Cool Cats, Calm Kids: Relaxation and Stress Management for Young People (Paperback)

~ (Author), Dianne O'Quinn Burke (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Cats are so successful with relaxation that Colorado therapist Mary Williams is teaching their techniques to kids! Williams has adapted nine "cat secrets" for keeping cool and calm (learned from the "nine lives", of course). A long-time cat lover herself, she knows that kids and animals are a natural match, and cats have stress-management down to a science. From relaxation procedures (Catnaps) to assertiveness (Meowing), cats set positive examples for kids to follow. Whether its smile and be friendly (Purr, Purr) or trying again and again until you succeed, Williams believes cats are excellent teachers, and she interprets their natural techniques to help kids develop life-long skills for relaxation and stress reduction. Cool Cats, Calm Kids offers practical exercises for today's kids in an easy-to-use format, with help from beautiful drawings of cats and kids by noted book illustrator Diane O'Quinn Burke. Cool Cats, Calm Kids also contains an "Adult Purr-spective" section for parents, teachers and counselors. Cool Cats, Calm Kids is "must" reading for anyone with a cat and a kid -- or just a cat and themselves! -- Midwest Book Review

Product Description

Today's children are stressed. They need learning tools that are fun, informative and memorable to help them ope. Cool Cats, Calm Kids is a practical yet humorous guide to stress management for children ages 7-12.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Impact Publishers (May 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0915166941
• ISBN-13: 978-0915166947
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #230,582 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun, creative book - wise and simple, May 27, 1998

By	[e-mail] "cydney" (Redmond, Washington, USA) - See all my reviews

This is a great book for kids and adults. It goes beyond many of the usual stress management techniques with an emphasis on self-esteem and standing up for yourself. Children have so much stress these days. This simple, easy-to-read book gets right to the heart of ways to help the children we love. I have a copy to read for myself and my 7-year-old daughter. I have bought copies for the library for people (and families) with cancer and chronic illnesses where I work - high stress situations. I also recommend it in a stress management class I teach at a local hospital for kids. Parents and kids alike are drawn to its message.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Nice concept, but there are better choices, May 31, 2008

By	Can Do Gal (New England, USA) - See all my reviews

I purchased this book for my work as a mental health therapist. It's a good concept, but it doesn't quite work as well as it could. It's somehow both too complex and long for younger kids and too simple for older kids. Maybe if the pictures were colorful and engaging, and there were two kinds of text - simple for the younger kids, more detail for the older kids. The best use I've gotten out of the book is to use the metaphor of being a calm cat to use the techniques shown as games with the kids I see in therapy. But after reading it a couple times, it doesn't come off the shelf. A shame - it does have potential. Maybe a second edition?

25 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Very Disappointing, February 27, 2001

By A Customer

I thought I had found a book that incorporated my son's cat in relaxation techniques that he could use for home and school. I was REALLY disappointed! This very small book (only about 25 pages) talked more about cats and their reactions to things. I thought that if I worked with my son and his cat I would be able to calm him down when he gets uptight. This book is not intended for that!! In fact, it has very little use other than its descriptions of what cats do and how cats react to certain things. Don't bother with this book if you're looking for specifics on relaxation techniques with your cat.