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Beat, Beat, Thump: A Picture Book to Help Anxious Kids Calm Down and Find Peace
What does anxiety feel like to a child?
Beat, beat, thump. Beat, beat, thump. That's the pulse of Alex's heart as he navigates worries about school, friendship struggles, and trying new things. Sometimes the pounding of his heartbeat gets so loud that it's all he can hear.
In this encouraging and heartwarming tale, Alex listens to the beat, beat, thump of his heart while feeling both panic and peace. When his anxiety grows, Alex uses techniques he has learned, like stomping his feet and focusing on his heartbeat, to center himself and regain his calm. When at peace, Alex can feel the steady hum of his heartbeat as he thinks about the fun things he'll do at school tomorrow, the people he loves, and how his strong heart has carried him through hard things.
Beat, beat, thump. Beat, beat, thump. That's the pulse of Alex's heart as he navigates worries about school, friendship struggles, and trying new things. Sometimes the pounding of his heartbeat gets so loud that it's all he can hear.
In this encouraging and heartwarming tale, Alex listens to the beat, beat, thump of his heart while feeling both panic and peace. When his anxiety grows, Alex uses techniques he has learned, like stomping his feet and focusing on his heartbeat, to center himself and regain his calm. When at peace, Alex can feel the steady hum of his heartbeat as he thinks about the fun things he'll do at school tomorrow, the people he loves, and how his strong heart has carried him through hard things.
- GenresPicture BooksChildrens
32 pages, Paperback
Published October 27, 2022
1980 people want to read
About the author
Allison Edwards
9 books46 followersAllison Edwards is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Registered Play Therapist who specializes in working with children, adolescents, and their families. She received her undergraduate degree in Education from Northwest Missouri State and a graduate degree in Counseling from Vanderbilt University.
Before opening a private practice, Allison developed and maintained a play therapy program for at-risk and immigrant children in the public school system. In her current practice, she sees children of all ages, consults with parents, supervises counselors, and writes about childhood anxiety. She also serves as an Affiliate Professor at Vanderbilt University where she enjoys teaching future counselors how to work with kids.
Before opening a private practice, Allison developed and maintained a play therapy program for at-risk and immigrant children in the public school system. In her current practice, she sees children of all ages, consults with parents, supervises counselors, and writes about childhood anxiety. She also serves as an Affiliate Professor at Vanderbilt University where she enjoys teaching future counselors how to work with kids.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
October 29, 2022
4.5 Stars
Beat, Beat, Thump is a book for little ones to understand anxiety and learn ways to manage it on their own. Alex first talks about how it feels when he is close to a panic attack and how his thumping heartbeat is so loud in his head. He shows the incidents/ events that cause anxiety in him.
Then, Alex shows how he deals with the increasing heartbeat by focusing on it, taking deep breaths, and noticing the gradual slowing down of the heartbeat. He goes on to show how the beat, beat, thump of his heart is soft and loving when he is safe, happy, and excited.
He thinks about his favorite things and days when he feels anxious and regains control over his anxiety. The techniques explained are simple, easy to practice, and effective for kids to feel in control.
The illustrations are beautiful and heartwarming. They are diverse (even Alex comes from an interracial family), warm, and soothing. The entire book has a soothing effect and ends with a calm assurance that makes kids feel safe and content.
To summarize, Beat, Beat, Thump is an informative and helpful little for children to understand anxiety and learn healthy ways to manage it. The font size is too tiny, though!
I received an ARC from NetGalley, National Center for Youth Issues, and Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#BeatBeatThump #NetGalley
Beat, Beat, Thump is a book for little ones to understand anxiety and learn ways to manage it on their own. Alex first talks about how it feels when he is close to a panic attack and how his thumping heartbeat is so loud in his head. He shows the incidents/ events that cause anxiety in him.
Then, Alex shows how he deals with the increasing heartbeat by focusing on it, taking deep breaths, and noticing the gradual slowing down of the heartbeat. He goes on to show how the beat, beat, thump of his heart is soft and loving when he is safe, happy, and excited.
