Book review: ‘If I’m Upset I Can’ by Julien Bodrieu

‘If I’m Upset I Can’ is a children’s book designed to help children identify and cope with anxiety and anger. Photo: Amazon

Julien Bodrieu, a school teacher and avid children’s book author, has over 10 years of experience working with children. Julien had a passion for telling stories since he was a child, which inspired him to begin writing stories and picture books for children. He writes in simple, easy-to-understand language with an entertaining style that keeps children engrossed in his books while teaching them important lessons about life. “If I’m Upset I Can” is a positive, interactive book that will help children calm down, cope, and cool a hot temper with skills that will last them a lifetime. (Amazon, 2023)

“If I’m Upset I Can” – Kids, like adults, go through a wide range of emotions. They may experience emotions such as boredom, anxiety, sadness, disappointment, embarrassment, and fear. While most of us experience a variety of emotions daily, we are not always taught how to deal with or manage them. Children must learn how to handle their emotions in a healthy manner. It is critical to teach children coping techniques that will enable them to face their concerns, relax, and cheer themselves up. Coping methods are divided into two categories: emotion-focused and problem-focused. Both types of abilities are critical for children to learn and apply in their daily lives. This book includes essential skills to help kids deal with feeling so they are less stressed, activities that help kids develops these important skills, anger management and growth mindset activities, self-esteem and social skills activities, and an anxiety workbook and activities. If you work with kids, you are always looking for creative ways to help them navigate through their hardships. This book can help you do that.

This is book #1 of the Social skills Children’s Books for Kids designed to help children develop their social skills. It is an interactive workbook that older children can use as they learn to cope with anger and anxiety. Illustrations such as ‘How I Feel Anxiety In My Body’ will help them identify these emotions by how their bodies are reacting: ‘Headache, Trembling or Shaking.’ Once identified, they can use the coping statements and changing negative thoughts ideas to guide them as they navigate these often confusing emotions. The Self-Care Checklist gives healthy living tips they can use anytime. Since these are skills anyone can use, parents and their children can work on it together and benefit from this extremely resourceful guide. The Worry Jar idea is a wonderful tip anyone can use to set aside some ‘worry time’ each day. Mental health is an important issue, and ‘If I’m Upset I Can’ is geared towards children as they learn to identify and cope with anxiety and anger. Highly recommended!

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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