Speak Up For Yourself

Speak Up For Yourself
Author: Bryan Smith
Publisher: Boys Town Press
Total Pages: 34
Release: 2021-03-23
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 194488274X

Amelia has never been one to be timid. She's confident enough to stand up for others and let people know what she thinks. So why is she having a hard time advocating for herself? When a new seating arrangement lands Amelia next to Billy, a guy who spends all day whining and complaining, Amelia feels trapped. She unloads all her frustrations on her very patient mother. But when Mom starts asking her questions, Amelia quickly realizes that advocating for change - and for herself - requires a lot more than criticizing others and making demands. Given four simple steps to follow, Amelia starts to hone her ability to self-advocate. In addition to keeping the skill steps practical, author and school counselor Bryan Smith includes valuable lessons about the importance of HOW you approach others and why sometimes the answer may still be no. This insightful tale is another standout in the popular Without Limits book series, which offers K through 5th grade readers wonderful lessons about character and self-confidence! Tips are included at the end of the story for parents and educators to help teach children the value of self-advocacy. 31 pgs.

Speak Up for Yourself: A Story Teaching Children Self-Advocacy

Speak Up for Yourself: A Story Teaching Children Self-Advocacy
Author: Bryan Smith
Publisher: Boys Town Press
Total Pages: 32
Release: 2022-02-10
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1545755043

Amelia has never been one to be timid. She's confident enough to stand up for others and let people know what she thinks. So why is she having a hard time advocating for herself? When a new seating arrangement lands Amelia next to Billy, a guy who spends all day whining and complaining, Amelia feels trapped. She unloads all her frustrations on her very patient mother. But when Mom starts asking her questions, Amelia quickly realizes that advocating for change and for herself requires a lot more than criticizing others and making demands. Given four simple steps to follow, Amelia starts to hone her ability to selfadvocate. In addition to keeping the skill steps practical, author and school counselor Bryan Smith includes valuable lessons about the importance of HOW you approach others and why sometimes the answer may still be no. This insightful tale is another standout in the popular Without Limits book series, which offers Kindergarten through 5th grade readers wonderful lessons about character and selfconfidence!

Speak Up

Speak Up
Author: Miranda Paul
Publisher: Clarion Books
Total Pages: 43
Release: 2020
Genre: JUVENILE FICTION
ISBN: 035814096X

Illustrations and easy-to-read, rhyming text encourage the reader to speak up about everything from their own name being mispronounced to someone bring a weapon to school. Includes author's note about real people who have found their voices, when to speak up, and how to express oneself without speaking.

Mindset Matters

Mindset Matters
Author: Bryan Smith
Publisher: Boys Town Press
Total Pages: 34
Release: 2019-03-29
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1545744009

Amelia's an up-for-any-adventure second-grader who's eager to try new things. But at the first sign of trouble, Amelia frets she's a failure. After a little self-reflection and advice from Dad, Amelia learns she needs a "gonna get it done" mindset. With her new outlook, she discovers success has many definitions and that failing doesn't make her a failure.

I Can Do Hard Things

I Can Do Hard Things
Author: Gabi Garcia
Publisher:
Total Pages: 36
Release: 2018-09-11
Genre:
ISBN: 9780998958088

I Can Do Hard Things is a beautiful reminder to tune into and listen to that quiet voice inside so that you can do what's right for you. I don't always feel brave, confident or strong. Sometimes it seems easier to follow others along. It's hard to navigate a world in which we get so many messages about how we should be. We pause. We listen to the quiet voice inside. I connect with the love and strength it brings. It helps me remember: I can do hard things. I Can Do Hard Things: Mindful Affirmations for Kids is the perfect addition to your home or school library. (The book is available in Spanish as Yo Puedo Hacer Cosas Dificiles: Afirmaciones Concientes Para Niños).