He thinks about his favorite things and days when he feels anxious and regains control over his anxiety. The techniques explained are simple, easy to practice, and effective for kids to feel in control.
The illustrations are beautiful and heartwarming. They are diverse (even Alex comes from an interracial family), warm, and soothing. The entire book has a soothing effect and ends with a calm assurance that makes kids feel safe and content.
To summarize, Beat, Beat, Thump is an informative and helpful little for children to understand anxiety and learn healthy ways to manage it. The font size is too tiny, though!
I received an ARC from NetGalley, National Center for Youth Issues, and Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#BeatBeatThump #NetGalley
December 31, 2022
Thank you NetGalley and National Center For Youth Issues for accepting my request to read and review Beat, Beat, Thump.
Author: Allison Edwards
Published: 10/27/22
Genre: Children's Fiction -- Health, Mind, & Body
Describing various situations where your heart beats fast, the author attempts to emulate anxiety. It was not until I finished the story and read the author's notes that anxiety was mentioned. While reading, I saw the child's dog and was waiting for its tail to beat ad thump. Clearly there is a miscommunication. Should anyone pick the book up and just start reading, I don't see anxiety as the focus.
With mature, full concentration, one-on-one with a child, I would recommend using this book every semester or quarter of school for teaching.
Author: Allison Edwards
Published: 10/27/22
Genre: Children's Fiction -- Health, Mind, & Body
Describing various situations where your heart beats fast, the author attempts to emulate anxiety. It was not until I finished the story and read the author's notes that anxiety was mentioned. While reading, I saw the child's dog and was waiting for its tail to beat ad thump. Clearly there is a miscommunication. Should anyone pick the book up and just start reading, I don't see anxiety as the focus.
With mature, full concentration, one-on-one with a child, I would recommend using this book every semester or quarter of school for teaching.
October 18, 2022
I absolutely loved this book and it’s message.
Anxiety is more and more common nowadays and reading this can help kids to process that anxious feeling they get.
It’s an age appropriate way to explain anxiety to elementary school children.
I really enjoyed the illustrations as well.
Anxiety is more and more common nowadays and reading this can help kids to process that anxious feeling they get.
It’s an age appropriate way to explain anxiety to elementary school children.
I really enjoyed the illustrations as well.
January 10, 2024
Author, Allison Edwards, is a licensed professional counselor and registered play therapist. Her expertise is evident in the carefully worded BEAT, BEAT, THUMP.
Written for youngsters using the popular picture book format, this 30+ page book is comfortably illustrated by Doneva Seliyana. Her work is detailed without being crisp or sharp; a bit like photographs thru a filter. I found it calming.
Unless you’ve actually experienced an anxiety attack, you might not recognize that this is what is happening to Alex, the little guy in the story. Some of the techniques for dealing with anxiety are presented very subtly and I found the deep breathing incomplete, which is why I gave this book 4* rather than 5.
Because the book is FOR children, I think more parental/adult involvement should have been integrated into the story. They were there, but only in the memories or thinking process of Alex, rather than in a proactive manner.
My Bro in Law is currently dealing with anxiety issues and struggles to verbalize his feelings. I gave him my iPad with the BookFunnel app and had him read this book. He was thrilled and said this is exactly how he experiences/feels many times and was looking forward to trying the tapping trick - it appeals to his OCD!
Vocabulary is geared for advanced 2nd graders or 3rd grade. Younger kids will need assistance. Because Alex is never identified in the story, adults will need to read the author’s notes at the end to find his name. The adults and his friend(s) are never named, which will bother inquisitive kids, and me, quite frankly. If the need for this material weren’t so great, I would have deducted another star📚
Read and Reviewed from a PW Grab a Galley copy via BookFunnel with thanks
Written for youngsters using the popular picture book format, this 30+ page book is comfortably illustrated by Doneva Seliyana. Her work is detailed without being crisp or sharp; a bit like photographs thru a filter. I found it calming.
Unless you’ve actually experienced an anxiety attack, you might not recognize that this is what is happening to Alex, the little guy in the story. Some of the techniques for dealing with anxiety are presented very subtly and I found the deep breathing incomplete, which is why I gave this book 4* rather than 5.
