Books published by publisher National Center for Youth Issues

The perfect companion to the A Bad Case of Tattle Tongue picture book. This supplementary teacher's guide will give your students a "hands on" opportunity to apply and process The Four Tattle Rules. It can help children become effective problem solvers and improve their social relationships with peers. Through discussion questions and exercises, you'll be able to help your students fully understand the differences between tattling and warning. The Four Tattle Rules: Be a Danger Ranger Be a Problem Solver Now or Later (M.Y.O.B.) Mind Your Own Beeswax!

In this heartfelt story from the bestselling author of My Mouth is a Volcano!, Foster meets new friends and a kind foster mom who help him navigate the fears and feelings associated with going into foster care. Foster has lived with his mom and "sometimes dad" all of his life...until now. And like so many others entering foster care, he has more questions than answers and so many new feelings to deal with. "I don't know what's going to happen to me. Will I end up being like Zeke? Will I have a new forever mom? Can I visit my mom once a week?" "I have so much going on inside me right now. I feel angry, guilty, scared, hurt, and sad. But maybe the others are right. Maybe being here isn't so bad." Written in an honest, approachable way, Foster Care will encourage children entering or already in foster care and help them understand they are not alone. Foster, Daisy, Zeke, Simpson, and Rex all have different circumstances which brought them to foster care. Together they talk through their stories and realize this is right where they need to be for now; under the caring watch of foster mom, Miss Beulah.

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!

Take the "T" out of "CAN'T" and the "DON'T" out of "I DON'T KNOW"! Learning doesn't come easy for many children. They struggle with schoolwork, have trouble focusing, and can't make sense of instructions. Oftentimes, these challenges can cause children to internalize their struggles and question their abilities. In My Fantabulous Brain, Julia Cook helps children understand that everyone needs help sometimes, and there are people who can give us the tools we need to make our brains stronger! Wade doesn't understand why things like math and spelling seem so easy for other kids but so hard for him. His brain doesn't seem to work right, and he can't focus with all the stuff going on in his head. He tries so hard, but feels like he stinks at everything! Just when he is about to give up, Wade's Fantabulous Brain comes to the rescue. By using tools in his "Brain Tool Box," Wade learns how to give his brain a tune up, making it stronger and more efficient. He also visits a Brain Trainer, a special brain mechanic, who teaches him how to work smarter not harder. With a little time and a lot of hard work, Wade is amazed what he can accomplish when he and his Fantabulous Brain work together!

Otis used to have the "perfect" family. That all changed when his parents told him that they were getting a D...D...D... The "D" Word he can't even say it! At first Otis blames himself. With the help of his Gram, Otis discovers the reasons why people get divorced. He also learns about the Three C's of Divorce: I didn't CAUSE it I can't CONTROL it, so I'm going to have to learn to COPE with it! This book offers both children and adults the tools and insights that are needed to effectively deal with the difficult challenges that a family goes through when parents get divorced.

Cletus and Bocephus are back! While working on their science fair project on mealworms, they learn to appreciate and understand each other's strengths and weaknesses. Creativity needs structure and structure needs creativity... and Cletus and Bocephus BOTH need to know how to plan and prioritize! "You learn from mistakes and use what you learn, so you don't make those mistakes again. Every time you play a video game, you plan and prioritize to WIN!" This storybook is the second in the Functioning Executive book series. It highlights the importance of planning and prioritizing. It also spotlights the unique differences and strengths that live in all of us. This book will help teach children to determine the necessary steps, in order, towards fulfilling a goal which is a vital executive function skill. Children who possess effective prioritizing skills can learn to manage not only daily responsibilities, but also how to prepare for future success. Planning and prioritizing are two of the most difficult executive function skills for people to master. Planning effectively is the thinking skill that helps an individual develop strategies to accomplish goals. It allows a person to think about completing a task before it is started. Life is all about making choices. Prioritizing effectively helps a person make the best choices possible. Time is a limited commodity. To get the most out of your time and accomplish all that you need to do, you have to be able to plan and prioritize both on a long and short-term basis.

Help Kids Discover Their Own Inner Hero We often teach children that heroes are famous because of something they did, but it's just as important to teach them that heroes are remembered for who they are. In Be Your Own Hero, Lisa King reveals what it takes to be a real-life hero. And it has a whole lot more to do with character and kindness than anything else! Being a hero takes having the courage to believe in yourself, overcome obstacles, and make the world a better - and brighter - place for everyone around you. And the good news is, we all can do that! It's Hero Week at school, and Quinn Wilson can hardly contain her excitement! Each day, her class will meet a real-life hero, and on Friday they get to dress up as their favorite hero from the past or present. Every other kid in the class knows who they want to be, except for Quinn! There are so many heroes she looks up to! How can she choose just one? But when Quinn's teacher, Mr. Finley, teaches the class some important truths about heroes, Quinn discovers something unexpected. In her search to find a hero in someone else, she actually finds the hero in herself!

The perfect companion to the What Shoes Will You Wear? picture book. Finding a career is difficult. Where do I start? Full of activities and worksheets, this fun book assists children in starting on the pathway of being college and career ready. The skills addressed in this book are important for career development and are essential elements in preparing kids for success in life!

You're never too young to dream about your future! Myrtle and Erytle are twins who don't look alike or act the same, but they do share one common love...SHOES! Their father uses their love of shoes to encourage the young twins to start thinking about future careers early. "Just start with what you know and love. Pick out your favorite shoe. What you wear on your feet when you walk down the street might help you decide what to do." This book is an excellent resource that will spark children's imaginations leading them to discover what they enjoy and want to become. "There's a job for every personality!" Several career options are discussed as they apply to the shoes typically worn in that profession. Career clusters are also presented. This book explores the necessary skills that are universal for any career choice such as responsibility, self-confidence, integrity, punctuality, and teamwork a fun, creative and detailed approach to career education!

Meet Stanley... an energetic three-year-old who has not quite mastered using the potty. Stanley is way too busy playing to stop having fun. He would rather hop, skip and wiggle than get the job done. Then Stanley learns a new game called You and Me Against the PEE...and Me and You Against the POOP! Armed with a powerful secret for potty-training success and eager to play, Stanley proudly transforms into a Potty Expert. This fun and colorfully illustrated book will turn all kids into Potty Experts while providing grown-ups with an important reminder that potty learning can and should be a team effort.

Bullies Everywhere Are Now Stopped! The perfect companion to the Bully B.E.A.N.S. picture book. The purpose of this book is to offer teachers and students "hands on" activities that explore the dynamics of bullying and teach them how to prevent it from happening. Through discussion questions and exercises, you'll be able to help your students fully understand and identify the three parties involved in bullying: the Bully, the Bystander(s), and the Target.

The perfect companion to the Soda Pop Head picture book. Anger is an emotion felt by everyone. The purpose of this activity book is to offer hands on activities that can teach a child how to channel anger in productive and non-destructive ways. It is important to teach children that it's OK to feel angry. It's what they choose to do with their anger that can make the difference!