The Worry Monster

“A useful and adorable book that’s the just-right blend of story and resource.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Great for a guided storytime on mindfulness or as a teaching moment for little ones with lots of worries.” —Booklist

“Introduces playful yet effective strategies—like body awareness, co-regulation, and focus—designed to calm the child’s nervous system that are consistent with the therapeutic techniques used by therapists for clients of all ages.”—Stephen W. Porges, PhD

“As both a yoga instructor and a parent of two small children, I immediately fell in love with The Worry Monster’s simple, easy-to-implement calming strategies and movement exercises.”—Liz Veyhl, founder and executive director of Small World Yoga

“Encourages children to express their worries and offers interactive tools for handling them. The illustrations are engaging and comforting… . An excellent resource for children, parents, and clinicians!”—Chelsey McCabe, PhD, director of behavioral health at Oishei Children’s Hospital

“By personifying worry, this book makes it easier for children to recognize, understand and relate to their emotions. The inclusion of research-supported mindfulness-based tools ensures that teachers, school personnel, and caregivers can readily support children in regulating their emotions and provides easily accessible tools to empower children to manage their feelings in a supportive way.”—Rebecca Vujnovic, PhD, clinical associate professor

“Dr. Catherine Cook-Cottone has turned her writing and clinical skills to reaching school-aged children with seven mindfulness practices to help children manage their worries. I will be adding this book to both my personal and professional resources. I suggest you do, too.”—Joanne Spence, executive director and founder of Yoga in Schools

“Licensed child psychologist Catherine Cook-Cottone presents easy steps for a child to recognize and cope with sources of worry common to childhood. The book makes enjoyable reading, and any child can relate to the story.”—Shirley Telles, PhD, Patanjali Research Foundation

“A wonderful story that illustrates the power of the classroom as a place where child resilience can be nurtured and fostered and the teacher as a compassionate, mindful mentor. I am excited that this wonderful book will be in the hands of our learners and educators as we continue to support our students during these anxious times.”—Patricia Jennings, PhD, professor of education at the University of Virginia

“Introducing children to mindfulness early on is essential for providing them with the tools to cultivate the necessary inner resources that can help them relate to anxiety positively and from a place of stability in mind and body. The Worry Monster is a brilliant, practical guide that provides such invaluable principles for managing anxiety effectively. Cook-Cottone weaves mindfulness-based, psychological techniques together with wit, humor, and compassion—providing an easy and approachable way for children (and their carers) to deal with difficult symptoms with a sense of control and mastery.”—Esther E. E. Estey, PhD, licensed clinical psychologist, Stanford University School of Medicine

“The story promotes resilience and helps reduce anxiety in an accessible way. Destined to be a family favorite, perfect for bedtime or any time, this book is equally valuable for educators and counselors teaching children how to navigate big emotions. Highly recommended!”—Lisa Flynn, founder of ChildLight Yoga

“A valuable resource for parents, teachers, and caregivers to provide children with the self-regulation skills to help them sustainably maintain mental health and wellness.”—Sat Bir Singh Khalsa, PhD, associate professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School

Dr. Catherine Cook-Cottone is a licensed psychologist and a professor at the University at Buffalo, SUNY. She has worked with children and young adults for 20+ years, focused on creating embodied, healing experiences in therapy. As a professor, she trains future counselors and psychologists. Her 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. She is also a mom of two daughters.

Lena Podesta is an illustrator and animator based in Oregon. She creates character-driven work for both kids and adults 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.

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