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Feelings

When Sophie Gets Angry...really, Really Angry by Molly Bang (Blue Sky Press, 1999, 40 pages, ages 4-8) A story of an angry girl, told mainly through bold illustrations.

Today I Feel Silly: And Other Moods That Make My Day by Jamie Lee Curtis (Joanna Colter, 1998, 40 pages, ages 4-8) In addition to “silly,” this beautifully illustrated book covers grumpy, mad, excited, etc.

The Way I Feel by Janan Cain (Parenting Press, 2000, 32 pages, ages 4-8) The color pallette of each illustration reflects the feeling: shy, bored, angry, sad, etc.

Dealing with Feelings Series by Elizabeth Crary (Parenting Press, 1996, 32 pages, ages 4-8) This series includes I'm Frustrated, I'm Mad, I'm Furious, I Want It, I'm Scared, I Want to Play and are designed to help children identify alternative solutions to common situations.

Feelings by Aliki (Greenwillow, 1984, 32 pages, ages 4-8) Many short episodes, some only one frame or page, are perfect for the children to analyze and describe. Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco (Philomel, 2001, 40 pages, ages 4-8) A girl with dyxlexia is helped by a compassionate teacher. Shows the ways that children internalize critical comments made by others and suffer for their differences.

A Pebble for Your Pocket by Thich Nhat Hanh (Plum Blossom Books, 2002, 48 pages, all ages) Through vivid metaphors, original allegories, and colorful stories, young people learn about handling anger, living in the present moment, and “interbeing”—the interconnectedness of all things.

Friends

Help!: A Story of Friendship by Holly Keller (Greenwillow, 2007, 32 pages, ages 4-8) Mouse, Hedgehog, Rabbit, Squirrel, and Snake are friends. But one day Mouse hears from Skunk (who heard it from Fox) that snakes are dangerous, especially to mice. Can friendship survive gossip? Should friends stick together, no matter what? And what do friends do when a friend is in trouble? Or when a friend has hurt feelings?

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein (Harper Collins, 1964, 64 pages, ages 9-12) The story of a friendship between a boy and a tree that spans their relationship from childhood to old age and reminds us of the importance of sharing, giving and unconditional love.

Jessica by Kevin Henkes (Harper Trophy, 1998, 32 pages, ages 4-8) When Ruthie is going to start school, her parents want her to leave her imaginary friend at home!

Friends from the Other Side/Amigos Del Otro Lado by Gloria Anzaldúa (Children's Book Press, 1993, 32 pages, ages 4-8) A story of a young, undocumented Mexican worker who struggles against hardship and misunderstanding.

You're Not My Best Friend Anymore by Charlotte Pomerantz (Dial, 1998, 32 pages, ages 4-8) The families of Molly and Ben share a duplex, which is delightfully convenient for these two best friends - until they have a serious quarrel.

Families

You're My Nikki by Phyllis Rose Eisenberg (Puffin, 1995, 32 pages, ages 4-8) Nikki is sad to think that she might be forgotten when her mother starts a new job. Nikki thinks of all kinds of tricks to see if her mom really will remember her little girl while she's gone.

Sitti's Secrets by Naomi Shihab Nye (Aladdin, 1997, 32 pages, ages 4-8) When Mona travels to visit her grandmother's small Palestinian village on the West Bank she must rely on her father to translate at first, but soon she and Sitti are communicating perfectly.

The Rough-Face Girl by Rafe Martin (Putnam Juvenile, 1998, 32 pages, ages 4-8) This Algonquin folktale is a variation of the Cinderella story. The Whale's Song By Dyan Sheldon (Magi, 1998, 32 pages, ages 4-8) Lily has heard her grandmother tell the story of hearing the whales' magical song so many times that she yearns to hear it for herself.The beautiful paintings in this book illustrate the way that the love between family members can create and sustain the magic of sharing beliefs.

