Book Nook: Boys Town Press

Boys Town Press publishes books that aim to teach values to kids of all ages. Their books touch on a wide variety of topics and are appropriate for any family with universal values like manners and kindness. They have some new titles coming out this spring, several of which I got to review.

·         Parker Plum and the Rotten Egg Thoughts: A Story about Learning to Look on the Bright Side by Billie Pavicic, illustrated by Susan Gaber (February 1, 2019). Parker Plum wakes up to find a little green egg filled with rotten egg thoughts on his pillow and he must learn to unscramble his self-defeating thoughts before it explodes.  This is one I got to review, and it's honestly a really neat visual to show kids how negative thoughts can become a problem, as well as a few examples of ways to mix it up.

·         Freddie the Fly: Bee On, Buzz Off by Kimberly Delude, illustrated by Brian Martin (February 15, 2019). Freddie, our lovable fly, is back as he whirls around from distraction to distraction and must learn how to focus and stay on task. An excellent read for children with ADHD and the adults in their lives.

·         Diversity is Key: A Story about Embracing Differences by Bryan Smith, illustrated by Lisa M. Griffin (February 15, 2019). The latest installment in the Without Limits series follows Amelia as she navigates her school’s Diversity Week and realizes that different is fun! 

·         It’s My Way or the Highway! Turning Bossy into Flexible and Assertive by Julia Cook, illustrated by Kyle Merriman (February 20, 2019). Follow the spunky Cora June as she learns that people don’t always appreciate bossiness, and that there are benefits to not always getting your way.

·         Middle School Misfits: The Stained Glass Tree by Leona Lugan, illustrated by Kyle Merriman (March 1, 2019). In this debut chapter book, Jilly is forced to change middle schools in the middle of the school year, and balances the desire to fit in while still being true to herself and avoiding humiliating screw-ups. What I loved is how the book includes ample discussion options for parents or teachers to use with kids, to make sure they're really getting the point and to provide an outlet for questions that may naturally come up while reading.

·         What’s The Problem? A Story Teaching Problem Solving by Bryan Smith, illustrated by Lisa M. Griffin (March 20, 2019). The characters in this story (part of theExecutive FUNction series) are each faced with a problem and consider some solutions that are terribly bad ideas. Fortunately, with some adult advice and a new strategy for problem solving, the kids are equipped to face each challenge as it comes.

About Boys Town Press:

Boys Town Press publishes children’s and educational books, and produces resources for educators, parents, and youth-serving professionals, all in line with Boys Town’s goal of “Saving Children, Healing Families.” Boys Town Press is a division of Father Flanagan’s Boys’ Home, a mission-driven organization that works in diverse communities with the highest-need kids and their families. Its publications are based on the proven techniques used in Boys Town programs. (Although the founder was Catholic, the values in the books are not exclusive to Christians and are appropriate for people of all beliefs).

Learn more about Boys Town Press and its titles at www.boystownpress.org.