Celebrating Magination's What to Do Guides
With the support of the publisher, Shelf Awareness and the American Psychological Association (APA) are celebrating the upcoming 20th anniversary of Magination's bestselling What to Do Guides series.
Also published on this date: Shelf Awareness for Thursday, June 20, 2024
June 20, 2024 Dedicated Issue: Celebrating Magination's What to Do Guides
Editors' Note
Books & Authors
Dr. Dawn Huebner: Celebrating 20 Years of What to Do When You Worry Too Much
Dawn Huebner
Dr. Dawn Huebner is a psychologist, parent coach, speaker, and the award-winning author of 20 mental health books for children. Her books have been translated into 25 languages and have touched the lives of children around the world. She is the author of six of the What to Do Guides books, including What to Do When You Worry Too Much, the 2004 title that started the series. Huebner spoke with Shelf Awareness about the series, updating it, and helping children live happier lives.
What is What to Do When You Worry Too Much's origin story?
Long before self-publishing and digital art, I wrote and hand-drew illustrations for a stapled-together booklet I gave my clients to help them remember the things they were learning in therapy. Children loved it, and benefited from it. So, I turned that handmade booklet into the now iconic What to Do When You Worry Too Much, and then wrote five more books using the same interactive format. Thus began Magination Press's What to Do Guides.
Why were these books such a hit?
They are warm, humorous, and pitched perfectly to 6-12-year-olds. They normalize difficult feelings while providing children with tools to overcome them. And they work! These books are interactive, with space for children to draw and write directly in the book so they can customize what they are learning, internalize it, and ultimately master even difficult cognitive-behavioral skills. When these books came out, there was nothing like them in the market.
Why produce second editions?
What to Do When You Worry Too Much, and my next five books (Temper Flares, Grumble, Brain Gets Stuck, Dread Your Bed, and Bad Habits) came out when I was a young psychologist. I am now an older, more experienced psychologist. Both my understanding and the field's understanding of anxiety (and other mental health issues) has changed, as has popular culture. For example, first editions of What to Do Guides reference television rather than screens, and the artwork doesn't show the array of same-sex, one-parent, and mixed-race families children grow up in today. So, both the content and the art of the books needed a refresh.
What was it like to update these books?
It was tricky. We needed to keep the books familiar to the therapists, school counselors, pediatricians, and parents devoted to the original series. But we also needed to bring them in line with current best practices, and make sure they were relevant to today's young people. We kept the best parts--the drawing and writing elements, the metaphors that help children understand complex cognitive-behavioral concepts, the warm and accepting tone, the humor--and we modified the clinical bits that needed to be updated. We did a refresh on the layout, and added fabulous art. Voilà! A new-and-improved set of What to Do Guides.
Can you give an example of how the content changed?
The first edition of What to Do When You Worry Too Much encouraged children to envision Worry as a small creature and taught them to "talk back" to it, using words like "Go away!" and "Scram." But there was a problem. Children were yelling at Worry, and coming back to report that nothing had changed; they felt just as worried as they had before. So that section needed to be changed. In the second edition, children are taught to see Worry as overzealous or tricky, rather than mean, and to say things like, "No, thank you" before turning away. The expectation is not that Worry will vanish--it's on empowering children to challenge it, and not let Worry be the boss.
Have you gotten any feedback on these new editions?
It's been uniformly positive. As the founder of this series, it will always be my hope that these books will speak to young people around the world and that they will teach children who are struggling (and the adults who care about them) specific skills that will empower them to work toward change. The byline for this series was created 20 years ago and is still what they're all about: "Helping children live happier lives."
From Past to Present: What to Do Guides with Editorial Director Kristine Enderle
Kristine Enderle
The American Psychological Association (APA) will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of the bestselling What to Do Guides in 2025. In advance of that milestone, the series is getting a new look. Starting this fall, original books will be put into second editions and new books will explore fresh topics, including climate change anxiety.
