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Go Away, Worry Monster!
Worry Monster loves "helping" Archie worry, especially the night before he starts his new school. Archie feels so anxious that his head hurts, his tummy flutters and his heart pounds. He soon realizes the only way to feel better is to make Worry Monster go away. He does his belly breaths and faces facts to challenge his inner fears. Children have the potential to engage and empathise with Archie and Worry Monster both through the text and the subtle gestures and fleeting emotions captured in the beautiful illustrations. Encouraging children to name their anxiety is an evidence-based, current strategy used by psychologists to assist children in separating themselves from their anxiety.Go Away, Worry Monster! gives children this and other useful strategies to cope, showing them how to make their own Worry Monsters leave during stressful periods of their lives, from starting or changing schools, to a change in family dynamics. Created by an author and illustrator passionate about helping children to cope with common emotional difficulties, this is an invaluable, life-changing resource for young children and their parents in guiding emotional development.
- GenresPicture BooksChildrens
32 pages, Hardcover
Published October 13, 2020
13 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 6, 2020
It can be hard to find a picture book that appeals to kids and isn’t too much like a self-help manual. The ones with stories are often too didactic, too sweet, or too abstract. Because of this, I was very happy to see this new title, Go Away, Worry Monster, by debut author and teacher, Brooke Graham.
Graham has written a story about a young boy, Archie, with a specific problem. He’s about to start a new school the next day and, sure enough, his old “friend”, the Worry Monster visits, bringing lots of worries with him. What if Archie gets lost? What if they don’t get to play sport? What if he’s left out?
Archie takes matters into his own hands and tries to banish Worry Monster by using techniques his mum taught him last time Worry Monster came to town. He practises relaxation techniques, questions the validity of the worries and distracts himself by doing something enjoyable. Finally, Worry Monster leaves of his own accord.
The techniques are simple, structured and evidence-based. They are consistent with methods used in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Mindfulness/Simple Relaxation Techniques.
As such, they are just as useful for the adult reading the book as for the child!
The illustrator, Robin Tatlow-Lord, has done a wonderful job of illustrating a story that stays within the one room, in the dark. I imagine both those tasks are difficult. She has managed to introduce movement and colour with her coloured pencil illustrations over the glorious texture of parchment paper.
EK Books publish “Books with Heart On Issues that Matter”. They’ve really kicked a goal with this book.
Highly recommended for anyone dealing personally or professionally with anxious kids, I will definitely keep a copy close at hand at my clinic.
See my full review at https://byronbibliotherapy.com/go-awa...
Graham has written a story about a young boy, Archie, with a specific problem. He’s about to start a new school the next day and, sure enough, his old “friend”, the Worry Monster visits, bringing lots of worries with him. What if Archie gets lost? What if they don’t get to play sport? What if he’s left out?
Archie takes matters into his own hands and tries to banish Worry Monster by using techniques his mum taught him last time Worry Monster came to town. He practises relaxation techniques, questions the validity of the worries and distracts himself by doing something enjoyable. Finally, Worry Monster leaves of his own accord.
The techniques are simple, structured and evidence-based. They are consistent with methods used in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Mindfulness/Simple Relaxation Techniques.
As such, they are just as useful for the adult reading the book as for the child!
The illustrator, Robin Tatlow-Lord, has done a wonderful job of illustrating a story that stays within the one room, in the dark. I imagine both those tasks are difficult. She has managed to introduce movement and colour with her coloured pencil illustrations over the glorious texture of parchment paper.
EK Books publish “Books with Heart On Issues that Matter”. They’ve really kicked a goal with this book.
Highly recommended for anyone dealing personally or professionally with anxious kids, I will definitely keep a copy close at hand at my clinic.
See my full review at https://byronbibliotherapy.com/go-awa...
August 14, 2020
The night before Archie is due to start at a new school the Worry Monster climbs into his bed and fills his head with unsettling thoughts. But he remembers what his mother did to make the Worry Monster go away the last time and copies her actions. Soon the Worry Monster has shrunk and slunk out of the room.
A story to reassure young children who are worried about anything new in their lives with a message about considering facts rather than making assumptions about what might happen. The Worry Monster is actually a rather cute looking dinosaur creature so not very scary.
A story to reassure young children who are worried about anything new in their lives with a message about considering facts rather than making assumptions about what might happen. The Worry Monster is actually a rather cute looking dinosaur creature so not very scary.
November 17, 2020
Share this picture book with your little worriers. Go Away Worry Monster, by Brooke Graham and Robin Tatlow-Lord tells a cute story of a boy worried about starting a new school while teaching valuable strategies for coping with worry. Read this with kids to remind them how to tame their worry monster! Thank you for the review copy, @EKbooks!
February 2, 2021
The night before Archie starts at a new school, Worry Monster climbs into his bed with lots of “what ifs” and worries. Archie’s head aches, his stomach flutters, and his heart pounds as Worry Monster grows bigger and bigger. He thinks about climbing in bed with his parents – Worry Monster is scared of them! But instead he decides to use the techniques Mom taught him, and try to send Worry Monster away on his own. As Archie practices each step, Worry Monster shrinks smaller and smaller, and finally disappears, leaving Archie with a sense of pride and confidence that he can handle whatever the next day brings.