Because the book is FOR children, I think more parental/adult involvement should have been integrated into the story. They were there, but only in the memories or thinking process of Alex, rather than in a proactive manner.
My Bro in Law is currently dealing with anxiety issues and struggles to verbalize his feelings. I gave him my iPad with the BookFunnel app and had him read this book. He was thrilled and said this is exactly how he experiences/feels many times and was looking forward to trying the tapping trick - it appeals to his OCD!
Vocabulary is geared for advanced 2nd graders or 3rd grade. Younger kids will need assistance. Because Alex is never identified in the story, adults will need to read the author’s notes at the end to find his name. The adults and his friend(s) are never named, which will bother inquisitive kids, and me, quite frankly. If the need for this material weren’t so great, I would have deducted another star📚
Read and Reviewed from a PW Grab a Galley copy via BookFunnel with thanks
November 1, 2022
Super cute short read for kiddos about how anxiety feels in their chest. It’s hard for kids to put a name to their feelings sometimes and this would be helpful for them! I would suggest kiddos in elementary school for most relatability. I enjoyed the illustrations as well!
October 22, 2022
In this beautifully illustrated picture book the reader meets a young child who notices the beat, beat, thump of their heart when they feel nervous. However, as they begin to pay attention to and listen to their body, the sound of their heartbeat becomes a touchstone and a way of grounding. This is such a powerful tool to introduce to young people. Being able to focus on their heartbeat or breathing can give children the opportunity to self regulate. It also allow them to recognize cues that their body sends them when they are feeling certain emotions (whether it is anxiety, joy, sadness, excitement or anger). This awareness is key to being able to regulate, express and manage these feelings.
I absolutely love the message that this book carries, especially because it doesn’t emphasize only using this technique when you are feeling anxiety or anger. This would make a fantastic addition to a home, classroom or school counselor’s office.
I absolutely love the message that this book carries, especially because it doesn’t emphasize only using this technique when you are feeling anxiety or anger. This would make a fantastic addition to a home, classroom or school counselor’s office.
November 3, 2022
I love using picture books as teaching tools with my children. As a parent it is often difficult to find the perfect words to help your child or to help explain what it is they are feeling.
Beat, Beat, Thump is an excellent story that addresses anxiety in children and what that may feel like. A young boy talks about the sounds and feelings that happen when he starts to feel overwhelmed. The Beat, Beat, Thump starts in his heart and travels up through his throat and into his ears and head. Try as he might he cannot make it go away.
From explaining the symptoms that this young child feels, to when and why he may start to feel this anxiety, and finally to showing coping mechanisms, this story just outlines it all so wonderfully. As a parent and avid picture book reader I appreciated how the story went full circle: turning the Beat, Beat, Thump from a negative to a positive. A must have addition for every home library.
Beat, Beat, Thump is an excellent story that addresses anxiety in children and what that may feel like. A young boy talks about the sounds and feelings that happen when he starts to feel overwhelmed. The Beat, Beat, Thump starts in his heart and travels up through his throat and into his ears and head. Try as he might he cannot make it go away.
From explaining the symptoms that this young child feels, to when and why he may start to feel this anxiety, and finally to showing coping mechanisms, this story just outlines it all so wonderfully. As a parent and avid picture book reader I appreciated how the story went full circle: turning the Beat, Beat, Thump from a negative to a positive. A must have addition for every home library.
October 19, 2022
Beat, Beat, Thump
5 Stars
What a fantastic book!
This cute little book addresses the very big issue of anxiety. Beat, Beat,Thump are the sounds our hearts make when we are excited, nervous or scared. This book does a great job explaining what each emotion feels (calm/anxiety/happiness) and how to interpret them. I think it's fabulous they included a few ways of coping & breathing exercises.
This charming story is well matched with lovely illustrations. They're colorful and bright. I like the artist's use of a more muted color palette, because we're learning something important. Thank you, NetGalley and Independent Book Publishers Association, for an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
5 Stars
What a fantastic book!
