Book Review: Liking Myself; The Mouse, The Monster and Me

Wow, what a nice, enjoyable way to present conflict management skills to children and parents. If you have been looking for ways to reach your munchkin who is struggling with self-esteem or has shown aggressive behavior these two books are certainly worth your time!

Drs. Palmer and Hart have re-published Liking Myself and The Monster, The Mouse and Me. These are must-haves for parents, school counselors, therapists and teachers. The pages of each book are filled with activities, games and stories, each using unique, age appropriate ways of helping a child (ages 8+) become a more assertive person. The handwriting-type font, brings a more casual approach to this very important topic.

Don't just take my Smart Mama advice! These books have become international bestsellers in 6 languages, selling over half a million copies around the globe!

They are available online or from the publisher http://www.upliftpress.com/
You can also get mor einformation at http://www.drlouishart.com/ and at http://www.drpatpalmer.com/

Childrens' Book Review: Messing Around the Monkey Bars

I get this feeling in August each year. I hear the teacher chatter, the excitement of the new school year. Getting the classroom ready, from bulletin boards to desk arrangement, putting together new lessons and finding new books and materials that could make all the difference this year! In my 8 years as a teacher, most of them as a 3rd grade teacher, I was a regular at the local bookstore, teacher store and library, always wanting to find the latest and greatest resources for my kids!

I've realized that once a teacher, always a teacher, as I still find myself looking out for the best teacher materials, 4 years since my departure from classroom days!

One of my new must-haves for this year is Messing Around on the Monkey Bars by Betsy Franco, illustrated by Jessie Hartland. This book, as tested by a rising 2nd grader who I work with a few times a week, is fantastic and FUN! The book of poems includes over a dozen poems to demonstrate the art of voice in writing. The print
alternates between bold and not bold, with the author's intent of a different student assigned to each. Essentially, two students alternate lines through the poem, bringing life and humor to the poem.

I recommend this book for 3 - 6 grade readers.

Stay tuned for more teacher must haves for the 09-10 school year!