Reviews of Our SEL Books

My Amazing Race Car Brain, beautifully written by Dianne Koebel-Pede, highlights the importance of understanding and celebrating how unique and precious we all are, especially those whose brains work a little differently. The story follows Sam, a boy with ADHD who tries his best to stay focused at home and school, but whose mind races faster than he can keep up. With his dad’s help, he learns that his brain is a beautiful masterpiece and his superpower. The backmatter is also fantastic, filled with valuable information for anyone wanting to better understand ADHD. A must-have for every school and library!
- Paola Santos, Goodreads review

What makes this book truly fantastic is that it not only helps a child with an "amazing race car brain" know how to channel it positively---it also helps all the adults around them recognize how amazing those kids are. I love how each of the pages show a situation where it seems like a race car brain could be a challenge, but then shows how the child can "drive" that brain effectively and how adults can recognize that child's strengths. The information at the back is also incredibly helpful and validating for kids that have ADHD. Overall, this book is an incredible guide for every kid (and caregiver!) who needs to know that their brain is a wonderful thing.
- Angela, Goodreads review

This picture book describes what it’s like for Sam as he experiences life with ADHD. Kids will relate to Sam and his super brain! I like how the book highlights both the challenging aspects as well as the positives of ADHD, and that Sam is surrounded by people who encourage and praise his strengths. Backmatter shares more information about ADHD and a downloadable code for a toolkit.
- Alison McGauley, Goodreads review

An accurate depiction of ADHD and how it affects a child's day at home and at school, showing both the challenges and the positive aspects. With bright colourful illustrations, it provides validation for children with ADHD, and promotes understanding. This book book should be in every school and library.
- Nancy Cohen, Goodreads review

What a beautiful resource for those who are or have neurodivergent individuals in their lives. With bright & fun illustrations, this book shines a light on a very important topic—love the educational info in the back.
- Leanne Stuckey, Goodreads review

What a great way to present the ADHD topic to children in a open, honest and supportive way. This is a excellent addition to a home or classroom collection.
- Kelly Riera, Goodreads review

A beautifully written and illustrated book perfect for children with Race Car Brains and for those of us who need help understanding them.
- Michael Stewart, Goodreads review

A beautiful, heartwarming, and educational story highlighting the positive ways ADHD can manifest! My favourite part was on pages 36-37.
- Taryn Buoy, Goodreads review

This is an AMAZING book. As an individual who has ADHD, and has been prominent since childhood this book is an accurate representation of a child with ADHD. Not only educational for children, but for parents, families, and educators. Also, the illustrations are very well done. A must read and a must have in a classroom.
- DW, Amazon review

Fun story demonstrating a proven technique for calming your brain when anxiety kicks in. Cute illustrations, too! This book would be a great addition to any home library or school classroom.
- April B., Amazon review

An outstanding book about ADHD for both kids and parents. This book has a great story and is packed with helpful information to better understand what ADHD is and how it can be a superpower! I would love to see this book in all elementary schools so that kids with ADHD have better representation, and so that their peers and teachers can have the ability to understand why some of their classmates/students might behave differently. As a late diagnosed AuDHD individual, a book like this would have been a game changer when I was in school. I would recommend this book to both children and parents, and definitely to educators. Well done!
- Kiera, Amazon review

My Amazing Race Car Brain is highly recommended for young readers who struggle with the challenges of an overactive brain or with the their self-awareness. My granddaughter enjoyed hearing the story read to her looking at the wonderful illustrations. This book that would be a great addition to both home and school libraries.
- M Rohr, Amazon review

A very cute book that celebrates ADHD and reminds kids its ok to be different. I love the analogies of the brain to a race car with no breaks and the practical (but still fun) advice it provides kids.
- Kelly R, Amazon review

Calm Down Counting is a wonderful book for kids of all ages! Both cute and educational, it hits all the notes parents would want in a children’s book. With its charming illustrations and hilariously relatable story, I would recommend this book to anyone looking to teach their kids about anxiety in a lighthearted way.
~ Julianne Magnan, author and mother

This book was so cute! Through fun and relatable experiences, Calm Down Counting teaches children the importance of taking a moment to cool down and realign their feelings with an effective calming method. We live an era of anxiety and learning the calm down counting technique is more important than ever.
- Lindsay B, children's book author and teacher

This beautiful picture book does an incredible job of leading children and their families through the process of calm down counting. The words and illustrations help young readers recognize that it is OK to be anxious, and the resources at the back are very helpful in dealing with those big feelings. I highly recommend this picture book to families everywhere!
- Coreen Wilkinson, special education curriculum leader

