Book Review: So Close

Author: Natalie Colombo
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

From the Book Jacket: Mr. Duck and Mr. Rabbit hurry past each other every morning and every evening. Their paths always cross, but neither reaches out to bridge the gap. What a pity... They could be great friends.

With very simple text and gorgeous illustrations, Natalia Colombo has created a book that will challenge the reader to realize that friendships are precious and there are opportunities for friendship all around us, if only we pay attention.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: I'm using this book as a TOTAL community builder in my school. Taking the time to acknowledge one another in a friendly way everyday is a must in our busy lives. But not all kids are getting their daily dose of a "hello." And when I presented this issue to the kids they immediately wanted to take action and improve our school friendliness. We gotta look out for each other. Isn't it amazing how just a simple HELLO can really cheer you up? In So Close, Mr. Duck and Mr. Rabbit are great examples of this. They come into close contact everyday but never take the time to say hi or hello. They continue this silence towards one another with sad looks on their faces and you feel their loneliness. I love the ending. The author makes quite a little statement with these final words, "What a difference...one little word could make. Hello."  The final pages show pictures of a budding friendship. Good stuff. Ask your kids why a hello is so important. The responses I received were beautiful and heartwarming. I had kids coming up to me the next day saying, "Mrs. D, I said hello to everyone I saw today!" What a reminder of how powerful a book can be in a child's life.


A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful:

Book Review: How to Heal a Broken Wing

Author: Bob Graham
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

From the Book Jacket: No one saw the bird fall. Only young Will noticed it lying injured on the ground. Only he stopped to help. In this spare urban fable, Bob Graham brings us one small boy, one loving family, and one miraculous story of hope and healing.  The author says, "In troubled times, when many of us are losing contact with the natural world, I wanted to show that there is still hope in a coming generation of children who have curiosity and empathy with the world around them, and that care and attention can sometimes fix broken wings."

Why It's On My Bookshelf:  This was published about two years ago but it is a new find for me. And it's beautiful. I'm always reading stories showing kindness towards others. Well, that kindness doesn't just entail people.....it includes being caring to the world around us. Kids LOVE to be encouraged to be helpers. Sometimes I will see students going out of their way to meet the needs that arise around them. How to Heal a Broken Wing reminds me of those moments.

I love how the story starts.....with everyone walking the city streets too busy to notice an injured bird on the sidewalk. Well, everyone except a child named Will. He's a total hero in my opinion, so full of care, heart, and concern. Oh, and by the way, this is one of those reads where there is total silence in the room. The students are touched by Will as he helps the bird heal. He is setting a wonderful example for children that they have the power to do good deeds. A lot of students brought up the book Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud. They commented how all living things have buckets, not just people. Sigh. Love it. I think there is a lot to explore in this book. It's new to my shelf, but I'm already letting the students thoughts and comments do the leading. You'll also love how the illustrations do the storytelling.

Book Review: Confessions of a Former Bully

Author: Trudy Ludwig
Illustrated by Beth Adams
Interest Level: Ages 9-12

From the Book Jacket: Katie never thought of herself as a bully. So what if she excludes somebody from a game or says some harsh things to her friends every once in a while? It's not like she ever hits anyone. What's the big deal?

But when some kids witness her teasing a classmate and report her to the principal. Katie faces tough consequences for her actions. Katie's journal of her transformation from bully to former bully provides a practical tool kids can use right away to help identify and overcome emotional bullying.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: I can't begin to tell you how many times I've used different bullying curriculums over the years and been disappointed. They were unrelateable, boring, and not very inspiring to kids. As an elementary school counselor, this is unacceptable. Especially, because there are kids at my school who are finding themselves victims of bullying or they are the bullies themselves and need help. I only want the best of the best on my bookshelf when it comes to tackling serious issues like bullying. Author Trudy Ludwig writes the best of the best and every single one of her books are on my shelf.

Confessions of a Former Bully is Trudy's latest book and it is SO relateable, engaging, and will inspire kids. And guess what....it's a follow up to My Secret Bully!! There's a lot of reasons I love this new book but the main one has to do with my students. They are Trudy Ludwig super fans like myself. Every school year we've read her stories over and over. I've witnessed the positive impact and difference they've made in childrens' lives. So when I read it for the first time I was thrilled for the kids in my school because they will BENEFIT immensely.

It is written for the upper elementary grades (3rd grade and up). This was a jump for joy moment for me. I am familiar with every single children's book about bullying on the market. There is a gaping hole in the upper elementary grades for good bullying literature. But Confessions just majorly filled it. Not only is it written for this age group but the illustrations and layout are cool and engaging for this population of kids. So put your dull bullying curriculums back on the shelf.

