New Release Books by Julia Cook

Herman Jiggle has something he wants to say. He doesn’t like recess anymore. And it’s NOT because he’s kinda sorta shy. Herman is frustrated because recess isn’t fun when other kids do things that make it not fun. Like, when you play tag, it isn’t supposed to hurt. Or when you play on the playground, you aren’t supposed to wind up getting woodchips dumped on your head. And it isn’t very fair when kids change the rules so that they are the ones who always win. Herman’s caring teacher decides to help all the children understand the importance of following rules and procedures – at recess and other places too. Will Herman see the value in getting fresh air and moving your body? Will he be able to find ways to have fun, not stress, at recess? Award-winning author, educator, and parenting expert Julia Cook offers a story to which every Pre-K - 5 teacher and student will relate. Remarkable illustrations by New York Times best-selling author and illustrator Michael Garland will capture and keep the reader’s attention.

It has the silliest name ever - Unicorn YAK! This super-sweet slushy is made with cotton candy, topped with sprinkles, and is the most awesome treat Cora June has ever tasted! She can''t wait to have another one... and that''s the problem. When Mom promises to take Cora June to the Slushy Shack after school, Cora can''t think about anything else. She stares at the clock, impatiently counting down every second of the school day. She causes a ruckus in the classroom when her excitement spills out in the open, and she has mini-meltdowns when Mom arrives late and the line at the Slushy Shack is painfully long. Then, when Cora finally gets to the counter to order her sweet treat, she gets the crushing news: All Unicorn Yak slushies are sold out. If she wants one, she has to come back another day! Will Cora June have the strength to flex her patience muscle or will her disappointment turn into a sticky, sorry mess? Good Things Come to Those Who Wait is from The Leader I''ll Be! book series and told in author Julia Cook''s distinctive rhythmic style and delivers powerful lessons on how to practice patience, stay calm, and make good choices. A great read for children in grades Pre-K through 6. Included are tips for parents and educators to help teach the skill of patience. 31 pgs.

Teach Kids About Growth Mindset and Trying Something New What happens when one little raindrop finds the courage to let go? Way up in the sky, Hopp the raindrop is scared of change. Hopp loves playing with his friends, riding on clouds, and being happy with his safe, predictable life. But he soon learns that staying where he is limits the impact he can have on those around him. "You have so many gifts to share with the world, so many dreams to live. Take a chance little man, let go of this cloud. Discover the ways you can give." Don''t Be Afraid to Drop is a book for anyone who is at a transitional point in their life. From the kindergartener heading to school, to an adult nearing retirement, and everyone in between, this creative analogy provides all who read it with a positive perspective on change, taking risks, and giving back. There''s so much good that can happen when we step beyond our comfort zones and try something new!

Control your wiggles and be the BOSS of your ants. In I Have Ants in My Pants, Julia Cook helps normalize the feeling many kids have when they struggle to control their wiggles and provides strategies for improving impulse control. Some children just can''t sit still no matter how hard they try. And Louis is no exception. He accidentally kicks his friend during story time. He can''t stand still in the lunch line. And he wiggles in his seat at the movie theater. Everyone keeps telling him he has ants in his pants, but Louis doesn''t see any ants! Louis'' mom explains that this means he wiggles a lot, and she teaches him a special tool, the Wiggle Dance. Wiggle and jiggle. Jump up and down. Shake your hands and turn around. Take a deep breath. Scrunch up your nose. Wobble your knees and wiggle your toes. With a little practice and a few helpful tools, Louis learns that he can calm his wiggles and become the boss of the ants in his pants!

Cora June is back, and this time she’s learning a thing or two about doing the right thing – even when no one is looking! When Cora June half-heartedly cleans her room by taking a shortcut, Mom is quick to ask her about her integrity. Not really knowing what it means, Cora June assumes it’s probably hidden under her bed, or in her closet. She continues to school, where she cheats on a spelling test. “Impossible” is a hard word to spell, can you blame her? During her test, she finds that integrity pops up again. Again, it’s probably under her bed. Right? When Cora June learns what integrity means, she realizes that she can’t find hers! Fortunately, her mom is there to help her put the “I” (the “ME!”) in integrity. Follow Cora June as she learns about her integrity, and see if she can use it to right what she did wrong.

