New Releases by Julia Cook

RJ’s mouth is getting him into a lot of trouble. A rude comment at school earned him a detention. An insensitive remark at home earned him a scolding and made his sister cry. RJ doesn’t realize his words are wrong. He thinks he’s just offering feedback. It’s time RJ starts using a social filter when he speaks. With help from his parents, he learns he doesn’t have to verbalize every thought that pops into his head. In fact, sometimes the less said the better!

Bertha Billingsworth (BB for short) is basically a happy person...until she has to take a test. To her, the word test stands for Terrible Every Single Time, because that''s how she does on them...TERRIBLE! "Whenever I see or hear the word test... The hair on the back of my neck stands up. My face turns as red as a beet. I start to sweat, my stomach aches, and I can''t control my feet! What if I get every answer wrong? And I don''t get any right. I just know I''ll get a bad grade on this test, so I don''t even want to try!" BB''s teacher comes to the rescue by inviting her to become a member of the Anti-Test Anxiety Society. She tells BB that TEST stands for Think Each Situation Through! She also ends up teaching BB the Dynamic Dozen (12 amazing test taking strategies), and convinces her to use her "GET TO" brain instead of her "HAVE TO" brain. Now when BB takes a test, she is calm and focused and thanks to her teacher, the Terrible now stands for Terrific!

The perfect companion to the "I''m Not Scared... I''m Prepared " storybook. This guide book offers grief facilitators, educators, counselors, and parents "hands on" activities that explore the concepts taught by the ALICE Training Institute.

Complete with fun facts and designed with children in mind, this book is filled with bright, colorful photography and clearly written text. Readers will learn what types of sea turtles there are, what sea turtles eat, how sea turtles are born, how sea turtle shells grow, and much more. Written by a teacher, this reader is approximately 750 words in length. Sea turtles are amazing animals. Discover them today! The Wonderful World Discoveries Series teaches children about our natural world. Books in the series are designed to meet specific early learning and school curriculum objectives.

When faced with danger you must DO something. The teacher at the Ant Hill School wants her students to be prepared - for everything! One day, she teaches her students what to do if a "dangerous someone" is in their school. "I''ll be your shepherd, and you''re all my sheep, so you must do what I say. Pretend there''s a wolf in our building, and we MUST stay out of his way!" "We need a great plan of action in case we start to get scared. The ALICE Plan will work the best, to help us be prepared." Unfortunately, in the world we now live in, we must ask the essential question: What are the options for survival if we find ourselves in a violent intruder event? I''m Not Scared...I''m Prepared! will enhance the ALICE concepts and make them applicable to children of all ages in a non-fearful way. By using this book, children can develop a better understanding of what needs to be done if they ever encounter a "dangerous someone."

Brad has a lot of great things going on in his life – or at least that’s what he tells all of his classmates! When one student wins a contest, Brad brags about how he won an even bigger contest. When another student breaks his arm, Brad blabs about how he broke BOTH his arms AND legs. Know-it-all kids who brag incessantly need help with self-confidence and friendship skills. Show how receiving attention for the right things and letting others have a chance in the limelight can improve social skills and promote better friendships This terrific story is the first in the Communicate with Confidence series, designed to help young readers master the art of communicating.

Will it happen again, Mama? After the Ant Hill School is destroyed, a little boy ant is afraid to go back to school. His mom caringly explains to him that sometimes things happen in life over which we have no control, but we have to find a way to keep living and growing. To do that, "We breathe in and breathe out, and hold onto each other. We shed a lot of tears, and we love one another. We all come together as a strong team of ONE, and then we rebuild, and get things done!" The Ant Hill Disaster thoughtfully addresses fears associated with both natural and man-caused disasters. It models effective parenting and teaching responses. This book can help assure children that through love, empathetic understanding, preparation, and effective communication, they can stand strong, even in the midst of uncontrollable events.

Use these fun ideas to help your students succeed in the classroom and beyond when they learn to accept positive and negative feedback the right way. Students in grades K-6 will enjoy the activities as they learn and practice the steps to accepting positive feedback (compliments) and negative feedback (criticism). Author Julia Cook provides educators with creative ideas that will keep students engaged and learning. Activities range from using crafts to provide compliments, safe ways to provide negative feedback, self-evaluation, games, and of course opportunities to get students up and out of their seats!