This is the story of what happened to Katie from My Secret Bully and also a tool kit on how to deal with bullying and how to turn bully behavior around. With the help of her school counselor, Katie is on a journey to turn this behavior around. I have many kids who are on this same path. The book is FULL of helpful information and answers the real questions kids have about bullying like....'Why am I bullying others?'....'What are consequences?'.....'How can I get empowered to deal with bullies?'...and much more. It also lets them know that when adults get involved - it's a good thing! 

So I bet some of you are wondering why author Trudy Ludwig brought Katie back. I recently got to ask her that very question (a super fan moment for me). Check out my guest blog interview on author Rachel Simmon's website. Enjoy putting Trudy's new book to good use with your child or students.


A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful:   

Book Review: How Full is Your Bucket? For Kids

Authors: Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer
Illustrated by Maurie J. Manning
Interest Level: Ages 4-10

From the Book Jacket: Each of us has an invisible bucket. When our bucket is full, we feel great. When it's empty, we feel awful. Yet most children (and many adults) don't realize the importance of having a full bucket throughout the day.

In How Full is Your Bucket? For Kids, Felix begins to see how every interaction in a day either fills or empties his bucket. Felix then realizes that everything he says or does to other people fills or empties their buckets as well.

Follow along with Felix as he learns how easy it can be to fill the buckets of his classmates, teachers, and family members. Before the day is over, you'll see how Felix learns to be a great bucket filler, and in the process, discovers that filling someone else's bucket also fills his own.

Why It's On My Book Shelf: I cannot even begin to describe the healing power of bucket filling in my own school. It's the #1 way I usually deal with kids when it comes to oh....EVERYTHING. I've taught this metaphor for years and it is built into our thinking and language. The kids use it for problem solving, bullying, friendship issues, home problems, helping others, expressing a need, describing their feelings, talking about a hurt and much more. Relationships are strengthened when students choose to live their lives by this philosophy.

I originally found out about bucket filling through author Carol McCloud's book Have You Filled a Bucket Today?. It's a neat picture book explaining just what is the business of "Bucket Filling." If you've been using this story (or even if you haven't) to explain this wonderful metaphor, then you ABSOLUTELY need How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids by authors Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer.

What makes this book so special is the focus is on a boy, Felix, and what happens to his bucket throughout his day. He wakes up in the morning with a pretty full bucket. But he spills the cereal and his mom scolds him. Ouch, hurt feelings. DRIP. I loved watching the students' reaction to that word. They hadn't heard bucket filling described that way. Felix gets to school and has a series of negative encounters with kids. DRIP. DRIP. All those positive feelings he started with start going away until his bucket is almost empty. 

Unkind behavior = Drips.



But then something happens to stop the DRIPS. Felix's teacher gives him a compliment. DROP. The class is supportive of him and praises his effort. DROP! He starts receiving compliments and acts of kindness from others as the school day continues. DROP! His bucket starts to fill back up with positive feelings. 


Acts of Kindness = Drops.

Here comes my favorite part.  Once his bucket is filled back up he looks around the playground and notices everyone else has one too....and a lot of them need filling. He now has a real understanding of how it works. And so will your kids! So Felix gets right to it by being kind and helpful. DROP! DROP! This time there are two drops. When he fills another person's bucket, he fills his own too.


Each person receives a DROP during kindness.

The students were SO excited when they saw the cover. I've been reading it the first couple weeks of school so kids can remember to start filling others' buckets immediately. I plan on reading it again throughout the school year. This is one of those stories they like to hear over and over again. It is very well written, the illustrations are perfect, and it speaks to kids. They completely relate to Felix and the ups and downs of his day. Using the "drips" and "drops" as a way to describe positive and negative interactions was easily understood by the students. We've started putting our new discovered language to use! Bucket filling is a way of life in my school. I hope you do the same in your school and home.


A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful:

Book Review: Everyone Has Feelings Series

Everyone Feels Angry Sometimes
Author: Cari Meister
Illustrated by Damian Ward
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

It's OK to feel angry. What does being angry feel like? What does it look like? How can you help anger go away? Everyone feels angry sometimes.

Everyone Feels Happy Sometimes
Author: Cari Meister
Illustrated by Damian Ward
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

Feeling happy is fun! What does being happy feel like? What does it look like? How can you show others your happiness? Everyone feels happy sometimes.