Cora June is back, and this time she’s learning a thing or two about doing the right thing – even when no one is looking! When Cora June half-heartedly cleans her room by taking a shortcut, Mom is quick to ask her about her integrity. Not really knowing what it means, Cora June assumes it’s probably hidden under her bed, or in her closet. She continues to school, where she cheats on a spelling test. “Impossible” is a hard word to spell, can you blame her? During her test, she finds that integrity pops up again. Again, it’s probably under her bed. Right? When Cora June learns what integrity means, she realizes that she can’t find hers! Fortunately, her mom is there to help her put the “I” (the “ME!”) in integrity. Follow Cora June as she learns about her integrity, and see if she can use it to right what she did wrong. Another hit for award-winning author and parenting expert Julia Cook, this book is part of The Leader I’ll Be series and will teach children in grades K through 5 the importance of self-reliance. Integrity is a collection of virtues such as honesty, honor, courage, authenticity, respect, responsibility, and restraint – included at the end of the story are tips for parents and educators to help reinforce these values.

Multi-talented Brown is the luckiest pencil in the box! In this fun, creative story, Brown learns that in order to make and keep friends, he needs to know how to be a good friend. And to be a good friend, Brown must find a way to share his many talents with others. At first, that seems hard to Brown. But he soon realizes that to be a good friend, all he has to do is be himself! Making Friends Is an Art! is part of the popular Building Relationships series written by award-winning author Julia Cook. This is a wonderful story for teaching kids of all ages how to practice the true art of friendship and getting along with others. Educators, counselors and parents will love reading the second edition of this very popular story with children which features fewer words and more positive, empowering messaging. Brown and his friends learn to recognize their talents by being true to themselves. Making Friends Is an Art! is the recipient of the prestigious Mom''s Choice Award. Tips for educators and parents are located at the end of the story to help further address the importance of being a good friend.

ufeffWhy is it that when bedtime arrives, THAT’S the time children’s curiosity seems to peak? Well, at least that’s the case with Herman Jiggle. It’s bedtime, and as Mom helps Herman get ready, he has countless questions, like Why does the sun go away? Where does honey come from? Or, I have a best friend Charlie who can blow big bubbles. How do you make bubble gum? Mom’s patience is on point as she masterfully guides Herman through his bedtime routine, embracing his curiosity while reminding him of what comes next. This sweet story is part of the Socially Skilled Kids picture book series told in Julia Cook’s classic style. Young children in grades K through 5 will enjoy learning along with Herman, and their parents and caretakers will be laughing and nodding the whole time! When kids don''t get enough sleep, they can become irritable, anxious, and even depressed. Over time, sleep deprivation can lead to the onset of behavior problems, an inability to control emotions, attention and learning difficulties, and even childhood obesity. Putting your child to bed at night and getting them to stay there can be a challenge. Included at the end of the story are tips for parents and caregivers to help ensure your children are getting adequate amounts of sleep.

Multi-talented Brown is the luckiest pencil in the box! In this fun, creative story, Brown learns that in order to make and keep friends, he needs to know how to be a good friend. And to be a good friend, Brown must find a way to share his many talents with others. At first, that seems hard to Brown. But he soon realizes that to be a good friend, all he has to do is be himself! Making Friends Is an Art! is part of the popular Building Relationships series written by award-winning author Julia Cook. This is a wonderful story for teaching kids of all ages how to practice the true art of friendship and getting along with others. Educators, counselors and parents will love reading the second edition of this very popular story with children which features fewer words and more positive, empowering messaging. Brown and his friends learn to recognize their talents by being true to themselves. Making Friends Is an Art! is the recipient of the prestigious Mom''s Choice Award. Tips for educators and parents are located at the end of the story to help further address the importance of being a good friend.

