ABC Worry Free

Everyday after school, Max plays hide-and-seek, his favorite game with his friends. One day, as he is hiding in the bushes, he gets stung by several bees. Completely panicked, he decides from this day on to never ever again play outside with his friends, even when Max's friends invite him over the following days. Max is way too worried to even consider stepping outside. Little by little, he starts isolating himself, even riding on the school bus alone...

One day, Max and his brother have a conversation, and Max realizes that he is not the only one to have fears! His brother teaches him a nice trick: whenever Max worries, he has to reminds himself of a special power: “The ABC worry free”. A stands for Acceptance, to recognize and accept that Max is afraid of bees ; B stands for breathing, to take the time to breathe in and out slowly, just like when you smell a very delicious pizza ; and C stands for Change, to think about all the positive things Max could experience, instead of all the bad things that could happen.

Max loves “The ABC worries free”! He promises his brother to practice it on his own, so that when time comes, he will be ready! And not long after that, as he was relaxing in his room, he suddenly hears the sound of a bee... just next to him! After running to hide and protect himself, he remembers that it is ok to be afraid, then takes 3 longs breathes in and out, and finally stands tall and open the window to free the bee! On the final pages, we see Max running outside to play hide-and-seek with his friends, finally free from his worries.

What a great story! What a useful book to teach kids how to manage their anxiety, and to remind them that it's ok to worry something, and that there are ways to help them feel better.

Thank you NetGalley and the National Center for Youth Issues for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Read and reviewed: 2018-11-04