How did I make new friends?
How do I avoid bullies?
What do I do if I feel left out?
Kids can have difficulty learning the proper relationship skills needed to succeed in social situations with their peers.
Sometimes, parents are looking for help talking about the social lessons their children need to learn. We don’t want to beat them over the head or sound like a broken record. We want something entertaining, thought-provoking, and friendly…
Meet educator and author-extraordinaire Julia Cook! Having written more than 20 books for kids, Julia combines her experience as a guidance counselor with her talent for writing to create books focused on helping kids grasp important life lessons – one of which series was set on helping kids develop their relationship skills.
- Making Friends is an Art (with tips for kids who struggle to make friends),
- Cliques Just Don’t Make Cents (advice on how to deal with feeling left out of groups), and
- TeaseMonster (what to do when confronted with teasing)
Join us in this interview and we think you’ll agree: Julia Cook’s books are perfect tools for talking to your kids about social problems.
Helping kids develop their relationship skills
MCA: Hello Julia! It’s great to have you here. What was your motivation for creating the Building Relationships series?
Julia: My motivation for creating these books series is to teach kids, parents, and educators how to build relationship skills through fun and engaging stories.
Our world depends on relationships, and teaching relationship skills can be very difficult. But if I can incorporate these skills into a storybook, I can enter the world view of a child and make a connection.
MCA: Relationship skills are so important at any age. Were there any challenges you encountered when you were writing the series?
Julia: I wanted this book series to apply to everyone that reads it, regardless of sex, age, ethnicity, socioeconomic level, etc. Therefore, instead of using people, the books are written in metaphor using objects. Coming up with applicable and creative objects was a huge challenge.
MCA: Ah! One of the magic ingredients in the secrets to your success. What has the reactions been like from families and educators?
Julia: The feedback I have received from teachers, parents, and counselors nation-wide has been amazing.
This book series is making a positive difference. I am really surprised by how effective the books are becoming!
MCA: What do you consider Building Relationships series most important contribution to your readers?
Julia: This series tells teachers and parents what to do and what to say when helping kids build better relationship skills. It also speaks to kids through the eyes of a child, yet the metaphor style does not define the child that is being spoken too.
In a nutshell: the books are working for everyone who reads them!
MCA: If writing the Building Relationships series has changed your life in any way, feel free to share it with us!
Julia: When a child looks at me and says, “You wrote this book about me,” or “That’s exactly how I feel,” or when a parent or teacher sends me an email of how the books are helping kids, my eyes fill up with tears because I know I am making a positive difference!
This has changed my life dramatically! If I die tomorrow…I will die with a genuine smile.
MCA: That’s fantastic! What’s next in the future for you and your writing?
Julia: I plan to continue this series by adding a book on peer pressure, and one on bragging. My ultimate goal is to continue to write books that are better than those I have written. This is SO MUCH FUN!!!!
Mom’s Choice Awards® Honors
Making Friends is an Art
by Julia Cook
Children’s Picture Book
Silver – Series
Cliques Just Don’t Make Cents
by Julia Cook
Children’s Picture Book
Silver – Series
TeaseMonster
by Julia Cook
Children’s Picture Book
Silver – Series
Contact, Connect, and Network with Julia
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The Alumni Spotlight is a periodic feature on the official Mom’s Choice Awards® blog. It is part of our ongoing effort to “shine the spotlight” on you and your award-winning, family-friendly products, services, and media.