I am so excited to introduce the latest installment of my Wellness Series, which is my new book, Smile Sandwich.  After careful consideration and keen observations throughout my work with children and families, I felt compelled to create a story that touches on the most predominant social and emotional concerns relevant today. I longed to develop a story that included the beloved characters, including Rebecca, Bobby, and Lucky the Snail, as well as new characters that would bring the central concerns of the story to life. Through the summertime activities experienced by Ethan, Charlotte, and Josh, the reader is exposed to many important issues, including bullying, alienation, low self-esteem, and fear. However, it is the knowledge of positive coping skills and strategies possessed by Rebecca, Bobby, and Lucky the Snail that these new friends become enlightened about a powerful tool that can help them solve their issues and make new plans for a happier future.

This powerful tool is a unique concept of self-love and spreading kindness and love toward others. It is through this concept of instilling kind thoughts about self, that leads one to share kind words with others, which inevitably generates kind actions toward others as well. It is this sandwich affect and special way of thinking and acting that brings the power of the Smile Sandwich to life!

As an educator and parent, I value books that clearly outline conflict and resolution in an easy way for young children to understand, connect to their own emotions, and enable them to implement effortlessly into their own daily lives. This is the main reason why I crafted my book to include a story that is easily separated into small scenarios within the big picture of the entire book. I purposely designed the book as such to allow parents, caregivers, educators, and mental health professionals to break down the story into small sections to present to children so that it can be dissected, discussed, and applied as effectively as possible. Through this format, even the youngest child can navigate and understand the story and also use the graphics and positive phrases throughout the book as a way to strongly reinforce the positive messaging found within the story.

As a final piece to this book, I've included a section about journaling with children to help them identify their weaknesses, celebrate their successes, and establish plans for future events. Journaling can be as simple or intricate as the child feels comfortable with. Pictures/drawings can symbolize thoughts and feelings and could easily make up the bulk of their journal. Yet, for those children who love to write, encourage sentences and creative writing to express how they feel and what they would like to accomplish.

Smile Sandwich is a book that is meant to be fun, colourful and entertaining, while gently suggesting ways to cope with challenges and interact positively with self and others. My ultimate goal is help children and families find their true sense of overall wellness.