Everyone Feels Sad Sometimes
Author: Marcie Aboff
Illustrated by Damian Ward
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

It's OK to feel sad. What does being sad feel like? What does it look like? How can you help sadness go away? Everyone feels sad sometimes.

Everyone Feels Scared Sometimes
Author: Marcie Aboff
Illustrated by Damian Ward
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

It's OK to feel scared. What does being scared feel like? What does it look like? How can you feel safe again? Everyone feels scared sometimes.

Why They Are On My Bookshelf: At the end of each school year I go through all of my books. Part of my reorganization process is figuring out where the 'holes' are in my curriculum based on the needs of my school population. New books about feelings were at the top of my list. I have some really good solid reads on emotions but I also have some seriously outdated ones. I'm talking 1980's outdated with kids in acid wash jeans. So I began searching for a new series on feelings. I found the perfect set at Capstone Publishing.

They are SUPER user friendly and can be used in a multipurpose fashion. I am absolutely integrating these into my feelings curriculum as a read aloud to classes. I feel confident when I'm reading them....I'll tell you more about that in a minute. They will also fit wonderfully into a small group setting. I have run a group in the past called "Fishing For My Feelings" and these will definitely boost those sessions. I also have a recommended list of books for parents to read to their children. These will DEFINITELY be on it. Another use will be in our school library. I spoke with our school librarian today and we decided to have a new shelf called - The School Counselor's Bookshelf. These will be books picked out by me for the kids to check out. Um, I think it's going to be a hit. So we decided to order another set of my new feelings series because these are definitely books kids could read alone.

So let me share why I loved these immediately. They are simple and concrete. I know I'm not going to lose my audience. These are not over the top books. There is enough room allowing me to expand my teaching on feelings. They are the perfect length of about 22 or so pages. That's what I need for this age population. It's also awesome to just focus on one feeling at a time. Each book proposes solutions to an uncomfortable feeling. Here's an example from Everyone Feels Sad Sometimes: "Zack watches the other kids play kickball. Some of the kids told him he couldn't play. Zack looks at the ground. His throat feels tight." And then the next page gives a solution to the situation and feeling: "Zack talks to the kids. They let him play. Soon he's having a blast!" LOVE THAT! There's a lot of books out there explaining what a feeling is...but this goes further. It teaches kids it's sometimes necessary to do something with those feelings. Do something positive. I often remind the students there is no problem in life we can't find a solution for....no matter how big or small. This also includes feelings. Don't overlook the power of sharing books on this subject matter. Kids desire the emotional guidance.

Stay tuned for future reviews of other titles I have from Capstone.

Book Review: One of Us (Pt 2)

Author: Peggy Moss
Illustrated by Penny Weber
Interest Level: Ages 5-10

About This Book: Roberta James is new to Baker School. "I think you are going to love it here," the principal says. Roberta agrees as she notices the brightly painted walls, a library full of books, and a fabulous looking playground. But the school starts to feel anything but welcoming as she encounters the many different cliques of Baker School, each with it's own set of rules. There are the pony tail girls, the Monkey Bar Gang, the flowered-lunchbox kids, and the cowboy boot wearing "we only eat pita roll-ups" group. Roberta is shuffled from group to group realizing fitting in isn't as easy as the principal promised. Sitting alone in the cafeteria she meets a group that is a mixture of many things. The kids like different sports, foods, and hobbies. They let Roberta know "You're one of Us" just by being yourself. The illustrations are bold and colorful.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: I blogged about One of Us in July before the school year started so I didn't have an opportunity to read it to students. I've chosen it as one of my first reads this year to our 2nd-4th graders. I've been looking for a book that brings kids together, especially at the start of the year. I have chosen wisely because this one is a force. The silence in the room was my first clue that it was very impactful. All eyes were on the pages as Roberta's first day of school unfolded. And I'm not talking about kids sitting and being quiet because it's the respectful thing to do. The story directly relates to their own lives and what they witness on the bus, cafeteria, playground, and in their neighborhoods. Nobody said boo while I read. Not until I opened the floor with guided questions and related it back to our school. Inclusion and exclusion - those are big words for kids. Without giving the definition of exclusion, after the story I asked a second grade class what they thought it meant. They said, "Getting kicked out." Hands went up when I asked if anyone has ever been treated this way or maybe they've done the kicking out. As we continued our discussion, I could feel the empathy and care for one another increase in our conversations in each classroom. I would call this some serious community building!