Five things I can see, four things I can hear, three things I can touch, two things I can smell... and one big deep breath. This is what we all need when anxiety and uncomfortable feelings arise. This story is very important not only for children, but for adults as well. Mindfulness is a practice that makes us strong and resilient, and learning it at a young age is beneficial to grow strong and attuned to our wants and needs.
- Roberta Abussi, retired preschool teacher

When our emotions get the best of us, Calm Down Counting is an excellent instruction manual for kids (and adults) to help regulate our emotions in 5 easy steps. Suzanne and Dania have artfully crafted a book to give us a story that both informs and beautifully entertains as it lays out concrete steps to tackle what makes us anxious in a world we can't always control. A must-read for all!
- Christina Frost, children's literature consultant

This book is amazing! Anyone who has ever experienced a moment of fear or worry would benefit—and I think that includes us all! I love how at first the mother is teaching the girl the Calm Down strategy, later she remembers and has the skillset to use it on her own. Finally, she helps her father and teaches him. The illustrations are adorable and the back matter just brings this much-needed story to the next level. I highly recommend educators, therapists, and parents, purchase this book and you'll be giving children the skills they need to overcome obstacles in life now and for years to come.
- Amy, Amazon review

This book is a fabulous way to help littles deal with their big emotions! The camping setting provides a fun, relatable backdrop for an easy method to help people of all ages calm their minds when faced with anxiety. A must have for neurdivergent youth or young people who struggle with anxiety.
- BrittyNel, Amazon review

Every classroom and household should have a copy of this book. Children and adults will learn how to deal with anxiety in a fun and mindful way.
- Roberta, Amazon review

A fun and beautifully illustrated story that provides real-world tools to help kids deal with anxiety that really all kids can use these days. I highly recommend it!
- D.H. Henry, Amazon review

Fun story demonstrating a proven technique for calming your brain when anxiety kicks in. Cute illustrations, too! This book would be a great addition to any home library or school classroom.
- April B., Amazon review

This book is GORGEOUS! Perfect for kiddos who struggle with anxiety. A must buy!!
- Anonymous Amazon review

Calm Down Counting is a fun story about the very real fear of creepy crawlies. For some children, bugs are exciting; for others, like Molly, they can be terrifying. The author took a common childhood fear and created the perfect guide for finding calm when a child (or adult) is anxious or afraid. Calming Down Counting is a perfect addition to every elementary classroom.
Don't wait. Go get it in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1!
- Adam, Amazon review

Great Read For Children Who Struggle With Fear or Anxiety
Amazing pictures and my students love the characters in the story! It has a good story to make it engaging while still teaching important self-regulation skills. If any of your students struggle with anxiety read this book with them, they will love it!
- Rebecca, Amazon review

Amazing book for anxiety in children, could’ve used this as a kid!
- CE, Amazon review

This book really resonates with me. At first, the MC thinks her mother is not a superhero because she doesn't have a cape or run fast, but then the girl sees the invisible villains her mother fights every day. Her mother has MS and the girl learns that her mother really is a superhero.
~ Sarah Hovorka

This story will help children gain empathy and understanding about struggles other people have and see ways they are superheroes. As a mom with fibromyalgia, I would have liked to have this book to read to my boys to help them understand our situation better. I'm glad this book is out in the world.
~ Kim A. Larson

This is an important book for kids to be introduced in a fun and engaging way to the challenges of conditions such as MS. It is told in a way that is whimsical and captivating with beautiful illustrations full of movement and joy. It shows the difficulties of fighting a chronic condition and how kids can be a part of the team that helps the adult in their lives who is struggling. The book also contains informative back matter for more information on MS.
~ Aixa Perez-Prado

This story highlights the ways in which kids can be a big help, both physically and emotionally, to their adults. Illustrations are fantastic and the book's back matter does a lovely job explaining exactly what multiple sclerosis is -- though I'm confident this story's appeal will extend beyond the MS community.
~ Mary Boone

A touching story about a child who learns that their mother fights invisible owies and evil villains every day. Told from the child’s perspective, this book is full of love and understanding and will help children to comprehend the invisible illness known as Multiple Sclerosis.
~ Elizabeth

This is a heartwarming story of MS. I especially appreciated the extra information in the back explaining the disease in kid-friendly terms and offering thoughtful discussion questions.
~ Kate

All moms are really super heroes, but especially moms who fight invisible villains like multiple sclerosis and other debilitating conditions. This book lovingly helps children understand the challenges people with MS face everyday. And how to help their moms by sharing super hero strengths with them even when capes and x-ray glasses are not handy. Extensive back matter does an excellent job explaining MS to kids and adults and how to be a cape-wearing side-kick. El Kahtib’s illustrations are bright and cheerful, adding hope and love to the story.
~ Marie Prins

This book is a valuable tool for sparking meaningful conversations and nurturing empathy.
~Stephanie Sy