Smoky Night by Eve Bunting and David Diaz (Voyager Books, 1998, 36 pages, ages 4-8) The families in this story all live in the same building, but they don't always get along very well,One night there is a fire in the building and a boy teaches the adults to respect how much families need one another by showing them a way to create a larger community.

Black, White, Just Right! by Marguerite W. Davol (Albert Whitman, 1993, 32 pages, ages 4-8) A little girl enjoys many things with her black mother and white father, and has many tastes and interests of her own.

Abuela (Comes in an English and Spanish Edition) By Arthur Dorros; (Puffin, 1997, 32 pages Story-Listening Interest Level: Ages 2 and up. Reading Level: 4th grade and up) Wonderous bilingual story about a young girl who dreams of flying over the city in the esteemed company of her grandmother.

Conflict Resolution

The Meanest Thing to Say by Bill Cosby (Scholastic, 1997) The “Dozens” is a game where you get twelve chances to say something mean to a person and the meanest thing wins. Little Bill finds a way to win the game and a new friend without stooping to being “mean” himself.

The Butter Battle Book, by Dr. Seuss, (Random House, 1984, 57 pages, ages 4-adult) The Butter Battle Book still has a lot to teach about intolerance and how tit-for-tat violence can quickly get out of hand.

And to Think That We Thought That We'd Never Be Friends by Mary Ann Hoberman (Dragonfly Books, 2003, 32 pages, ages 4-8) When a brother and sister start fighting it seems as though they'll never stop until their little sister offers them soda pop if they'll make up. Later, when new neighbors make a racket with their musical instruments, the family is set for another fight until the noisy neighbors invite the family to join in, and soon the biggest, loudest, most joyful parade ever is underway.

Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes (Greenwillow, 1996, 32 pages, ages 4-8) Lilly decides to get revenge on her teacher but when she finds the kind note he put in her purse, she's filled with remorse and has to find a way to make things right again.

The Knight and the Dragon by Tomie De Paola (Putnam Juvenile, 1998, 32 pages, ages 4-8) A knight who has never fought a dragon and an equally inexperienced dragon prepare to meet each other in battle.

Peace Begins With You by Katherine Scholes (Little, Brown, 1994, 40 pages, ages 9-12) The book begins by looking at why different people's needs and wants don't always fit together and how this can become a source of conflict. It then explores the many ways in which conflicts can be resolved, including the positive ways that avoid a winner/loser outcome. The book then broadens, taking in national and international issues, suggesting that the best way to achieve peace is to ensure that everyone is treated fairly.

We Can Get Along: A Child's Book of Choices by Lauren Murphy Payne (Free Spirit Publishing, 1997, 30 pages, ages 4-8) Good times such as laughing, working, and playing together make children feel happy and safe, while quarreling, hitting, bullying, and teasing make them angry and afraid.

The Stinky Cheese Man and other fairly stupid tales by Jon Scieszka (Viking Juvenie, 1992, 32 pages, ages 8-adult) Alternative twists to fairy tales that work well wil the Big Sad Wolf exercise on page 58. Another good choice is The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by the same author.

he Big Book for Peace by Ann Durell (Dutton, 1990, 120 pages, agers 9-12) 34 artists and writers come together in an anthology that is both useful and inspiring. The Peace Book by Todd Parr (Little, Brown, 2005, 32 pages, ages 4-8) On each page, Parr features a different definition of peace: offering a hug to a friend, keeping the streets clean, and so on. The closing message (“Peace is being who you are”) is illustrated with Parr's usual multicultural mix of blue, green, brown, yellow, and purple faces.

Self-Awareness

The Story of Jumping Mouse by John Steptoe (Harper Collins, 1984, 32 pages, ages 4-8) The gifts of Magic Frog and his own hopeful and unselfish spirit bring Jumping Mouse finally to the Far-Off Land where no mouse goes hungry.

Oliver Button Is a Sissy by Tomie dePaola (Voyager Books, 1979, 48 pages, ages 4-8) A boy must come to terms with being teased and ostracized because he'd rather read books, paint pictures, and tap-dance than participate in sports.