I love this story. It is simple, concrete, and powerful. It's going to be great to reference back to when kids use exclusion behavior in friendships. As the school counselor of 400 some wonderful kiddos, I am encouraged as to the possibilities for more inclusion across our school. One of Us helped guide students' hearts in the right direction as they headed out to the cafeteria, recess, bus, and back to their neighborhoods. It will be a year long effort to help kids feel and remain connected. But so worth it.


The publisher has a wonderful lesson plan to accompany the book. I found it very helpful.

A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful:

Book Review: Hens Hear Gossip

Author: Megan McDonald
Illustrated by Joung Un Kim
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

From the Book Jacket: Hen hears Pig whisper a secret to Cow ("Psst. Psst. Psst."), and in no time at all Hen tells Duck ("Psst. Psst. Psst.") who tells Goose ("Psst. Psst. Psst.") who tells Turkey ("Psst. Psst. Psst.")  who tells Hen ("Psst. Psst. Psst.") something not so nice about Hen herself. "WHHAAT?" Hen is outraged. She's got to figure out who's behind the rumor. But will she discover even more than she bargained for?

Why It's On My Bookshelf: The first time I read Hen Hears Gossip I wasn't really sure if I could use it. Actually, I wasn't really sure HOW to use it. It sort of reminded me of the telephone game. Where we all sit around in a circle, someone whispers a few short sentences in the ear of the next person and so on around the circle. When it got to the last person, they would announce what they heard. It usually never comes close to the original message, and is so distorted that we all have a really good laugh. So yes, this would be a great way to use the book. But then I read it again and totally figured out another angle based on a line from the story, "Gossip! Hen loved gossip!" A lot of people love gossip. Why? Why are we attracted to gossip? Why does Hen love it so much? She's a bit obsessed with gossiping. Maybe Hen has low self-esteem, maybe she thinks it's entertaining, or maybe she thinks this is part of friendship. Kids need to know gossip is toxic. Gossip has no purpose. And if we're running around talking in a hurtful manner about everyone - we need to take stock. I asked the students to give me a list of reasons of why gossiping would be a positive thing. They couldn't come up with anything. However, we ran out of room on the white board listing all of the negative things about gossip. If you use this book, I encourage you to explore Hen's "need" to gossip. And yes, the telephone game is always fun too but I try and take a serious tone on this subject with kids.


A Link to This Book and Others You Might find Helpful:

Book Review: The Colors of Us

The Colors of Us

Author: Karen Katz
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

Description From the Publisher's Website: A positive and affirming look at skin color, from an artist’s perspective. Seven-year-old Lena is going to paint a picture of herself. She wants to use brown paint for her skin. But when she and her mother take a walk through the neighborhood, Lena learns that brown comes in many different shades. Through the eyes of a little girl who begins to see her familiar world in a new way, this book celebrates the differences and similarities that connect all people.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: A couple of weeks ago I attended a lecture on Culturally Responsive Teaching. I walked away feeling energized about all the diversity books sitting on the shelves in my office. But I also made a pledge to buy even more! I've been checking out The Colors of Us from the library for years. And now I own a copy! If you have students do self-portraits....this is a must read beforehand. Do you really want them just reaching for brown, white, orange, black, and yellow or would you rather them mix colors so they can define their own skin color? I want kids to ignore all the skin color labels and be the generation that sets a new standard. It can truly happen if we take on this attitude. Hey, they are looking to us for the example. So I'm going to hold true to my commitment. This is a fantastic book and also goes great with The Skin You Live In. I've taken a pledge this year to pump up my diversity shelf...I hope you do too.


A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful:

Book Review: A Bad Case of Tattle Tongue and Supplementary Activity and Idea Book

Author: Julia Cook
Illustrated by Anita DuFalla
Interest Level: Ages 4 and Up

From the Book Jacket: No one likes "Josh the Tattler" because he tattles way too much. He tattles on his classmates, his brother, and even his dog! But one night Josh wakes up to find that his tongue is very long, yellow, covered in bright purple spots, and Itchy, Itchy, Scratchy, Scratchy...Will a bad case of Tattle Tongue teach him a lesson?