The Distance Between Us

The Distance Between Us
Author: Reyna Grande
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 384
Release: 2012-08-28
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1451661800

In this inspirational and unflinchingly honest memoir, acclaimed author Reyna Grande describes her childhood torn between the United States and Mexico, and shines a light on the experiences, fears, and hopes of those who choose to make the harrowing journey across the border. Reyna Grande vividly brings to life her tumultuous early years in this “compelling...unvarnished, resonant” (BookPage) story of a childhood spent torn between two parents and two countries. As her parents make the dangerous trek across the Mexican border to “El Otro Lado” (The Other Side) in pursuit of the American dream, Reyna and her siblings are forced into the already overburdened household of their stern grandmother. When their mother at last returns, Reyna prepares for her own journey to “El Otro Lado” to live with the man who has haunted her imagination for years, her long-absent father. Funny, heartbreaking, and lyrical, The Distance Between Us poignantly captures the confusion and contradictions of childhood, reminding us that the joys and sorrows we experience are imprinted on the heart forever, calling out to us of those places we first called home. Also available in Spanish as La distancia entre nosotros.

The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh

The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh
Author: Helen Rutter
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Total Pages: 186
Release: 2021-08-03
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1338652281

When life is funny, make some jokes about it. Billy Plimpton has a big dream: to become a famous comedian when he grows up. He already knows a lot of jokes, but thinks he has one big problem standing in his way: his stutter. At first, Billy thinks the best way to deal with this is to . . . never say a word. That way, the kids in his new school won’t hear him stammer. But soon he finds out this is NOT the best way to deal with things. (For one thing, it’s very hard to tell a joke without getting a word out.) As Billy makes his way toward the spotlight, a lot of funny things (and some less funny things) happen to him. In the end, the whole school will know -- If you think you can hold Billy Plimpton back, be warned: The joke will soon be on you!

Empathy is my Superpower! A Story about Showing you care

Empathy is my Superpower! A Story about Showing you care
Author: Bryan Smith
Publisher: Boys Town Press
Total Pages: 34
Release: 2019-09-28
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1545747830

Why does her brother cry when it's dark? Why does her classmate Kayla take so long to do her math? And what's up with that strange-smelling dish that Priya brings to lunch every day? With the help of her parents, Amelia soon learns about the importance of empathy and starts to see the power it can have! Will Amelia be able to put her new-found skill to good use and help others find the strength in empathy as well? Written for readers in grades K-6, this storybook also includes tips to help parents and teachers foster empathy in every child.

Speak Up!

Speak Up!
Author: Rebecca Burgess
Publisher: HarperCollins
Total Pages: 272
Release: 2022-09-13
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0063081210

For fans of Click and Brave, this touching coming-of-age middle grade graphic novel debut follows an autistic girl who finds friendship where she least expects it and learns to express her true self in a world where everyone defines her by her differences. Twelve-year-old Mia is just trying to navigate a world that doesn’t understand her true autistic self. While she wishes she could stand up to her bullies, she’s always been able to express her feelings through singing and songwriting, even more so with her best friend, Charlie, who is nonbinary, putting together the best beats for her. Together, they've taken the internet by storm; little do Mia’s classmates know that she’s the viral singer Elle-Q! But while the chance to perform live for a local talent show has Charlie excited, Mia isn’t so sure. She’ll have to decide whether she’ll let her worries about what other people think get in the way of not only her friendship with Charlie, but also showing everyone, including the bullies, who she is and what she has to say.

Stress Stinks

Stress Stinks
Author: Bryan Smith
Publisher: Boys Town Press
Total Pages: 35
Release: 2020-02-28
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 154575098X

Poor Amelia! Between softball practice, homework, and chores, she’s struggling to keep her little head above water! And when she starts feeling stressed out… it seems like the world is at its end! Fortunately, Amelia’s mom is around to teach her some strategies and help her reframe her stinking thinking into something more positive. Will Amelia be able to use these strategies to help herself and her friends? Find out in another timely tale by award-winning author and school counselor Bryan Smith, whose Without Limits books series celebrates children with character.