Kristine Enderle is the editorial director of Magination Press, the children's book imprint of the APA. She has been an editor for more than 30 years, and a science nerd her whole life. Enderle's work aligns with APA's mission--to promote the advancement, communication, and application of psychological science and knowledge to benefit society and improve lives.
Here, Enderle chats with Shelf Awareness about the flagship title in the What to Do Guides series, What to Do When You Worry Too Much, the longevity of the series, and the exciting new packaging for the books.
Can you tell us about Magination Press?
It is incredibly fulfilling to publish books that help kids and teens navigate challenges, flourish, and grow. But what really makes my work special and what makes a Magination Press book an APA book is that our books share evidence-based information on mental health, social-emotional learning, and psychological science. Our books champion inclusion and belonging for all children and teens and we are focused on being a progressive, proactive force for social change. Together, our incredible team--editors Katie ten Hagen, Kristin Zelasko, and Julie Spalding, plus fabulous art director/designer Chris Gaugler--we have nearly 100 years of experience with kids' books! My team is truly committed to what Magination Press does and why we do it.
You've been working with the What to Do series since it was first published?
I received the original proposal for What to Do When You Worry Too Much in 2004. Thirteen books have now been published and translated into 25 languages around the world. We have an amazing team of trained professionals who have followed author Dawn Huebner's lead to create books that can help children.
How do you think What to Do When You Worry Too Much has managed to remain relevant and speak to children and caretakers for 20 years?
Anxiety and worry are a very common childhood concern, and for a good long while, Magination Press was the only one publishing on this topic. But really, What to Do When You Worry Too Much's longevity rests on the fact that it is just an excellent book written by an expert author. The strategies are based on cognitive-behavioral therapy, the gold-standard approach for treating anxiety. And maybe it helps that the book established itself in the marketplace from the jump and at the top of online searches thanks to a brilliant keyword-loaded titling strategy!
What about the repackaging? What is the plan for existing books and new books in the series?
We aimed for a fresh, modern design that should appeal to parents browsing bookstores or parenting sections of libraries. This means fresh bold colors, new art, and inclusive representation. Eventually we will update each title in the series under this new format. Each book will have its own color scheme while looking consistent across the series. This initial relaunch will include two books from the original five published (What to Do When You Worry Too Much and What to Do When Your Temper Flares), two popular books from the past few years (What to Do When Mistakes Make You Quake and What to Do When the News Scares You), plus two brand new books (What to Do When You Panic and What to Do When Climate Change Scares You).
Is there anything else you'd like to tell Shelf Awareness readers?
We want our readers to know that we hear you and support you, 100%! We at Magination Press really love our work and hope we are doing right by our readers. Please have a peek at our work and let us know what you think!
Upcoming What to Do titles from Magination Press
What to Do When Climate Change Scares You: A Kid's Guide to Dealing with Climate Change Stress by Leslie Davenport, illus. by Irma Ruggiero (Magination Press, $16.99, ages 6-12, 9781433844829, September 3, 2024)
What to Do When Climate Change Scares You offers age-appropriate coping tools for six- to 12-year-olds experiencing eco-anxiety. This workbook uses evidence-based activities and practices along with approachable illustrations and language to distill this complicated topic for young minds. In addition to identifying and working with eco-emotions, kids are encouraged to find ways to participate in creating a healthier world without placing the burden on their young shoulders.
What to Do When You Panic by Lenka Glassman, illus. by Janet McDonnell (Magination Press, $16.99, ages 6-12, 9781433844843, February 4, 2025)
This interactive self-help book uses scientifically proven techniques to help children when they are overwhelmed with panicky feelings and stress. The book, utilizing approaches preferred by many psychologists and school counselors, guides kids through a strategy for calming panic and settling feelings of spiraling fear and anxiety. Relatable examples, lively illustrations, and step-by-step instructions are all based on cognitive-behavioral techniques, making this an excellent resource for empowering children to help themselves.