A Bad Case of Tattle Tongue gives teachers and counselors a humorous, cleverly creative way to address the time-consuming tattling-related issues that often sap classroom energy and thwart teaching opportunities. Parents who "battle the tattle" at home, on the playground, in the grocery store, or anywhere else can use this book to both entertain and enlighten their children about "The Tattle Rules." Every adult who desires to help children understand the differences between tattling and the need to warn others about important matters needs this book.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: A little tattling from kids is not the end of the world. But when they are tattling 24/7 it will pretty much drive a person bonkers. Me included. It's 2:30pm...the recess bell has rung and I've got 10 tattlers on my heels and that's usually when it dawns on me. "Whoa! I need to read A Bad Case of Tattle Tongue pronto!!" I'm not trying to shut the tattlers down. I just want them to give the problem a second look. Tattle Tongue takes a smart approach to tattling. Author Julia Cook focuses on teaching kids the difference between a small problem and a big one. This concrete information can transform the way kids make decisions about how to handle the conflicts around them. Josh also goes through a little social exclusion as he exhausts everyone with his tattling behavior. Yes, this sometimes happens. However, we don't give up on these kids and label them tattlers. We guide them with appropriate counseling and resources to turn them into leaders. And now I'm probably down to 2 tattlers instead of 10.


PS. If you want to take it a step further, check out A Bad Case of Tattle Tongue Activity and Idea Book. I got it last spring and have been incorporating it into my lessons and small group settings. I've had two teachers use the "Tattle Box" idea. And I of course have the The Four Tattle Rules poster. You can never have enough GOOD resources on your shelf!

A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful:

Book Reviews: Lets Be Enemies and Enemy Pie

Lets Be Enemies

Author: Janice May Udry
Illustrated by Maurice Sendak
Interest Level: Ages 3-7

Description from the Book Jacket: James used to be my friend. But today he is my enemy. James and John are best friends - or at least they used to be. They shared pretzels, umbrellas, and even chicken pox. Now James always wants to be boss, and John doesn't want to be friends anymore. But when he goes to James' house to tell him so, something unexpected happens.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: Recently my five year old nephew got into a pushing and shoving match with a fellow classmate. When my sister picked him up after school he told her about his "fight" with absolute honesty and remorse. He then pointed to a boy in the parking lot who was standing with his mother and said, "That's him." To her astonishment, he marched over to his "enemy" and gave him a big hug. He then declared, "But now we are friends, Mom." I smiled when I heard this story. I was thinking about what compelled my nephew to go in for the hug and be apologetic. And it's because my sister has taught him reconciliation skills. These are skills I work heavily on with students. I started reading Lets Be Enemies to the K-1 grades last year. Friendship and conflict resolution go hand in hand. Guess what - kids will clash. But it's how they reconcile and forgive that matters most. I love teaching kids the art of the apology. PS. This is a tiny book. But so cute. First time I read it I kind of giggled at the way their problem escalates and becomes bigger and bigger - isn't that always the way it happens?

Enemy Pie

Author: Derek Munson
Illustrated by Tara Calahan King
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

Description from the Book website: It was the perfect summer. That is, until Jeremy Ross moved into the house down the street and became Enemy Number One. Luckily, Dad has a surefire way to get rid of enemies-Enemy Pie. But one of the secret ingredients is spending an entire day with the enemy!

In this funny yet endearing story, one little boy learns an effective recipe for turning a best enemy into a best friend. With charming illustrations that bring to life the difficulties and ultimate rewards of making new friends, Enemy Pie serves up a sweet lesson in friendship.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: This one continues to be a crowd pleaser with the students. The first few years I read Enemy Pie I kept it light and fluffy and danced around the topic of being a good friend. I can finally say after years of reading it, I've now mastered the real message in the book - you can attract more bees with honey than vinegar. Sometimes I wonder what happened to just good ol' fashioned kindness. I ask the kids during the story to look around at one another and ask themselves -  Who would I want to serve a slice of enemy pie to? Who do I need to get to know better? Because maybe if I got to know them better they may actually turn out to be my friend. And of course I love stories using adults as positive role models. This book has a good principal to it.

Book Reviews: School Readiness Kindergarten

Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for School?
Author: Barney Saltzberg
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

From the Book Jacket: It's time for school. Is Cornelius P. Mud up? SURE HE IS! He has even made his bed, put on his clothes, and eaten his breakfast. But this is Cornelius, so things are not always what they seem. Despite the clowning around, he makes his way through his morning routine and out to the bus stop, where readers - especially those who loved Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for Bed? - are in for a big surprise.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: At the beginning of the year I really look forward to working with kindergartners. It's a whole new world as a student and being in a classroom all day long. Just getting up in the morning and getting to school might be a challenge. And wouldn't you know it, I found a good one on morning routine! After I read through this one I knew exactly how I wanted to use it. I want to tell them GOOD JOB for getting to school! GOOD JOB for following mom and dad's directions! GOOD JOB for getting ready to be a student! This is a neat way to introduce responsibility, following directions, and completing tasks. Hey, in my opinion they did that the moment they got out of bed and got going! This will be a quick read but I found it enjoyable and relateable for kids. I'm also looking forward to adding this to my parent recommendations for incoming kindergarten kiddos who are having difficulty getting to school. Maybe this could help!