This cute little book addresses the very big issue of anxiety. Beat, Beat,Thump are the sounds our hearts make when we are excited, nervous or scared. This book does a great job explaining what each emotion feels (calm/anxiety/happiness) and how to interpret them. I think it's fabulous they included a few ways of coping & breathing exercises.
This charming story is well matched with lovely illustrations. They're colorful and bright. I like the artist's use of a more muted color palette, because we're learning something important. Thank you, NetGalley and Independent Book Publishers Association, for an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 26, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book to my 6 year old granddaughter. Eleanor has started Kindergarten at a new school and is making new friends. She can be a bit shy and sometimes anxious about new situations and I found this book to be spot on for her! First let me say that we both found the illustrations to be "so colorful" in Eleanor's words. While Eleanor has been taught to take a deep breath or count to 10, Alex is mindful of his heartbeats. A Gentle beating in Alex's heart indicates that he is calm and the situation is normal; when he hears the THUMP he is worried or "stressed out" as Eleanor says.
I think this is a great book for both individual or classroom use. Thank you for sharing this book with me!
I think this is a great book for both individual or classroom use. Thank you for sharing this book with me!
November 1, 2022
Beat, Beat, thump is the sound of my fears.
But it is also the sound of my joy, my happiness, and a reminder that I am strong.
A book for both parent and child to be self-aware of your heart and your mind. The two are connected. When our heart races it can mean many things. You are running a race or your mind is racing. Whichever it may be, there are steps to take deep breaths and quiet our hearts and mind. To lessen the anxiety we may feel.
It is a journey for you and your child together with other children and what they face. It is a child friendly look at anxiety without shame and guilt. A great resource for families.
A special thank you to National Center for Youth Issues and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
But it is also the sound of my joy, my happiness, and a reminder that I am strong.
A book for both parent and child to be self-aware of your heart and your mind. The two are connected. When our heart races it can mean many things. You are running a race or your mind is racing. Whichever it may be, there are steps to take deep breaths and quiet our hearts and mind. To lessen the anxiety we may feel.
It is a journey for you and your child together with other children and what they face. It is a child friendly look at anxiety without shame and guilt. A great resource for families.
A special thank you to National Center for Youth Issues and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
October 27, 2022
Beat, Beat, Thump. That’s the sound our heart makes when we’re anxious. And for children, this can be scary. As adults, we sometimes forget that children can experiences these feelings. This book is a great tool for parents to introduce children to anxiety and open the door to conversations around the topic. The illustrations are engaging and the diversity of characters is spot on. I especially enjoyed how the author expresses that our hearts can make the same sounds for other emotions, and addresses how we can help littles manage all these big emotions in age-appropriate ways.
Thank you NetGalley, the National Center for Youth Issues and Allison Edwards for the ARC.
Thank you NetGalley, the National Center for Youth Issues and Allison Edwards for the ARC.
October 31, 2022
This is a great kid-friendly exploration of anxiety and ideas for how to manage it. It will give kids validation that they're not alone in feeling anxious or panicky and offer them a useful vocabulary to discuss it. The situations that make young Alex feel anxious, and the strategies he uses to calm himself, are very relatable for young kids. The illustrations are striking and detailed--they complement the text well and will help kids connect to the story. This would be a wonderful classroom resource for pre-K and elementary and would be a great addition to school and classroom libraries.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!
November 16, 2022
Beat, Beat, Thump by Allison Edwards 5/5
Beat, Beat, Thump is book to help children understand anxiety and panic attacks with tools to help when an episode happens. I love, as a parent, when I can find a book that will open the floor to discussion on topics that can be hard to talk about with some. The illustrations are adorable and filled with details. The book is diverse, heartwarming, and helping. I would recommend this book to everyone with littles, it's never too early to start teaching children about all the big emotions we can feel. They need to understand what is happening, why, and what they can do to help them.
Thank you NetGalley and Publishers for the ARC.
Beat, Beat, Thump is book to help children understand anxiety and panic attacks with tools to help when an episode happens. I love, as a parent, when I can find a book that will open the floor to discussion on topics that can be hard to talk about with some. The illustrations are adorable and filled with details. The book is diverse, heartwarming, and helping. I would recommend this book to everyone with littles, it's never too early to start teaching children about all the big emotions we can feel. They need to understand what is happening, why, and what they can do to help them.