"But Mom, it''s just a game." Meet Jasper! A young boy who is totally absorbed with playing video games... "With my game controller in my hands, I''m the boss of my whole world! I can be who I want and do as I please. I can get the highest score. I get all the chances that I need. If I make a mistake it''s ok. Everyone thinks I''m ''it on a stick!'' And the bad stuff all goes away." Video game addiction is on the rise, but it can be prevented. This creative story book teaches both kids and adults how to switch out their game controller for a "life controller." Video gaming is becoming a part of our culture, and we must be strategic in creating a healthy gaming balance.

When a friend explains to RJ the proper technique for kicking a soccer ball, RJ gets upset and stumbles for a snappy comeback. When another friend compliments RJ, he wonders what to say. It doesn''t matter if RJ is given a compliment or constructive feedback, he is never sure how to respond. With guidance from his family, RJ learns the value of properly accepting feedback from others and that, even when it is difficult to accept, feedback is information he can use to become a better person. This book is part of the BEST ME I Can Be series of books to help kids learn social skills.

This is the Spanish/English edition of the popular award-winning children’s book, I Just Don’t Like the Sound of No!

Part of the Building Relationships series by Julia Cook, this quirky tale teaches K-6 readers the difference between friendly teasing and mean teasing. Understanding the difference can help develop friendship skills and advance social emotional learning. Youngsters will learn how to react to both types of teasing -- when to laugh along with it, ignore it, or get help from a trusted adult when it becomes bullying. Kids also learn how their own words can be misunderstood or hurtful and to watch what they say.

Norbert the “namuh” is challenged by his classmates to participate in an activity he knows not to do. He risks being insulted and losing his friends. Norbert’s imaginative descriptions of how it feels to have your peer pressure gauge continue to rise will draw readers in, while they witness his internal deliberation as he tries to let his inner voice shine! Peer Pressure Gauge is the fourth installment of the popular Building Relationships series. Teachers, parents, and kids alike will enjoy this imaginative story of how escalating peer pressure feels as they learn the skills necessary to triumph over the pressure to conform. Peer Pressure Gauge is the recipient of the prestigious Mom''s Choice Award.

A supplementary teacher''s guide for Blueloon. Full of discussion questions and excercises to share with students.

Bluebird, along with most everyone else at school, wants to flutter like the most popular bird in their class, Hummingbird. "You should go on a diet, and work out at the gym. You could flutter like me, if your body was thin." Bluebird takes this comment seriously and starts to develop unhealthy eating habits. Mom comes to the rescue by teaching Bluebird balance and by explaining that everyone needs to feel comfortable in their own feathers. With help from the Bird Doc and the Food Voice Counselor, Bluebird learns to control the Food Voice that is living inside. "I''m working on balance one day at a time. If I keep working hard, I should be just fine." How to be Comfortable in Your Own Feathers uses a creative approach to speak to children who may be currently struggling with body-image concerns. This story is written in a manner that gives children an opportunity to apply the characters'' experiences to their own lives. It also demonstrates appropriate adult responses that encourage the development of healthy eating habits. Includes "Live It" Dos and Don''ts.

RJ’s way of doing things isn’t working out for him, especially in math class. His teacher is upset because so many of his assignments are missing or incomplete. RJ blames Norma “the booger picker” and Rodney “the alphabet burper” for distracting him during class. With support from his mom and dad, RJ learns how to ask for help and stay on task. By learning how to do things the right way the first time, RJ discovers he no longer has to do his work over and over and over again.

Are you searching for creative ways to teach students the right time and way to ask for help? Would your students benefit from learning how to stay on task so they get their work done? Use the ideas in this guide to help your students master the social skills of "Staying on Task" and "Asking for Help." The book provides teacher instructions, lists of materials when needed, and activity sheets for use in class or as homework. Reproducible activity sheets and praise coupons (in full color!) are included on a CD-ROM.

Horses can help people fix ANYTHING! Archie is not your average horse. He helps people get rid of their flies...you know, the things that bug us! When horses get flies, they swish their tails to make them go away, but since people don''t have tails, they come to Archie for help. This creative book for all ages takes a look at how powerful using horses can be to help people heal on the inside.