I'm Gonna Like Me: Letting Off a Little Self-Esteem by Jamie Lee Curtis (Joanna Cotler, 2002, 32 pages, ages 4-8) The book follows a boy and girl throughout their day on alternating pages, using funny verse and bright, quirky pictures.

The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds (Candlewick, 2003, 32 pages, ages 4-8) A frustrated grade school artist, Vashti sits slumped over her blank piece of paper at the end of art class. “I just CAN'T draw!” she tells her teacher. Her teacher first uses wit, then subtle yet clever encouragement to inspire her student to go beyond her insecurities. Also look at Ish by the same author.

It's Okay to Be Different by Todd Parr (Little, Brown, 2004, 32 pages, ages 4-8) Kids of every shape, size, color, family makeup, and background will feel included in this gentle, witty book.

The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf (Viking Juvenile, 1936, 72 pages, ages 4-adult) A little bull prefers sitting quietly under a cork tree smelling the flowers to jumping around, snorting, and butting heads with other bulls. One of the best-selling children's books of all time.

Music Suggestions

Classics for Kids, RCA, 1993 (available in CD and Cassette) Contains 23 classical tracks: The Nutcracker Excerpts (Tchaikovsky) Parade of The Wooden Soldiers (Jessel-MacDonald) Carnival of The Animals Excerpts (Saint-Saens) The Girl With The Flaxen Hair (Debussy) Viennese Musical Clock from Hary Janos (Kodaly) Mother Goose Suite Excerpts (Ravel) March of the Siamese Children from The King and I (Rogers) Dreams from Scenes From Childhood (Schumann) March of The Toys from Babes In Toyland (Herbert) Childhood Games Excerpts (Bizet) The Toy Trumpet (Scott) The Little Train of Caipira (Villa-Lobos) The Sorcerer's Apprentice (Dukas) Waltz from The Sleeping Beauty (Tchaikovsky) Lullaby (Brahms).

Classics for Kids, DELTA, 2000 Eine Kleine Nachtmusik: Allegro; The Nutcracker: Russian Dance; The Nutcracker: Dance Of The Toy Flutes; Flight of the Bumblebee; Cannon in D Major; Sabre Dance; Happy Farmer; Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade (Excerpts); Pictures At An Exhibition: Ballet Of The Chickens In Their Shells; On The Beautiful Blue Danube; Für Elise; Trout Quintet In A Major (Theme & Variations); The Syncopated Clock; The Typewriter; Rhapsody in Blue (Excerpts); Spring Song In A Major; Lullaby. Disc 2 includes Peter and the Wolf and The Toy Symphony.

Grammy-nominated cellist David Darling partners with salsa.net and the peaceCENTER on the World-Wide Web Jam. He has two soothing CDs on the theme of "musical massage" — In Tune (2001) and Balance (2000), both on the Relaxation label. Either would work well during the short relaxation moments. Another good selection would be The Mystic Harp, by Derek Bell (Clarity Sound and Light, 1996)

José Rubén DeLeón is another peaceCENTER friend: he portrayed Gandhi in our renactment of the 100th anniversary of Satyagraha. José is also an incredible musician — his Bengali Lullaby is some of the most calming music on the planet. The lyrics, Ami tomake bhalobashi baby, mean "I love you my dear baby."

Instrumental folk music — such as Walt Michael's Hammered Dulcimer Retrospective (Flying Fish, 1998) — can provide a lively background to the more energetic exercises.

Another musical category to explore is "New Age," such as Windham Hill's Touch (Windham Hill Records, 2001.)

Sounds of nature work well with the opening relaxation exercises, such as Echoes of Nature: American Wilds (LaserLight, 1993); Relax with Sounds at Sunset (Ecological and Environmental Sounds, 1998) and Sounds of Earth: Windchimes (Oreade Music, 1999)