Upcoming New Editions of What-to-Do Guides for Kids
What to Do When Your Temper Flares: A Kids Guide to Overcoming Problems with Anger: Second Edition by Dawn Huebner, illus. by Irma Ruggiero (Magination Press, $16.99, ages 6-12, 9781433845147, January 7, 2025)
What to Do When Your Temper Flares, Second Edition, guides children and caregivers through the cognitive-behavioral techniques used in the treatment of anger. With engaging examples, lively illustrations, and step-by-step instructions, this updated edition of the award-winning book teaches children a set of "anger dousing" methods aimed at cooling angry thoughts and controlling angry actions, resulting in calmer, more effective kids. This interactive self-help book remains the complete resource for educating, motivating, and empowering children to work toward change.
What to Do When the News Scares You: A Kid's Guide to Understanding Current Events by Jacqueline B. Toner, illus. by Janet McDonnell (Magination Press, $16.99, ages 6-12, 9781433845239, April 2, 2025)
Children are often bombarded with information about the world around them and events that include violence, extreme weather, disease outbreak, or discussions of more dispersed threats that can be frightening and overwhelming. While scary news is an inevitable part of life, this book can support and guide efforts to help the headlines seem a bit more manageable for young people. In the updated version of 2021's What to Do When the News Scares You, caretakers and children can read and complete activities that will help put overwhelming events into perspective, provide context, and remind children--and their caretakers--that reporters often make efforts to add excitement to a story, making threats seem more imminent, universal, and extreme.
What to Do When Mistakes Make You Quake: A Kid's Guide to Accepting Imperfection by Claire A.B. Freeland and Jacqueline B. Toner, illus. by Janet McDonnell (Magination Press, $16.99, ages 6-12, 9781433845277, June 3, 2025)
If children--or their caretakers--have trouble accepting mistakes, try to be right all the time, or worry about being less than the best, What to Do When Mistakes Make You Quake may be the perfect read. While it's natural to be afraid of making mistakes, some kids are so afraid of making mistakes that they may hold back from challenges or blame others for their own errors. This updated version of the 2015 book is an interactive resource that can guide kids through the emotions underlying a fear of making mistakes using strategies and techniques based on cognitive-behavioral principles. It reminds adult readers to emphasize effort more than outcome, model self-acceptance and loss gracefully, demonstrate a sense of humor, and to always comment on why you're okay when you make a mistake.
Editors' Note
Books & Authors
Dr. Dawn Huebner: Celebrating 20 Years of What to Do When You Worry Too Much
|
|
| Dawn Huebner | |
Dr. Dawn Huebner is a psychologist, parent coach, speaker, and the award-winning author of 20 mental health books for children. Her books have been translated into 25 languages and have touched the lives of children around the world. She is the author of six of the What to Do Guides books, including What to Do When You Worry Too Much, the 2004 title that started the series. Huebner spoke with Shelf Awareness about the series, updating it, and helping children live happier lives.
What is What to Do When You Worry Too Much's origin story?
Long before self-publishing and digital art, I wrote and hand-drew illustrations for a stapled-together booklet I gave my clients to help them remember the things they were learning in therapy. Children loved it, and benefited from it. So, I turned that handmade booklet into the now iconic What to Do When You Worry Too Much, and then wrote five more books using the same interactive format. Thus began Magination Press's What to Do Guides.
Why were these books such a hit?
They are warm, humorous, and pitched perfectly to 6-12-year-olds. They normalize difficult feelings while providing children with tools to overcome them. And they work! These books are interactive, with space for children to draw and write directly in the book so they can customize what they are learning, internalize it, and ultimately master even difficult cognitive-behavioral skills. When these books came out, there was nothing like them in the market.
Why produce second editions?
What to Do When You Worry Too Much, and my next five books (Temper Flares, Grumble, Brain Gets Stuck, Dread Your Bed, and Bad Habits) came out when I was a young psychologist. I am now an older, more experienced psychologist. Both my understanding and the field's understanding of anxiety (and other mental health issues) has changed, as has popular culture. For example, first editions of What to Do Guides reference television rather than screens, and the artwork doesn't show the array of same-sex, one-parent, and mixed-race families children grow up in today. So, both the content and the art of the books needed a refresh.