After much anticipation, Joanie Maloney finally gets her very own cell phone! Knowing that owning a cell phone requires responsibility and sound judgment, Joanie''s mom requires her to complete a Cell Phone Safety Course. "Mom, it''s a phone... it''s not a weapon!" Joanie exclaims. Along with Joanie, children will learn the six rules of cell phone usage which are designed not only to keep them safe, but also to keep them from being tempted to hurt others. By knowing the rules, children can become masters of their cell phones and avoid becoming a "Cell Phoney!"

Meet Ricky! A cute little boy that just can''t seem to figure out that stealing is wrong: When I see something that I really want, I think, "Hey, that could be mine!" So I look both ways, reach out my hand, and take it at just the right time. If I ever get caught, I just pretend that it wasn''t me that took it. A quick little lie is just what I need, and lying helps me get through it! Taking things that I want to have at times can be very tricky. But there''s no way that I can help myself, because all of my fingers are sticky! Ricky learns first-hand what it feels like to have something stolen from him. Then he uses the "GOOD" inside of himself to overtake the "BAD" and returns the items that he took from others. Finally, a book that confronts the issue of stealing and offers a strategy to curb the desire to steal! Through a fun and whimsical story, children will learn the concept of ownership and how it feels when someone doesn''t respect what is yours. This book uses empathy in a powerful way to teach children that stealing is wrong.

Any teacher with students who squabble when they need to share or who have trouble working on group assignments can use the creative ideas in this book to bring more cooperation and caring to the classroom. This guide offers everything teachers need: instructions, lists of materials when needed, activity sheets, homework ideas, and suggestions on variations and extensions. Reproducible activity sheets and praise coupons (in full color!) are included on a CD-ROM.

When RJ learns to use such skills as listening and following instructions, he has the best day of his life.

Presents activities for teaching etiquette to children.

"My stomach feels like it''s tied up in a knot. My knees lock up, and my face feels hot. You know what I mean? I''m Wilma Jean, The Worry Machine." Anxiety is a subjective sense of worry, apprehension, and/or fear. It is considered to be the number one health problem in America. Although quite common, anxiety disorders in children are often misdiagnosed and overlooked. Everyone feels fear, worry and apprehension from time to time, but when these feelings prevent a person from doing what he/she wants and/or needs to do, anxiety becomes a disability. This fun and humorous book addresses the problem of anxiety in a way that relates to children of all ages. It offers creative strategies for parents and teachers to use that can lessen the severity of anxiety. The goal of the book is to give children the tools needed to feel more in control of their anxiety. For those worries that are not in anyone''s control (i.e. the weather) a worry hat is introduced. A fun read for Wilmas of all ages! Includes a note to parents and educators with tips on dealing with an anxious child.

Penny feels like she doesn''t fit in with the others, but when she meets a beautiful gold coin named Dollar, she learns how special and valuable she is with Dollar''s help.

Classroom Ideas for Teaching the Skills of Accepting No for an Answer and Disagreeing Appropriately.

Grief is like a snowflake. Each snowflake is different and everyone shows grief differently. After the death of his father, Little Tree begins to learn how to cope with his feelings and start the healing process. With the help and support of his family and friends, Little Tree learns to cope by discovering what is really important in life, and realizing his father''s memory will carry on. Best-selling author, Julia Cook, and a lovable cast of trees, offers a warm approach to the difficult subject of death and dying.

"There goes Lester. Watch him fester. His ears start to fizz. He gets mad as a griz. His face turns red. He''s a Soda Pop Head. You just never know when Lester will blow. His cap will go flying. If it hits you, you''ll be crying, so you''d better stay away from Lester today!" His real name is Lester, but everyone calls him "Soda Pop Head." Most of the time he''s pretty happy, but when things seem to be unfair his ears gets hot, his face turns red and he blows his top! Lester''s dad comes to his rescue by teaching him a few techniques to "loosen the top" and cool down before his fizz takes control. Soda Pop Head will help your child control his/her anger while helping them manage stress. It''s a must for the home or classroom.

The perfect companion to Julia Cook''s Grief is Like a Snowflake picture book. The purpose of this book is to offer grief facilitators, educators, and parents hands on activities that explore the grieving process. Participants will gain a better understanding of what grief is, how to personalize it, and how to endure it. The activities are practical, easy to implement, and meaningful.