Books published by publisher Free Spirit Publishing

Luisa is repeatedly teased and called "weird" by her classmate Sam, even though she is simply being herself—laughing with her friends, answering questions in class, greeting her father in Spanish, and wearing her favorite polka-dot boots. Luisa initially reacts to the bullying by withdrawing and hiding her colorful nature. But with the support of her teachers, parents, classmates, and one special friend named Jayla, she is able to reclaim her color and resist Sam’s put-downs.The Weird! SeriesThese three books tell the story of an ongoing case of bullying from three third graders’ perspectives. Luisa describes being targeted by bullying in Weird! Jayla shares her experience as a bystander to bullying in Dare! And in Tough!, Sam speaks from the point of view of someone initiating bullying. Kids will easily relate to Luisa, Jayla, and Sam, as each girl has her own unique experience, eventually learning how to face her challenges with the help of friends, peers, and caring adults.Part of the Bully Free Kids™ line

Children sometimes find it hard to follow rules. This encouraging book joins Noah and his babysitter, Jenny, who shows him how rules help keep people safe, healthy, and happy. Our Emotions and Behavior seriesThe Our Emotions and Behavior series uses cheerful brightly illustrated stories to help kids understand how their emotions and actions are related—and how they can learn to manage both. At the end of each book, a two-page series of pictures invites kids to tell a story in their own words. A special section for adults suggests discussion questions and ideas for guiding children to talk about their feelings.

This positive, straightforward book offers kids with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) their own comprehensive resource for both understanding their condition and finding tools to cope with the challenges they face every day. Some children with ASDs are gifted; others struggle academically. Some are more introverted, while others try to be social. Some get "stuck" on things, have limited interests, or experience repeated motor movements like flapping or pacing ("stims"). The Survival Guide for Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorders covers all of these areas, with an emphasis on helping children gain new self-understanding and self-acceptance. Meant to be read with a parent, the book addresses questions ("What’s an ASD?" "Why me?") and provides strategies for communicating, making and keeping friends, and succeeding in school. Body and brain basics highlight symptom management, exercise, diet, hygiene, relaxation, sleep, and toileting. Emphasis is placed on helping kids handle intense emotions and behaviors and get support from family and their team of helpers when needed. The book includes stories from real kids, fact boxes, helpful checklists, resources, and a glossary. Sections for parents offer more detailed information.

The death of a friend is a wrenching event for anyone at any age. Teenagers especially need help coping with this painful loss. This sensitive book answers questions grieving teens often have, like “How should I be acting?” “Is it wrong to go to parties and have fun?” and “What if I can’t handle my grief on my own?” The advice is gentle, non-preachy, and compassionate; the author has seen her own children suffer from the death of a friend, and she knows what teens go through. The revised edition includes new quotes from teens, new resources, and new insights into losing a friend through violence. Also recommended for parents and teachers of teens who have experienced a painful loss. Foreword by R.E.M. singer/songwriter Michael Stipe.

Pets may not have words, but they can communicate. Paying attention to an animal’s cues—a joyful bark, a scary growl, a swishing tail—can help a child understand what the animal is “saying” and what an appropriate response might be. That’s part of what this book is about. But mostly it’s about showing children how to love pets gently—because pets are for loving, after all. Kids learn that teasing isn’t nice, that they can choose to be kind to animals, and that if you want to touch someone else’s pet, there’s one important rule you should know: Ask the owner first! A special section for adults includes ideas for teaching kindness to animals, activities, and discussion starters.

“Supportive, insightful, inspiring . . . very highly recommended for school and public library acquisition, counseling centers, and child welfare departments.”—The Children’s Bookwatch Ages 5–10. For any child who has lost a loved one or other special person, What On Earth Do You Do When Someone Dies? is a simple, insightful, and straight from the heart book about what death means and how to cope. Author Trevor Romain offers practical strategies for dealing with grief and the overwhelming emotions involved—like sadness, fear, anger, guilt—and helps answer all the questions kids have about death.Why do people have to die?Is the death my fault?Is it still okay to have fun?What is a funeral?How can I say good-bye?With concrete advice and expressive illustrations, this book offers comfort and reassurance to children who are grieving and suggests meaningful ways to remember and honor the person who has died. "And I hope you believe me when I say that you won't always feel as sad and hurt and confused as you do now. Maybe not right away, but in the coming weeks or months, you will feel better." This little book is also the perfect tool for caretakers, educators, counselors, and youth workers looking to support kids who are dealing with loss.

Revised classic provides a humorous take on cliques, exclusion, and real friends—updated to include online clique-tivity.​Clique: It’s a word that’s spelled funny and sounds funny, and (like a vampire) can be a pain in the neck. True friends don’t make you feel left out, but for many kids, navigating social groups is tricky (because it’s cliquey), and they end up feeling excluded. This book uses humor, fun cartoons, and kid-friendly language to explain what cliques are, why being phony is baloney, why true friends don’t exclude others online or in real life, what’s more important than popularity—and how to navigate it all. The updated edition addresses online socializing and social media.The Free Spirit Laugh & Learn® Series Realistic topics, practical advice, silly jokes, fun illustrations, and a kid-centric point of view all add up to one of the most popular series young people turn to for help with school, families, siblings, and more. Kids ages 8–13 can tote these pocket-size guides anywhere and learn to slash stress, give cliques and rude people the boot, get organized, behave becomingly, and, in general, hugely boost their coping skills.

Empathy is key to positive, healthy relationships. This book builds empathy in children. In clear, child-friendly words and illustrations, it helps them to understand that other people have feelings like theirs—and different from theirs. It guides children to show they care by listening to others and respecting their feelings. Includes questions to discuss and empathy games to play.