Thank you NetGalley and Publishers for the ARC.
December 4, 2022
Beat beat thump - it’s the rhythm of the heart and its tempo gives us insight as to how we are feeling. When anxious, it ramps up. This story is a great way to teach kids different ways to slow down the beat beat thump of their heart to lessen feelings of anxiety and enhance their ability to navigate stressful situations, or to calm the mind to be able to rest. It’s a great read for kids and adults alike - we could all use help when it comes to the rhythm and tempo of our hearts.
I received an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. The opinions are mine alone.
I received an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. The opinions are mine alone.
October 21, 2022
This a great book for parents to read to young children to open the door for talking about anxiety. As adults we often forget that children can have anxiety and it’s not just because they’re “scared”. The illustrations were awesome and I personally loved the representation that was shown in the characters. This is definitely a book I would plan on buying for my child and recommending to other parents!
October 25, 2022
This is just the perfect little book for children of all ages as the world is stressful even for our little ones. We follow Alex's journey as he learns how to handle anxiety in a way that will help kids and adults alike. I love the teaching of centering because I feel that is what has helped me the most as an adult with anxiety issues.
November 7, 2022
This was a nice short picture book designed to help children with anxiety issues. It helps teach the child how to accept the fear, stress and anxiety and make the best of it. To use that anxiety to help grow and have new experiences.
For parents with younger children, this book should be given a look.
*Received as part of a Goodreads Giveaway.
For parents with younger children, this book should be given a look.
*Received as part of a Goodreads Giveaway.
November 8, 2022
Received review galley via NetGalley.
Love this! Teaching kids about anxiety/mental health and how to work through it, instead of stuffing it down and away, is soooo important. I wish more books existed like this when I was a kid, but I'm so glad they exist now for future generations.
Lovely illustrations, too.
Love this! Teaching kids about anxiety/mental health and how to work through it, instead of stuffing it down and away, is soooo important. I wish more books existed like this when I was a kid, but I'm so glad they exist now for future generations.
Lovely illustrations, too.
December 2, 2022
Beat, Beat, Thump reads like a social story for kids dealing with anxiety. It could be very helpful to children struggling with feelings of panic, and includes some beginner ideas to help quell those feelings. I could see this being a popular choice for an elementary school social worker or psychologist, but not as a fun picture book for general readers.
December 20, 2022
A young boy learns a valuable technique to deal with his anxiety in this nicely illustrated picture book. He listens to the sound of his and breathes in rhythm with its beat. A good lesson for us all , not just the targeted age group.
This book would be a valuable addition to a school library as well as the children's section of a public library.
This book would be a valuable addition to a school library as well as the children's section of a public library.
November 3, 2022
Such a great book to deal with anxiety at a young age! It gives many wonderful talking points for parents, counselors, or teachers to introduce and discuss this subject.
December 5, 2022
Alex hears his heart thump with anxiety, but through this gentle picture book he learns techniques for handling stress. A wonderful introduction to self-regulation.
December 5, 2022
An excellent book for children to understand anxiety, what it is, and how our children can understand how to deal with it.
Want to Read
March 31, 2023Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
October 30, 2022
Written by a Licensed Professional Counselor and Registered Play Therapist, Beat, Beat, Thump is about a boy named Alex who is experiencing the beat, beat, thump of his heart during times of stress and anxiety during his day at school. He uses a few method to help cope and slow down his beating heart: focusing on his heartbeat, deep breaths, and positive thinking.
This book would be an excellent resource for a school counselor or parent of a child experiencing anxiety and panic. The illustrations are colorful, yet calming and help set the tone for the book.
The note to parents about anxiety and panic at the end of the book is very helpful and ties everything together.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This book would be an excellent resource for a school counselor or parent of a child experiencing anxiety and panic. The illustrations are colorful, yet calming and help set the tone for the book.
The note to parents about anxiety and panic at the end of the book is very helpful and ties everything together.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews