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Toby, Toby, Worry Free
When Toby is faced with learning to ride his bike so he can play with his friends, he begins to worry and worry and worry. "What if I fall?" "What if other kids laugh at me?" "What if I can't ride my bike?!" Mommy pauses, attuning to his behavior. She accepts his emotions and calmly engages with him, encouraging his discovery of positive steps to solve this dilemma. Toby learns a better way to manage his feelings by using his can do thoughts. Now, he can have fun!
32 pages, Hardcover
Published August 27, 2021
3 people want to read
About the author
Lucinda Grapenthin
1 book4 followersLucinda Taylor Grapenthin, PhD, is a Licensed Psychologist in private practice and Assistant Professor at Brenau University, also serving as Clinic Director for the Brenau Center for Counseling and Psychological Services and Director of the Brenau University Play Therapy Training Institute. Dr. Grapenthin has over 20 years’ experience working with children and families as the founder of the Family and Child Development Center. She also presents at academic conferences and professional institutions on topics related to mental health disorders, such as trauma and attachment, as well as play therapy and parenting.
Dr. Cindy lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband, Richard, and golden retriever, Currier. Their adult children, Alex, Kristi, and Trevor, float in and out of their home, adding delightful chaos.
Dr. Cindy lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband, Richard, and golden retriever, Currier. Their adult children, Alex, Kristi, and Trevor, float in and out of their home, adding delightful chaos.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 22, 2022
Toby, Toby, Worry Free by Lucinda Grapenthin is a wonderful children's picture book that teaches children about anxieties and worries.
Life isn't all smiles all the time. Negative thoughts, worries, and anxiety are all natural. It's super important to teach kids. that these feelings can be normal and how to cope. This book is such a wonderful resource with a powerful story. I highly recommend this picture book as it's not only packed with such a great story, it's also beautifully illustrated and just an all around great book.
Five out of five stars.
I received this book for free from the published in exchange of an honest review.
Life isn't all smiles all the time. Negative thoughts, worries, and anxiety are all natural. It's super important to teach kids. that these feelings can be normal and how to cope. This book is such a wonderful resource with a powerful story. I highly recommend this picture book as it's not only packed with such a great story, it's also beautifully illustrated and just an all around great book.
Five out of five stars.
I received this book for free from the published in exchange of an honest review.
June 6, 2022
Worries, nervous butterflies, and insecurities bind around a super-sweet octopus in an interesting and useful read.
Toby's friends want him to ride his bike with them, but Toby is too scared to try. He knows it's too easy to get hurt and has no clue how to even start. His mother takes him out and teaches him, which works okay, but it still doesn't mean he's ready for a bigger ride. As his tentacles tighten and stress eats at him, he's not sure how he'll ever succeed...or if he even wants to.
At first, I wondered about an octopus trying to ride a bike, but this was an ingenious choice on the character front. Toby is a cute creature with tons of heart, and so easy to connect with from the first page on. Watching him twist together and tighten as his worries grew reminded perfectly of the horrible nervous state, when worry and uncertainty really roots down. The visual was spot on. But then, Toby is an adorable character anyway, which readers will wish they had living next door.
This picture book is a little longer on the text side, making it appropriate for listeners with a bit more stamina on the listening end...not to say that it's boring, though, because it's not. The tale follows Toby from his first tries to the first learning moments, and then takes it a step further than many books on this topic would, but not making him an awesome bike peddler right away. Instead, Toby faces the next uncertainties, such as a longer ride with unexpected bumps and up huge hills...all of these 'scary' in their own right. But this last part is also run over quickly, keeping the tale from dragging on.
The illustrations are well done and accompany Toby in a way, which him easy to sympathize with. Listeners can thumb through these on their own and follow his tale afterwards.
The message is obviously there, but the author does a good job at bringing it across in a more natural way. Toby's family reminds him that he can do it over and over again. This is wholesome and doesn't come across as especially preachy, either.
At the end of the book, the author quickly sums of the P.A.U.S.E. method of dealing with anxiety, but again, offers it quickly and understandably without going overly deep.
This is a cute story and works especially well for those, who want to remind young readers that the 'can' do something and not necessarily to allow their worries to hold them back.
I received a complimentary copy and am giving this 4.5 while rounding up.
