being treated badly by the children. With just a few negative thoughts, we see tortoise's body language change from confident and happy, to despondant and glum.

The story then gives readers a subtle message about exchanging negative thoughts for positive ones. After taking a few moments to reflect, Tortoise decides to put his worries aside and instead visualise a fun filled day with nice food and new friends. With these positive thoughts in mind,he  steadies himself takes a deep breath, opens the school door and bravely says hello. And, thankfully, he receives a warm welcome from the class.

                             ******SPOILER ALERT********

But hang on?! The children reply 'Good morning, Mr. Tortoise!' and he stands in front of his students. Ha! Now- that's an ending you didnt expect did you? Well, it certainly surprised me.

I LOVE the surprise ending in this book. The story allows children to see that, even a class teacher can feel a little nervous about the first day back to school and that adults can sometimes have worries. Although, Mr. Tortoise's worries are child-like and some older children may question this- would a teacher really cry if the school children were mean? Would a teacher really wish for a school lunch which is only made up of cakes and muffins? (o.k. that bit could be a pretty realistic wish!)

The illustrations are cute with a variety of animals the child reader may want to name and discuss. In soft, muted colours, the animals each have cute round faces and a chunky look (I particularly like the cute chick & robin.) The pictures softly sit in a white background with lovely details like tortoise's tea & toast breakfast, a little squirrel scurrying to school, insects & mushrooms in the woodlands. The animals are humanised as they are partially dressed, wear shoes and carry school satchels (Robin tucks her bag under her wing- what a lovely little lady!) Throughout the book the variety of soft patterns bring intricate details to the illustrations.

This is a simple and short story with an unexpected twist at the end.Children who are little worriers may relate to Tortoise's thought patterns, and can learn something from his strategy to manage his worries- pause, reflect and exchange the negative thought for a positive one. Overall, it gives a comforting, reassuring message to children who are nervous about school. This simple story can offer opportunities to discuss fears, worries, social behaviour and positive thinking.

Here's a bit I didn't like:

The opening of the story doesn't seem to flow well- except for the book title, there is no proper introduction to Tortoise. On the first page we read that Summer was almost over and 'It was time to go back to school' and the second page reads 'He got up. Got dressed and had breakfast.' As I had borrowed my copy from the library, I found myself checking the the binding of the book to see if a page had fallen out! To me, it seemed like a somewhat blunt beginning to a story.

But, overall I enjoyed this sweet story.
Happy reading, 
Missus B :)

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