It's the first day of school and William is sure it will be a disaster. What if the bus passes by his street? What if he can't find his desk? What if he gets lost? These pestering what-if thoughts make him feel nervous and scared. But wait! What if the day turns out to be amazing? Discover what William learns that turns his day around.
Brimming with color illustrations and rhyming text, this story will help children recognize the difference between worry and reality. A Note to Parents and Caregivers written by a board certified child psychologist gives more information on child friendly ways to manage anxiety.
This book is an excellent resource for parents, careigvers, therapists, and children alike.
William is a worrywart. In “William, the What-If Wonder on His First Day of School” by Bath social worker Carol Wulff, William learns how to quell his worries and focus on positive outcomes.
The minute William rolls out of bed, he worries that the school bus won’t stop for him, but of course it does, and his worries about not being able to find a seat vanish when a boy makes room for him. He finds his desk easily, eats his lunch, uses the bathroom and high-fives the bus driver on the way home.
“William, the What-If Wonder” (35 pages, softcover) costs $11.95 from online retailers. Notes to parents about helping anxious children are by former Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital pediatric psychologist Margaret R. Mauze, now living in Texas. The watercolor-style illustrations are by Clare Willett.
William, The What-If Wonder On His First Day of School is a clever story about a little boy who tackles some big problems. On the first day of school, William is plagued by fear and anxiety. What if I trip? What if I'm hurt? What if the bus leaves without me? As each hurdle presents itself, William realizes that he has the "power" to change his perspective. Identified as "cognitive re-framing" - this story provides young readers with simple strategies for "effectively managing their anxiety." Although written from the purview of a social worker and pediatric psychologist, the story conveys a poignant message in ways that are kid friendly. Also of note is the use of color to capture the nuances of William's struggles. Hues of blue and gray quickly give way to a much sunnier yellow whenever William changes his point of view. Final Analysis: If you want to teach children the value of mind over matter, then this book will definitely get the job done!