Toby's friends want him to ride his bike with them, but Toby is too scared to try. He knows it's too easy to get hurt and has no clue how to even start. His mother takes him out and teaches him, which works okay, but it still doesn't mean he's ready for a bigger ride. As his tentacles tighten and stress eats at him, he's not sure how he'll ever succeed...or if he even wants to.
At first, I wondered about an octopus trying to ride a bike, but this was an ingenious choice on the character front. Toby is a cute creature with tons of heart, and so easy to connect with from the first page on. Watching him twist together and tighten as his worries grew reminded perfectly of the horrible nervous state, when worry and uncertainty really roots down. The visual was spot on. But then, Toby is an adorable character anyway, which readers will wish they had living next door.
This picture book is a little longer on the text side, making it appropriate for listeners with a bit more stamina on the listening end...not to say that it's boring, though, because it's not. The tale follows Toby from his first tries to the first learning moments, and then takes it a step further than many books on this topic would, but not making him an awesome bike peddler right away. Instead, Toby faces the next uncertainties, such as a longer ride with unexpected bumps and up huge hills...all of these 'scary' in their own right. But this last part is also run over quickly, keeping the tale from dragging on.
The illustrations are well done and accompany Toby in a way, which him easy to sympathize with. Listeners can thumb through these on their own and follow his tale afterwards.
The message is obviously there, but the author does a good job at bringing it across in a more natural way. Toby's family reminds him that he can do it over and over again. This is wholesome and doesn't come across as especially preachy, either.
At the end of the book, the author quickly sums of the P.A.U.S.E. method of dealing with anxiety, but again, offers it quickly and understandably without going overly deep.
This is a cute story and works especially well for those, who want to remind young readers that the 'can' do something and not necessarily to allow their worries to hold them back.
I received a complimentary copy and am giving this 4.5 while rounding up.
May 5, 2022
Toby, the octopus, is apprehensive about riding his bike. He wants to ride it and play with his friends, but he is afraid. He is scared of falling, and that his friends might laugh at him when he does. This fear keeps him from learning to ride his bike and having fun with his friends. Toby’s fear shows by his tentacles getting all knotted up, and him not feeling well. His mom reminds him of his “can do” attitude, and together they work on building up his confidence so he can ride his bike and go on adventures with his friends.
Toby, Toby, Worry Free, written by Lucinda Grapenthin and illustrated by Kevin Gosselin, is a heartwarming picture book to help children work through fears and understand that it is okay to be scared sometimes. This well-written book helps children learn how to overcome their fears and anxiety. While reading this, the descriptions of Toby and his tentacles getting tangled up and tingling reminded me of my own children who have anxiety. I would have loved to have had this book to help them through some of these moments when they were little.
The “can do” approach is so simple that children quickly understand the concept. While more challenging to put into practice, the idea is easy to explain. Toby is portrayed in a relatable manner, both in the story and in the illustrations. This children’s book has a page for parents and caregivers at the end. It discusses the PAUSE approach to helping children with challenging behaviors, and it helps adults understand the strong emotions children experience but cannot express themselves.
Toby, Toby, Worry Free is a profoundly thoughtful children’s book that teaches kids how to deal with strong emotions and work through fears. It is also an excellent resource for parents and caregivers to better understand how to work with kids who cannot express themselves well.
Toby, Toby, Worry Free, written by Lucinda Grapenthin and illustrated by Kevin Gosselin, is a heartwarming picture book to help children work through fears and understand that it is okay to be scared sometimes. This well-written book helps children learn how to overcome their fears and anxiety. While reading this, the descriptions of Toby and his tentacles getting tangled up and tingling reminded me of my own children who have anxiety. I would have loved to have had this book to help them through some of these moments when they were little.
The “can do” approach is so simple that children quickly understand the concept. While more challenging to put into practice, the idea is easy to explain. Toby is portrayed in a relatable manner, both in the story and in the illustrations. This children’s book has a page for parents and caregivers at the end. It discusses the PAUSE approach to helping children with challenging behaviors, and it helps adults understand the strong emotions children experience but cannot express themselves.
Toby, Toby, Worry Free is a profoundly thoughtful children’s book that teaches kids how to deal with strong emotions and work through fears. It is also an excellent resource for parents and caregivers to better understand how to work with kids who cannot express themselves well.