How will Herman Jiggle make a good first impression or make any friends if he''s too nervous to even say hello? Whenever he introduces himself, he gets tongue-tied and his tummy flips and then it flops. And then his words get tied in knots! Poor Hermie is a mumbling mess! Fortunately, Mom knows a trick or two that will help her son relax and untangle his words to help curb his social anxiety. Now, Herman just needs to be brave enough to try. This is the debut title in the new Socially Skilled Kids picture book series by award-winning author, educator, and parenting expert Julia Cook. Written for students in grades K through 5, the series features humorous story-lines, relatable characters, and empowering messages about growing socially and emotionally. Social anxiety is the fear of talking to, interacting with, and making friends with others and the anxiousness can make it difficult or impossible to take risks and develop a growth mindset for young children. Helping your child or student overcome social anxiety can be a challenge - included at the end of the story are useful tips and tools for parents and educators to encourage children to overcome this fear.

Noodle always chooses to do the things he wants to do while never getting around to doing the things he NEEDS to do. Award-winning children’s author Julia Cook uses Noodle to creatively highlight a conundrum all children struggle with and offers simple strategies to help them learn how to balance doing what needs to be done while still finding time for fun.

Herman needs to figure out how to stop his tummy from doing flip-flops and his words from getting stuck so he can try to make new friends. This humorous story teaches kids the important skill of introducing themselves. Children ages 5 to 10 will laugh as Herman tries to calm his nerves and introduce himself to new people. Part of the Socially Skilled Kids book series.

A cute, creative story about children and their texts, tweets, posts and pics. Don’t be mean and irresponsible! That’s the straight-to-the-point advice “Screen” has for young readers who are active on social media. Whether tapping out messages on their computers, tablets or phones, Screen wants kids to know their words – the kind and the cruel – will follow them for life, creating a digital trail that can''t be erased.

Whether we’ve been the subject of a rumor or the one spreading a rumor about someone else, most of us have been involved with rumors somehow. But how many people really stop to think about the damaging effects? Fortunately, award-winning author Julia Cook does, and cleverly brings this serious subject to light in an entertaining and funny, but cautionary, tale about the importance of NOT starting or spreading rumors. Told through the eyes of the rumor marble, the story describes how a simple misunderstanding starts a chain reaction that can’t be undone. K-6 students will laugh as they read this story and are reminded that it’s much easier to prevent a train – or a rolling rumor marble – from starting to roll forward than trying to stop one!

Zak is obsessed with watches. Before that it was trains. He owns hundreds of watches and is quick to tell everyone everything about them. Zak also has autism, so he sometimes responds to the world around him in unconventional ways. As Zak describes his point of view, young readers gain a better understanding of his behaviors and learn valuable lessons about patience, tolerance and understanding. Parents, teachers, and Counselors can use this book to help teach kids tolerance and acceptance when meeting children living with autism spectrum disorder. Beautiful illustrations and tips added to the end of the book help kids understand the message of the story.

From bestselling author Julia Cook, comes a story about the challenging (and fun) changes a military family goes through when a parent is deployed. "I think I''m pretty lucky because I''m part of a military family. It makes me really proud to know my parents are working to keep our country safe. I get to do stuff other kids don''t. My life is kinda unique. I''ve tried on night vision goggles, and I''ve looked inside a Humvee." Life is full of unique opportunities and challenges for military families. They live in different places, shop on military bases, and have to navigate changes in how they operate as a family when a parent is deployed. In Deployment: One of Our Pieces is Missing, our family must learn to stretch and adapt as they find their new normal while Dad is gone. And once home again, they work through a mix of emotions as he settles back into the family frame. With tips for adults to help children process their questions and feelings, this book serves to honor the sacrifices our military families make each day by equipping them with an approachable way to discuss the highs and lows of deployment.

Cora June is B-O-S-S-Y! Will anyone put the breaks on her outlandish demands? And will Cora June ever realize that she can be a leader, but still be flexible?

Noodle''s really done it this time! What should have been a friendly competition among classmates turns sour after Noodle cheats his way to victory. He says he didn''t really want to cheat but everyone has to once in a while, so what''s the harm? Will Noodle get burned by his own deception, or will he muster the courage to confess to his trickery? Young readers will learn a valuable lesson about the cost of cheating while enjoying a few laughs.

Noodle is always being told what to do. Pull the weeds. Make his bed. Kick the ball a certain way in soccer. Ugh! But he wonders, why? What''s in it for him? Luckily, the adults in Noodle''s life are there to teach him the importance of moving ''need tos'' into ''I did its!'' Join Noodle as he learns the value of practicing small chores now, so he''ll be ready for life''s big challenges later.

Told through the eyes of the rumor marble, the story describes how a simple misunderstanding starts a chain reaction that can''t be undone! Children will laugh as they learn that it''s much easier to prevent a train - or rolling rumor marble - from starting to roll forward than trying to stop one!

Cora June is very lucky – she knows exactly what she wants! And she often gets it! But when classmate Wilson challenges Cora June’s insistence on certain things, it’s time they learn how to compromise! With help from their teacher, Cora June and Wilson are introduced to different ways to compromise – and even encouraged to come up with some on their own! Will these two leaders-in-the-making learn this very important skill? Find out in the next hilarious – and relatable – story in The Leader I’ll Be book series by award-winning education and parenting expert Julia Cook.

Zak has autism, so he sometimes responds to the world around him in unconventional ways. As Zak describes his point of view, young readers gain a better understanding of his behaviors and learn valuable lessons about patience, tolerance and understanding.

‘NO’ is RJ’s least favorite word . . . and he tries his best to convince his dad, his mom, and his teacher to turn “No” into “Maybe” or “We’ll see” or “Later” or “I’ll think about it.” Author Julia Cook helps K-6 readers laugh and learn along with RJ as he understands the benefits of demonstrating the social skills of accepting “No” for an answer and disagreeing appropriately. Tips for parents and educators on how to teach and encourage kids to use these skills are included in the book. I Just Don’t Like the Sound of NO! is another in the BEST ME I Can Be! series of books from the Boys Town Press that teach children social skills.

RJ is struggling in math class and many of his assignments are missing or incomplet. With help he discovers how to stay organized so he doesn''t have to do things over and over again.

Brad is a "one-upper." Any time someone makes a comment, he chimes in with his own story…but it''s always more extreme. In this imaginative story, young readers learn how to avoid being a "one-upper" and instead be a "pull-upper."

Written from the table''s point of view, this humorous tale helps kids understand that table manners are about much more than what fork to use. Good table manners are about being respectful, kind and considerate to others.

This quirky tale teaches young readers the difference between nice teasing and mean teasing. Laughing at someone (mean teasing) has a hurtful bite, but laughing with someone (nice teasing) is alright when it''s not done out of spite.

Penny tries to hang with the Coin Clique, but she usually feels left out. When she meets a gold Dollar coin, who is also different from the "silvers," she learns how special and valuable she really is.

RJ''s mouth is getting him into a lot of trouble. A rude comment at school earned him a detention, and an incensitive remark at home earned him a scholding and made his sister cry. It''s time RJ starts using a social filter when he speaks. He soon realizes he doesn''t have to verbalize every thought that pops into his head. In fact, the less said the better!

My Story about Asking for Permission and Making an Apology! RJ feels a lot happier when he says he’s sorry, and he learns that asking for permission will mean fewer trips to the time-out chair!

The rules keep getting in the way of Noodle''s fun. Rules for this, rules for that. There are so many rules! Can Noodle be convinced that rules are meant to help, not harm him?

Readers of every age will chuckle over the silly antics of three dogs that are siblings. Each pooch is tired of the other and wants to be the only dog. With help, they are reminded that siblings provide lifelong lessons in tolerance, patience, sharing, friendship and conflict resolution.

Everyone passes gas. If it''s so natural, why do we struggle with teaching children how to respond appropriately when it happens? Join Gus as he and his classmates learn a brief biology lesson behind why we all pass gas, and the right way to handle it.

RJ has another tough day at school and again at home but learns that sharing and teamwork are two beneficial skills. Includes audio book read by award-winning author Julia Cook.