It's Hard to Be Five: Learning How to Work My Control Panel
Author: Jamie Lee Curtis
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

From the Book Jacket: Learning not to hit? Having to wait your turn? Sitting still? It's definitely hard to be five, but Jamie Lee Curtis's encouraging text and Laura Cornell's illustrations make the struggles of self-control a little bit easier, and a lot more fun!

Why It's On My Bookshelf: This is a book some of our kindergarten teachers use along with a writing and art project. Over the years I've noticed the cute drawings up on the walls and the cover of It's Hard to be Five sitting on their bookshelves. Soooo, of course I finally had to pick it up and see what all the fuss is about. And now I totally get it! This book is ADORABLE and validates all the five year olds!

It's hard to be five.
Just yelled at my brother.
My mind says do one thing.
My mouth says another.

It's fun to be five!
Big changes are here!
My body's my car,
and I'm licensed to steer.

This would be wonderful to read not only in the beginning of the year but also the end. Sort of a - WOW. Look at how far you've come! You've been learning responsibility, friendship, how to be a student, dealing with challenges, and accomplishing them. I know it's important to have academic success but it's also important to recognize the aspects of the social and emotional growth kids go through. Try this one out, I think you'll like it! Oh, and here is a link for lesson plan ideas.


A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful:

Book Review: The Unwritten Rules of Friendship: Simple Strategies to Help Your Child Make Friends

Author: Natalie Madorsky Elman and Eileen Kennedy-Moore

From the Book Jacket: "Nobody likes me" is a complaint that parents hear all too often, and few utterances make them feel more helpless. What can a parent do for a child who feels isolated, rejected, or out of sync with his or her peers?

This practical and compassionate handbook draws on the authors' experience working with thousands of children to offer you as a parent (or teacher or caregiver) tools you can use - including practical activities, games, and exercises - to identify a child's social strengths and to sharpen any child's social skills. 

Nearly every child has trouble with social relationships in some way, at some time. Some children feel awkward in groups. Some have trouble resolving arguments. Some stick out in such a way that they become natural targets for bullies. And some seem virtually incapable of making friends. No matter what your child's situation - whether he or she is  a born leader or a constant complainer, a wallflower or an unwitting aggressor, a poor sport or a perfectionist - you'll recognize your child's struggles in the case studies in this book. You'll discover why certain children don't "get" particular social conventions, and you'll learn simple strategies for increasing your child's awareness of the unspoken underpinnings of social interactions - knowledge that is essential to building, sustaining, and repairing relationships.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: INVALUABLE. I might just leave it at that and call this review done. Okay, but seriously The Unwritten Rules of Friendship is a wonderful resource. I've been using it for years and it is so HELPFUL to my work and how I view children. I read all kinds of parenting, counseling, and self-help literature aimed at kids so I know when I've got a good one when I just can't put it down and all I want to do is learn more and more about children. Sigh. It's a beautiful thing. I work with kids everyday on friendship. It's not something we talk about in the first week of school and then let it go. It's an ever evolving process. Relationships are tricky business and kids need all the help we can give them. HOWEVER, there is a way to do it so we don't become "helicopter" educators and parents. That's the number one reason I like this book. The strategies don't require me to "fix" all the problems. But I can at least help students navigate their way through the elementary years with an extremely good understanding of all the issues that accompany friendship. I've developed solid strategies and It's helped me develop language to use around friendship struggles. 

Quote on the cover says, "This book is saturated with really good advice for parents and, at least indirectly, for children themselves."  Really good advice is probably an understatement. Try awesome advice. Also, it's advice that makes sense. They don't throw a bunch of psycho babble at you. The authors have dedicated chapters to different types of children based on personality traits which is genius: The Vulnerable Child; The Intimidating Child; The Different Drummer; The Shy Child; The Short-Fused Child; The Little Adult; The Sensitive Soul; The Born Leader; and The Pessimistic Child. Each of those kids exists in some shape or form in my school. Over the years, I've received phone calls from frustrated parents or heard comments from teachers about how so and so can't make friends....this book offers hope. I will continue to recommend The Unwritten Rules of Friendship and look forward to re-reading it again this year as a refresher. Another thought - this might also be a great book club read for educators.