Go Away, Worry Monster! is a great book for children dealing with anxiety of any kind. The techniques it teaches for dealing with anxiety are simple and effective, and the story explains them in such a fun and kid-friendly way. Kids might not even notice they’re learning a new skill! While Go Away, Worry Monster! is specific to worries about the first day of school, the overall message and the techniques it teaches for dealing with anxiety can work any time, in any situation that fills your child with worry.
The illustrations are super fun and kid-friendly.
*Please Note: I was gifted a PDF copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Go Away, Worry Monster! is a great book for children dealing with anxiety of any kind. The techniques it teaches for dealing with anxiety are simple and effective, and the story explains them in such a fun and kid-friendly way. Kids might not even notice they’re learning a new skill! While Go Away, Worry Monster! is specific to worries about the first day of school, the overall message and the techniques it teaches for dealing with anxiety can work any time, in any situation that fills your child with worry.
The illustrations are super fun and kid-friendly.
*Please Note: I was gifted a PDF copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
May 23, 2021
This is a new take on an old theme - fear of monsters in the night - and how to tackle them. Archie is worried about starting at a new school and all the unknown's that go with that - whether he will find his classroom, make friends, and be included in games and so forth. As Archie thinks these things, the worry monster arrives - mixed up dinosaur/sock knitted creature. But Archie's mum has taught him some strategies to deal with his night fears and Archie successfully applies them.
It was great to have some sound and doable strategies on show and a sensible mum who does not belittle the worries or the monster under the bed but provides sound guidance.
Shortlisted for the 2021 Book of the Year: New Illustrator award, Robin Tatlow-Lord's illustrations are colourful without being bright, adding interest, different perspectives, expressive faces and so much more. The supporting cast of toys add a delightful extra to this story - expressing fear then confidence.
It was great to have some sound and doable strategies on show and a sensible mum who does not belittle the worries or the monster under the bed but provides sound guidance.
Shortlisted for the 2021 Book of the Year: New Illustrator award, Robin Tatlow-Lord's illustrations are colourful without being bright, adding interest, different perspectives, expressive faces and so much more. The supporting cast of toys add a delightful extra to this story - expressing fear then confidence.
November 3, 2022
The situation described in the story is one that will be familiar to many children and adults. No sooner has Archie popped into bed than he is joined by the Worry Monster who suggests all sorts of things that could go wrong at school the next day.
Archie’s physical feelings of anxiety are described in a way that children will be able to identify, such as fluttering tummy, head hurting and pounding heart.
Just when the Worry Monster seems too big to handle, Archie remembers strategies he’s used before and shows that Worry Monster who is boss. The strategies are also explained in child-friendly ways and are easy enough, and effective enough, for children to implement with the help of parents or independently.
Go Away, Worry Monster! is a heart-warming book that puts anxieties into perspective and makes defeating them seem easily achievable.
Archie’s physical feelings of anxiety are described in a way that children will be able to identify, such as fluttering tummy, head hurting and pounding heart.
Just when the Worry Monster seems too big to handle, Archie remembers strategies he’s used before and shows that Worry Monster who is boss. The strategies are also explained in child-friendly ways and are easy enough, and effective enough, for children to implement with the help of parents or independently.
Go Away, Worry Monster! is a heart-warming book that puts anxieties into perspective and makes defeating them seem easily achievable.
January 31, 2024
The night before starting at his new school, the Worry Monster arrives to torment Archie. At first, Archie is upset and afraid, completely in turmoil … until he bravely decides it’s time to defeat the Worry Monster on his own and with a clever strategy focusing on facts.
Empowering and practical, this book models realistic worry-defeating strategies for children.
Themes: worry, anxiety, starting school, facing fears, coping strategies.
Empowering and practical, this book models realistic worry-defeating strategies for children.
Themes: worry, anxiety, starting school, facing fears, coping strategies.
March 25, 2021
I liked that this gives kids some practical strategies for dealing with worry. The language was a little odd in some spots - "sport". Overall this would be a solid choice to share with kids anxious about the first day of school or other similar situations.
August 6, 2021
Archie is worried. Tomorrow is the first day of school and Worry Monster has filled his head with all the things that could go wrong. How can Archie get Worry Monster to go away?
Good show of the steps anxious kids can take to help soothe their worries.
Good show of the steps anxious kids can take to help soothe their worries.
February 15, 2023
This was a great read that teaches kids all about worries and how to take control of them.
I loved how it was broken down into steps that the kids could follow, and they could make that correlation of the monster shrinking as the steps were applied by Archie.
I loved how it was broken down into steps that the kids could follow, and they could make that correlation of the monster shrinking as the steps were applied by Archie.
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August 17, 2021Lovely Illustrations for the younger reader
December 19, 2021
A great book that helps children learn how to face worry head on.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews