Don't Behave Like You Live in a Cave

by Elizabeth Verdick

Overview

Full-color cartoons and humorous, kid-friendly text teach kids how to make smarter choices about how they behave at home and at school so they stay out of trouble, feel good about themselves and their choices, and get along better with family, friends, and teachers. Better behavior isn’t just about making adults happy: it means selfcontrol, awareness, and a positive outlook, so things go better for kids. Lighthearted yet supportive and frank, this book helps readers learn to make thoughtful, deliberate, positive behavior decisions. Behavior issues addressed include small ones, like talking or blurting out in class, as well as bigger ones, such as fighting.

Don’t Behave Like You Live in a Cave is the latest addition to the award-winning Laugh & Learn™ series.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781575423531
Publisher:	Free Spirit Publishing
Publication date:	10/01/2010
Series:	Free Spirit Laugh & Learn Series
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	128
Sales rank:	369,537
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 6.90(h) x 0.30(d)
Lexile:	780L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 13 Years

About the Author

Elizabeth Verdick has been writing books since 1997, the year her daughter was born. Her two children are the inspiration for nearly everything she writes. Before becoming an author, Elizabeth edited books for children and parents.

These days she writes books for babies, toddlers, teens, and every age in between. She especially loves creating new board books. The Happy Healthy Baby® series is designed to capture the interest of the littlest readers. Elizabeth’s Toddler Tools® series helps young children and their parents cope with those tough times and transitions that happen every day (like naptime and bedtime). In the Best Behavior® series, she helps toddlers reach new milestones and improve their day-to-day behavior.

Elizabeth also enjoys getting the chance to look at the funny side of life in the Laugh and Learn® series, which helps kids ages 8–13 get a handle on the social-emotional skills they’re developing throughout the elementary and middle school years. She’s also coauthor of The Survival Guide for Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder (And Their Parents), which offers kids with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) their own comprehensive resource for both understanding their condition and finding tools to cope with the challenges they face every day.

Elizabeth lives and writes near St. Paul, Minnesota.

Editorial Reviews

Talks to children on their own level, and in a funny way, so that it doesn’t feel like someone is preaching at them.

Examiner.com

Talks to children on their own level, and in a funny way, so that it doesn’t feel like someone is preaching at them.”—Examiner.com

From the Publisher

Gr 4–8—Not only are the antics of a cartoon Cave Boy and Cave Girl used to represent bad behavior throughout the book, but they are also part of the infusion of humor that makes the tone light, accessible, and soapbox free. Verdick keeps the dialogue conversational as she gives an overview of positive vs. negative behaviors, goal-setting for turning bad habits around, and motivational tips to support a change in attitude. Acknowledging the link between behavior and the body's physical condition, the author includes a chapter devoted to the importance of activity, getting enough rest, and nutrition (for example, "When you eat better, you feel more balanced. Feeling more balanced improves your behavior. It's a win-win."). While there is the occasional clunky acronym (readers are encouraged to remember 5GG4BB, Five Great Goals for Better Behavior), the ideas are workable, especially with the practical forms and worksheets—tools that will help children and parents track behavior and make some concrete changes.—Joanna K. Fabicon, Los Angeles Public Library

School Library Journal

An upbeat self-help book for elementary-school students lacking in self-control or having trouble with their social skills. Colorful, shiny pages filled with text boxes, speech bubbles and lists give unimaginative hints like, "treat others the way you'd like to be treated" and "relax" and "think before you speak." The first half of the book encourages youngsters not to act like "cave boys and girls" (apparently, cave kids were thoughtless, rude, wedgie-delivering folks), but the second half drops this conceit and reads like a traditional self-help volume, complete with lists of goals, rewards charts and behavior contracts. Humorous cartoon illustrations help keep the tone light and nonjudgmental. The advice is sound, but some of the mnemonics (5GG4BB = Five great goals for better behavior) are confusing. It's hard to imagine a child who will actively choose this, but teachers and parents who are struggling with a child with these issues might be drawn to it. This would be best if used in a therapeutic context where child and teacher, parent or therapist could discuss the contents together. (note to parents and caregivers, index) (Nonfiction. 7-13)

Kirkus Reviews