Today is Friday. But before I share our Perfect Picture Book Friday review, I wanted to tell you about Susanna Hill’s 5^th Annual Holiday Contest. Today is the day she reveals   the winners of this much celebrated, highly thought of, exceedingly popular event. If you’d like find out who all the winners are, go here. As of 10:30am, she hadn’t posted yet.

Thank you so much to everyone who visited and read and commented and voted for my story, The Christmas Seed. I’m thrilled and honored that it won 2nd place!

The talented and ever-so-funny Artie Bennett will be here tomorrow as our Will Write for Cookies guest. So I’m sharing one of his many books that I reviewed earlier last year.

 Artie Bennett writes funny books that kids love. If you are looking for GREAT read aloud stories that kids will want to hear over and over again, I highly recommend all of them. Here’s one of my favorites.

PETER PANDA MELTS DOWN!

Written by Artie Bennett

Illustrations by John Nez

Publisher: Blue Apple Books (2014)

Ages: 3 and up

Themes:

Expressing feelings, appropriate behavior, temper tantrums

Opening Lines:

“Let’s meet the Pandas. Here’s Peter. He’s three! And Mama, who calls, “Climb down from that tree!”

Synopsis:

From the author:

     Poor Peter Panda. He’s only three and filled with frustration. And when things don’t quite go his way, he’s apt to throw a tantrum—in the car, in the library, in the supermarket, in the . . . He’s the most meltdownable panda we know.

     Poor Mama Panda. How can she cope with Peter’s petulance while seeking to sidestep the mother of all meltdowns herself!? What’s a mama panda to do?

Why I like this book:

• Bold vivid illustrations- I love the expressions on the pandas’ faces!
• Wonderful message about learning to express our feelings and, control our behavior…it is so important to let young kids know that this is a problem everyone deals with.
• I read it to my grandson – he LOVED it – and was repeating the refrain before we were half-way through the book!
• My youngest son was just such a Peter…and his name is actually…PETER! I think I need to buy another copy for him to read to his precious one-year old daughter who will not, hopefully, be prone to meltdowns.

How a parent can use this book:

• Talk about feelings and behavior.
• Role play different scenarios.

Meltdowns are something many parents experience, especially during the holiday season. Long hours shopping, breaks in the routine, and sugary snacks can all contribute to kid’s losing their temper…and parents as well.

Six Ways to Avoid a Meltdown with Kids—these REALLY work.

1. Give your child a heads-up: When it is time to leave (the park, the library, etc.), tell your child that he can take two more slides or look at three more pages in the book and then it will be time to go.
2. Speak in a matter-of-fact tone: Don’t plead with your child or yell at your child…use a tone of voice that is pleasant, yet firm.
3. Give your child something to look forward to: Mention the next activity on the agenda…having happy face pancakes for lunch, picking apples at an orchard, reading a favorite book when you get home.
4. Keep an eye on the time: If it is way past your child’s usual naptime or lunch or dinnertime, meltdowns may be due to that.
5. Be consistent: This is perhaps the most important tip…kids are oh so clever and observant and perseverant…if they succeed at something even occasionally, they will NEVER GIVE UP. If they KNOW that NO means NO, they will be less likely to try.
6. If all else fails, stay calm, take your child by the hand (or pick him up) and leave the store, park or library.

Have a wonderful weekend, dear friends…stay safe…and choose love.