What was it like to update these books?
It was tricky. We needed to keep the books familiar to the therapists, school counselors, pediatricians, and parents devoted to the original series. But we also needed to bring them in line with current best practices, and make sure they were relevant to today's young people. We kept the best parts--the drawing and writing elements, the metaphors that help children understand complex cognitive-behavioral concepts, the warm and accepting tone, the humor--and we modified the clinical bits that needed to be updated. We did a refresh on the layout, and added fabulous art. Voilà! A new-and-improved set of What to Do Guides.
Can you give an example of how the content changed?
The first edition of What to Do When You Worry Too Much encouraged children to envision Worry as a small creature and taught them to "talk back" to it, using words like "Go away!" and "Scram." But there was a problem. Children were yelling at Worry, and coming back to report that nothing had changed; they felt just as worried as they had before. So that section needed to be changed. In the second edition, children are taught to see Worry as overzealous or tricky, rather than mean, and to say things like, "No, thank you" before turning away. The expectation is not that Worry will vanish--it's on empowering children to challenge it, and not let Worry be the boss.
Have you gotten any feedback on these new editions?
It's been uniformly positive. As the founder of this series, it will always be my hope that these books will speak to young people around the world and that they will teach children who are struggling (and the adults who care about them) specific skills that will empower them to work toward change. The byline for this series was created 20 years ago and is still what they're all about: "Helping children live happier lives."
From Past to Present: What to Do Guides with Editorial Director Kristine Enderle
|
|
| Kristine Enderle | |
The American Psychological Association (APA) will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of the bestselling What to Do Guides in 2025. In advance of that milestone, the series is getting a new look. Starting this fall, original books will be put into second editions and new books will explore fresh topics, including climate change anxiety.
Kristine Enderle is the editorial director of Magination Press, the children's book imprint of the APA. She has been an editor for more than 30 years, and a science nerd her whole life. Enderle's work aligns with APA's mission--to promote the advancement, communication, and application of psychological science and knowledge to benefit society and improve lives.
Here, Enderle chats with Shelf Awareness about the flagship title in the What to Do Guides series, What to Do When You Worry Too Much, the longevity of the series, and the exciting new packaging for the books.
Can you tell us about Magination Press?
It is incredibly fulfilling to publish books that help kids and teens navigate challenges, flourish, and grow. But what really makes my work special and what makes a Magination Press book an APA book is that our books share evidence-based information on mental health, social-emotional learning, and psychological science. Our books champion inclusion and belonging for all children and teens and we are focused on being a progressive, proactive force for social change. Together, our incredible team--editors Katie ten Hagen, Kristin Zelasko, and Julie Spalding, plus fabulous art director/designer Chris Gaugler--we have nearly 100 years of experience with kids' books! My team is truly committed to what Magination Press does and why we do it.
You've been working with the What to Do series since it was first published?
I received the original proposal for What to Do When You Worry Too Much in 2004. Thirteen books have now been published and translated into 25 languages around the world. We have an amazing team of trained professionals who have followed author Dawn Huebner's lead to create books that can help children.
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|
How do you think What to Do When You Worry Too Much has managed to remain relevant and speak to children and caretakers for 20 years?
Anxiety and worry are a very common childhood concern, and for a good long while, Magination Press was the only one publishing on this topic. But really, What to Do When You Worry Too Much's longevity rests on the fact that it is just an excellent book written by an expert author. The strategies are based on cognitive-behavioral therapy, the gold-standard approach for treating anxiety. And maybe it helps that the book established itself in the marketplace from the jump and at the top of online searches thanks to a brilliant keyword-loaded titling strategy!
What about the repackaging? What is the plan for existing books and new books in the series?
We aimed for a fresh, modern design that should appeal to parents browsing bookstores or parenting sections of libraries. This means fresh bold colors, new art, and inclusive representation. Eventually we will update each title in the series under this new format. Each book will have its own color scheme while looking consistent across the series. This initial relaunch will include two books from the original five published (What to Do When You Worry Too Much and What to Do When Your Temper Flares), two popular books from the past few years (What to Do When Mistakes Make You Quake and What to Do When the News Scares You), plus two brand new books (What to Do When You Panic and What to Do When Climate Change Scares You).