May 20, 2022
The Review
The balance of whimsical and wonder-like illustrations with the heartfelt and emotional storytelling and an underlying tone of confronting fears and stress in childhood made this book shine so brightly. The fast pace and steady rhythm of the narrative itself made for an easy read, perfect for children and the time they share with their parents when reading.
The character growth and theme of this narrative both fueled the heart of this children’s book. The heartfelt bond between Toby and his mother was emotional and did a great job of kindling the emotional depth of the reader with their child (or vice versa). The theme of confronting one’s fears, letting go of negative thoughts, and accepting that the fears exist while still pushing forward and acknowledging the ability to overcome those fears are all fantastic messages to impart to children as they grow up.
The Verdict
Captivating, heartfelt, and engaging, author Lucinda Grapenthin’s “Toby, Toby, Worry-Free” is a must-read children’s book. The wonderful imagery and thoughtful approach to the story’s theme made this a book any parent would be happy to read with their kid.
The balance of whimsical and wonder-like illustrations with the heartfelt and emotional storytelling and an underlying tone of confronting fears and stress in childhood made this book shine so brightly. The fast pace and steady rhythm of the narrative itself made for an easy read, perfect for children and the time they share with their parents when reading.
The character growth and theme of this narrative both fueled the heart of this children’s book. The heartfelt bond between Toby and his mother was emotional and did a great job of kindling the emotional depth of the reader with their child (or vice versa). The theme of confronting one’s fears, letting go of negative thoughts, and accepting that the fears exist while still pushing forward and acknowledging the ability to overcome those fears are all fantastic messages to impart to children as they grow up.
The Verdict
Captivating, heartfelt, and engaging, author Lucinda Grapenthin’s “Toby, Toby, Worry-Free” is a must-read children’s book. The wonderful imagery and thoughtful approach to the story’s theme made this a book any parent would be happy to read with their kid.
January 2, 2023
I can vividly remember feeling the same was as Toby when I was a child. All of the other children had learned to ride their bikes well before I did because I didn't have a good place to learn how to ride. I was afraid of what they would think of me and would try to find ways to avoid riding. I like the description of how Toby gets all tangled and tense with his anxiety. I think children will be able to relate to that.
There has been a push lately to teach children positive affirmations and a "can do" attitude, which is what they try so hard to do with Toby learning how to ride his bike. Children reading this are going to have the chance to review this concept and try to apply it to their own life in whatever is worrying them.
Just as important as helping children remember their "can do" attitude is how this book teaches parents and caregivers a productive way to work with children who are feeling a lot of anxiety. You'll notice that Toby's parents acknowledge how he is feeling. Instead of telling him to not worry, they instead focus on what TO DO to lessen his anxiety. You wouldn't think that makes a big difference, but it truly does. You'll also notice that his mom scaffolds him to riding independently. This means she breaks down the task of riding his bike long distances into several smaller steps that he can more easily manage and lets him master those smaller ones before moving on to the next one. This is also really important when helping children work through anxiety and mastering new skills.
And finally, at the end, the author provides more information for parents who are dealing with challenging behavior in their child via the PAUSE Approach.
This one would work in the classroom to read as a group, but would be more beneficial in a one-on-one setting, I think. Read it over and over again while helping a child work through whatever the difficult situation is.
I received a requested copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
There has been a push lately to teach children positive affirmations and a "can do" attitude, which is what they try so hard to do with Toby learning how to ride his bike. Children reading this are going to have the chance to review this concept and try to apply it to their own life in whatever is worrying them.
Just as important as helping children remember their "can do" attitude is how this book teaches parents and caregivers a productive way to work with children who are feeling a lot of anxiety. You'll notice that Toby's parents acknowledge how he is feeling. Instead of telling him to not worry, they instead focus on what TO DO to lessen his anxiety. You wouldn't think that makes a big difference, but it truly does. You'll also notice that his mom scaffolds him to riding independently. This means she breaks down the task of riding his bike long distances into several smaller steps that he can more easily manage and lets him master those smaller ones before moving on to the next one. This is also really important when helping children work through anxiety and mastering new skills.
And finally, at the end, the author provides more information for parents who are dealing with challenging behavior in their child via the PAUSE Approach.
This one would work in the classroom to read as a group, but would be more beneficial in a one-on-one setting, I think. Read it over and over again while helping a child work through whatever the difficult situation is.
I received a requested copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews