Child Esteem

Did you know anxiety is one of the most common mental health concerns for children, affecting upwards of 20 percent of children and adolescents over the course of their youth? Anxiety is more prevalent in our society than ever before; we’re all affected by it. But it doesn't have to be this way. Your kids don't have to live a life of anxious stress. Together, you can build a new reality - one completely free from unnecessary anxiety.

The wildebeest, warthog, vulture, hyena and marabou stork swagger proudly across the savannah, rejoicing in their ugliness - and delighting their babies, who think they're perfect just the way they are. Inspired by the real-life ugly five safari animals, Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's brand-new book is a jubilant celebration of animals who are often rather unloved.

Nina is used to feeling like the odd one out, both at school and in her large family. But while trying to fit in at summer camp, she discovers something even more peculiar: two majestic birds have built a nest in the marsh behind an abandoned infirmary. They appear to be whooping cranes, but that’s impossible—Nina is an amateur bird-watcher, and all her resources tell her that those rare birds haven’t nested in Texas for over a hundred years. When Nina reports the sighting to wildlife officials, more questions arise.

Most kids love hide-and-seek, but Camila just wants to hide. Hiding is what she does best when she worries, and she worries a LOT. What if... I can’t... I’m scared! A class trip to the aquarium causes her worries to pile up like never before. But when an anxious classmate asks for help, Camila discovers that her heart is bigger than her fears. From social-emotional learning expert Trudy Ludwig and award-winning illustrator Patrice Barton, this tale of courage and compassion will embolden listeners to face their own fears.

Daisy has been working on invisibilizing herself—ever since living with her mother’s violent ex-boyfriend, and now to avoid the school bullies who are targeting her. She keeps a low profile, eating lunch with the librarian instead of in the Lunchroom of Terror and secretly counting whenever she’s anxious.But things are looking up. A new boy has befriended her and seems able to stand up to the bullies, and the stray cat she’s been feeding is starting to almost trust her.

Here is a book that celebrates you. It is meant to be carried wherever life takes you, over all the roads, through all the years. This debut audiobook by Nancy Tillman has already touched the hearts of readers of all ages, from the youngest to new mothers to grandparents. A New York Times and Publishers Weekly best-selling book, On the Night You Were Born is sure to also be a beloved addition to family listening libraries.

Seventh grader Holling Hoodhood isn't happy. He is sure his new teacher, Mrs. Baker, hates his guts. Throughout the school year, Holling strives to get a handle on the Shakespeare plays Mrs. Baker assigns him to read on his own time, and to figure out the enigmatic Mrs. Baker. At home, Holling's domineering father is obsessed with his business image and disregards his family.

Mary Fern's bedtime series of audiobooks have helped countless children to find restful, gentle sleep and provided frazzled parents with a much-needed break. Her new series is designed to help children stop sucking their thumbs. These bedtime stories are best listened to on Audible.

Despite Jessica's shocking appearance and the fear she evokes in him and most of the seventh-grade class, Tom slowly develops a tentative friendship with Jessica that changes his life. Firegirl is a powerful story that will show listeners that even the smallest of gestures can have a profound impact on someone's life.

Teaching children to trust themselves builds their self-confidence and self-esteem, and is the best way to protect them from gaslighting, manipulation, and peer pressure. There are situations that can come up throughout our lives where our inner strength is challenged, and we are pressured to ignore our feelings or what we know to be true. The Sky is Red paints an age appropriate clear picture as to why it is so important and rewarding to trust yourself.

The powerful sequel to the award-winning Freak the Mighty. Fourteen-year-old Max is back, and he finds himself defending a solitary girl nicknamed "Worm" against a cruel man known as the Undertaker. Against all odds, the teens embark on a perilous journey in search of Worm's father and must face something more frightening than death itself. Written in a haunting yet uplifting first-person voice, Publishers Weekly calls Max the Mighty "a rip-roaring, heartwarming escapade".

The Princess Diaries meets Harriet the Spy when Abby—the most ordinary girl in the world—finds herself undercover at a summer camp for famous kids. From acclaimed author Jennifer Blecher, Camp Famous is an accessible and fun summertime adventure about fitting in, being brave, and letting others see who you truly are. Camp Famous is pitch-perfect for anyone who loves Disney’s Camp Rock.

When Autumn becomes the secret voice of the advice column in her middle school newspaper she is faced with a dilemma - can she give fair advice to everyone, including her friends, while keeping her identity a secret?

Dancing with the Paris Opera ballet is 14-year-old Marie van Goethem's greatest joy. And yet she must honor her father's dying request to keep their poverty-stricken family together. She certainly can't count on the help of her drunken mother or selfish older sister. When famous artist Edgar Degas asks Marie to model for a sculpture, she welcomes the income - although she's hesitant to pose nude.

It's OK to Be Different encourages kids to be kind and befriend those who are different from themselves, showing young children that they don't have to look alike or enjoy doing the same activities to be kind to one another. Listeners will come away with the message: You should always be kind to those who are different from you. Because to them, you are different, too.

Kids today are presented with new challenges all the time. They face an uncertain future and are under constant pressure to thrive in an overwhelming and fast-paced world. You vs the World: The Bear Grylls Guide to Never Giving Up retells Bear Grylls' most extreme adventures in a kid-friendly way. He shares the life lessons he's learned along the way, and how the skills needed to survive in the wild can be used in everyday life. From finding confidence to bouncing back from failure, Bear gives children the tools they need to survive and thrive in their own lives.

With a little encouragement from his sister, Ramon discovers that creativity is about a lot more than getting things just "right."

When his family packs up and moves from the city to a small town deep in the Wisconsin countryside, 15-year-old Wil Neuton makes an exhilarating discovery. He finds a small island on a nearby lake, a place where he can be alone and learn to know nature—and himself. On his island, he can write, paint, and watch the loons and fish in the lake. Wil can’t stay away from the outside world forever, though. Sooner or later, he must return and face the bully determined to fight him and his bickering parents, who worry when Wil decides to stay on the island indefinitely.

Young Mary has been told that there are many things she can’t do. Like stay up past bedtime, or be an astronaut or become president. But what she really wants is to sing, and she isn’t about to let anyone tell her she can’t do it! A powerful motivating tale about a confident and ambitious girl who doesn’t feed into negativity, this debut children’s book from legendary artist Mary J. Blige proves that anyone can make their dreams come true by believing in themselves. It's a great conversation starter for overcoming discouragement from others.

After investigating multiple homicides and her family's decades-old skeletons in the closet, Tandy Angel is finally reunited with her lost love in Paris. But as he grows increasingly distant, Tandy is confronted with disturbing questions about him, as well as what really happened to her long-dead sister. With no way to tell anymore who in her life she can trust, how will Tandy ever get to the bottom of the countless secrets her parents kept from her?