Is there anything else you'd like to tell Shelf Awareness readers?
We want our readers to know that we hear you and support you, 100%! We at Magination Press really love our work and hope we are doing right by our readers. Please have a peek at our work and let us know what you think!
Upcoming What to Do titles from Magination Press
What to Do When Climate Change Scares You: A Kid's Guide to Dealing with Climate Change Stress by Leslie Davenport, illus. by Irma Ruggiero (Magination Press, $16.99, ages 6-12, 9781433844829, September 3, 2024)
What to Do When Climate Change Scares You offers age-appropriate coping tools for six- to 12-year-olds experiencing eco-anxiety. This workbook uses evidence-based activities and practices along with approachable illustrations and language to distill this complicated topic for young minds. In addition to identifying and working with eco-emotions, kids are encouraged to find ways to participate in creating a healthier world without placing the burden on their young shoulders.
What to Do When You Panic by Lenka Glassman, illus. by Janet McDonnell (Magination Press, $16.99, ages 6-12, 9781433844843, February 4, 2025)
This interactive self-help book uses scientifically proven techniques to help children when they are overwhelmed with panicky feelings and stress. The book, utilizing approaches preferred by many psychologists and school counselors, guides kids through a strategy for calming panic and settling feelings of spiraling fear and anxiety. Relatable examples, lively illustrations, and step-by-step instructions are all based on cognitive-behavioral techniques, making this an excellent resource for empowering children to help themselves.
Upcoming New Editions of What-to-Do Guides for Kids
What to Do When Your Temper Flares: A Kids Guide to Overcoming Problems with Anger: Second Edition by Dawn Huebner, illus. by Irma Ruggiero (Magination Press, $16.99, ages 6-12, 9781433845147, January 7, 2025)
What to Do When Your Temper Flares, Second Edition, guides children and caregivers through the cognitive-behavioral techniques used in the treatment of anger. With engaging examples, lively illustrations, and step-by-step instructions, this updated edition of the award-winning book teaches children a set of "anger dousing" methods aimed at cooling angry thoughts and controlling angry actions, resulting in calmer, more effective kids. This interactive self-help book remains the complete resource for educating, motivating, and empowering children to work toward change.
What to Do When the News Scares You: A Kid's Guide to Understanding Current Events by Jacqueline B. Toner, illus. by Janet McDonnell (Magination Press, $16.99, ages 6-12, 9781433845239, April 2, 2025)
Children are often bombarded with information about the world around them and events that include violence, extreme weather, disease outbreak, or discussions of more dispersed threats that can be frightening and overwhelming. While scary news is an inevitable part of life, this book can support and guide efforts to help the headlines seem a bit more manageable for young people. In the updated version of 2021's What to Do When the News Scares You, caretakers and children can read and complete activities that will help put overwhelming events into perspective, provide context, and remind children--and their caretakers--that reporters often make efforts to add excitement to a story, making threats seem more imminent, universal, and extreme.
What to Do When Mistakes Make You Quake: A Kid's Guide to Accepting Imperfection by Claire A.B. Freeland and Jacqueline B. Toner, illus. by Janet McDonnell (Magination Press, $16.99, ages 6-12, 9781433845277, June 3, 2025)
If children--or their caretakers--have trouble accepting mistakes, try to be right all the time, or worry about being less than the best, What to Do When Mistakes Make You Quake may be the perfect read. While it's natural to be afraid of making mistakes, some kids are so afraid of making mistakes that they may hold back from challenges or blame others for their own errors. This updated version of the 2015 book is an interactive resource that can guide kids through the emotions underlying a fear of making mistakes using strategies and techniques based on cognitive-behavioral principles. It reminds adult readers to emphasize effort more than outcome, model self-acceptance and loss gracefully, demonstrate a sense of humor, and to always comment on why you're okay when you make a mistake.