The Worry Monster: Calming Anxiety with Mindfulness

Ages 4 to 8, Grades P to 3

Give kids tools to calm their inner worry monster with this interactive, vibrantly illustrated book! Tried-and-true methods from a child pscyhologist will have little ones mindfully breathing, practicing gratitude, and gracefully surfing their worry waves.

Everyone worries sometimes! But when your worries are giant, overwhelming, and constant--you've turned into a worry monster.

    Fortunately, the Worry Monster is here to help. He's going on a field trip tomorrow that he's very anxious about. Is there something that makes you very anxious, too?

    You're in luck! Worry Monster knows six Mindful Monster Moves that will help him--and you--stop the worry spiral. Will you join the Worry Monster and practice these skills so that you can both feel calmer?

    In this therapeutic story from Dr. Catherine Cook-Cottone, kids are able to see themselves in the Worry Monster and learn step-by-step practices for self-soothing and reducing their own anxiety.

About the Author

Dr. Catherine Cook-Cottone is a licensed psychologist and a professor at the University at Buffalo, SUNY. Dr. Cook-Cottone has worked with children and young adults for 20+ years, focused on creating embodied, healing experiences in therapy. In her role as a professor, she trains future counselors and psychologists. Dr. Cook-Cottone's research focuses on embodied self-regulation (yoga, mindfulness, mindful self-care) and psychosocial disorders (eating disorders, anxiety, substance use, and trauma). She has written 15 adult books and 100+ articles and book chapters. Dr. Cook-Cottone was awarded the American Psychological Association’s Citizen Psychologist Presidential Citation, and she is co-editor in chief of Eating Disorder: Journal of Treatment and Prevention. Perhaps most importantly, Dr. Cook-Cottone is a mom of two daughters who think the Worry Monster is pretty awesome.

Author Residence: Buffalo, NY

Lena Podesta is an illustrator and animator based in Oregon. She loves to create character driven work for both kids and grown-ups that is mostly sweet and a little bit wicked. She is the author/illustrator of Too Crowded and the illustrator of Baby Dragon, Baby Dragon.

Illustrator Residence:Portland, OR