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by Allison Joy (Author), Kim Hanzo (Illustrator)
What does June Bug do when she's scared? When worry makes her heart race and tummy hurt? When the thoughts in her head say she's not good enough? When she feels sad and alone?
She listens to her body and then turns on her magical mindset.
June Bug uses a magical mindset to calm down, focus, and solve problems. Her magical mindset tells her she is strong, she is smart, and she is loved! It gives her courage, too. And June Bug needs all the grit she can muster because her family has moved to a new town, and now she is the new kid in school.
Anxious but excited about her first day, June Bug is full of questions: Will I make friends? Will I like the school lunch? Will there be homework? Will I make the soccer team? Will I like my teacher?
As she walks up to the school door, June Bug can feel the pounding of her heart and the bubbling of her gut. She knows she needs to relax, so she uses her magical mindset to tell herself, "I can calm down." Then, slowly, she quietly counts to ten, breathing in and out with each number. Her heart rate slows, her stomach settles, and then she bravely goes inside.
As the day goes on, June must use her magical mindset to manage many big feelings. When she gets sad, her magical mindset says to focus on happy things and reminds her that drawing always cheers her up. When she gets angry, her magical mindset says take a break and walk away to quiet the anger. When she is full of worry, her magical mindset comes up with positive thoughts to push out all the fearful ones. And even when her magical mindset gets stuck and can't come up with any ways to feel better, June Bug knows that means she needs to talk to someone she trusts.
My Magical Mindset, written for children ages 4 to 8, shows the power of positive thinking and introduces young readers to valuable coping skills, including silent counting, birthday cake breathing, drawing and coloring, positive self-talk, and asking for help.
With vibrant illustrations and a heroine who is authentic and relatable, debut author and school counselor Allison Joy offers young readers simple and concrete strategies to help them regulate their emotions and be their best selves. A special page written specifically for parents and educators offers practical tips for helping kids develop and use their own magical mindsets.
Author Biography
Allison Joy is an elementary school counselor with a passion for creating fun and engaging materials to inspire students to believe in themselves. A veteran counselor, she weaves meaningful lessons within whimsical stories to help children thrive.
My Magical Mindset is her debut picture book. She lives in Indiana with her husband, four daughters, and two dogs. Follow her on Instagram @allisonmjoy, where she creates magical memories from everyday moments.
