Review: Go Away, Worry Monster!

Just like adults, children worry about things.

In Go Away, Worry Monster! Archie is worried about starting at a new school.

He's worried about whether he will find his classroom, make friends, and be included in games. 

He also wants to play sports but isn't sure if that will be allowed.

The worry monster in Go Away, Worry Monster! arrives as Archie lays in bed thinking about all these things.

It takes the form of a kind of mini dinosaur with a colourful knitted hood (which just might be a sock), and climbs on top of the covers as Archie huddles beneath them.

But then Archie thinks about the way Mum showed him how to make the worry monster go away. He does just as she told him and slowly but surely, the worry monster is no longer a problem for Archie.

In fact, Archie vanquishes the worry monster, and finds that he's now even rather excited about school. 

Children will relate to Archie, and the story by Brooke Graham incorporates useful simple techniques for managing stress and anxiety, and shows children that they are not alone in having worries.

With a topic like anxiety, this could be a scary story for some children. However, the illustrations by Robin Tatlow-Lord do a great job of showing the worry monster in a form that can mean something, while also making it somewhat friendly-looking.

Go Away, Worry Monster! is an appealing story with a helpful message and is highly recommended.

Download the teacher's notes for Go Away, Worry Monster!

Title: Go Away, Worry Monster!
Author: Brooke Graham
Illustrator: Robin Tatlow-Lord
Publisher: EK Books, $ 24.99
Publication Date: September 2020
Format: Hardcover
ISBN:  9781925820393
For ages: 4+
Type: Picture Book

from Kids' Book Review https://ift.tt/2Iv4mPP